Friend or Foe?

We got to know him better through our tkd tournament outing in Malacca early this year. We were uni-mates but hardly communicate much with one another. Due to some um... circumstances, he was left alone during the tournament and we (Eve, William, Karen, Yen Lu and I) accompanied him and talked to him and cheer him up.

After the tourney, he started joining us for dinner-cum-supper after trainings every Tuesdays and Thursdays. We have our meals together, talked a bit, joked here and there. Then one day, he made me rather mad. We left a table that we used as our "booth" during registration day in the hall. He was there. He could have just helped us stack the table at one side. He is after all a tkd member. But no~! Just because he's an SRC member, he did not lift a finger and just directed ppl to clear their booths (the registration of clubs/societies are managed by SRC). I had to get up from my evening nap, walk 5mins to the hall, stack the table that didn't take me even 2mins, and take me 5mins walk back to my room... and what was he doing? Just standing around in the hall.

Fine... he still joined us for dinner/supper sessions. After one or two outings, I was fine. But this time... he has totally crossed the line. See, we're organizing a camping trip. We have just only finalized the arrangements with the campsite ppl and transportation. Currently, we're trying to get as many people to participate. We didn't reveal the activities that we've laid out for them during the trip. Wanted to "tempt" them into participating the camp.

We have this yahoo groups for tkd members. Any announcements, news, etc will be posted on the groups and all members will be notified through it. After class this evening, Chin Yung YM-ed me and asked me to check my mail. He was upset and said someone posted a msg that was demoralizing. So, I checked.

Was surprised that the mail came from "that friend." Read the 1st paragraph and he just asked a few basic questions like, will we be living in tents or chalets, what are the activities there, etc etc. At that time, I wondered why Chin Yung was so upset. It appeared to be a pretty harmless mail. And then I read the 2nd paragraph....

Please dont say "later we tell you" or "when you get there you will know". Putting my life and money on a trip with secret agenda(activities/tentative) is not what I do for or call fun.

I was blardy pissed off. If he really wanted to know the activities, he could have personally ask us. It's not like we're kidnapping them or stg liddat. To think this sentence came from a person I would consider a friend. Someone who could've asked us those questions when he joined us for dinner/supper the day before.

I immediately clicked on "reply" and my first paragraph answered his initial questions... then, I added in...

as for activities.. why we have not released any details...
1. we've not gotten the confirmed number of ppl going. some activities are dependent on the number of ppl
2. if we let u know now.. it'll spoil any sense of "surprise"

If you think that by not disclosing the activities is something you regard as not fun, we apologise. If you are really keen on knowing the activities, please ask the committee members.

So far, only you have voiced out the need to release the details ofactivities. To avoid spoiling the element of surprise for other members, please consult on the program flow with either Januarius,Chin Yung, William or myself.

Don't worry. We will not ask members perform any life-threatening stunts. If by any chance, the members are not able to keep up with the rest, we will not force them. This is after all a tkd, not a military camp.


Regards,
PSA


I dunno. I think I controlled A LOT with that reply. Some said it was still a bit sarcastic. Some said it was ok. I mean, it's a camp~! What kinda activities can you expect from a camp? Surelah stay in tents. Sure la got jungle trekking. Sure got games to play. Even though I've never been to any camps, I think I can roughly tell what kinda activities camps usually have lor.

If you think that is the end of it, you're wrong. This time, it's the paying of the fees. Chin Yung had his laptop switched on, and he was logged on to YM. Then, that "friend" sent him a msg which read...

XXX : Want money onot?

Again, maybe I'm just sensitive.. but do you ask if you should pay the camping fees in that manner? It's as if we are desperate for money. Even if we're not well off, I don't think you should be so scornful lor.

Cyung told him to pay during training tmr. He said he has exam. Fine. Asked him to drop by training area after his exam to pay, he said his exam ends an hour later after our training ends. Okay... then, ask him to drop by training area just before his exam starts to pay. He said cannot. In the end, instead of him approaching Cyung to pay, Cyung has to collect the money from him.

Seriously, who the hell does he think he is? You want to go for camp, you have to pass the money to the committee la. Where got committee has to purposely go to your room to collect the fees? Yes, Cyung and him stays in the same block, but still~! We've already done our part in organizing, booking, making necessary arrangements for the camp.... all you have to do is pay and participate. Is that so hard to do?

It really is disheartening to see a friend turn into a foe. Maybe "foe" is too strong a word. But at this point of time, I don't see how I still regard him as a "friend." 'Cos I don't think a real friend would actually post up such a remark for everyone to see or ask "want money onot" instead of "how do i pay you the money?" I maybe bad in vocabulary, but I think I know how to construct less provoking sentences lor.

Am I still upset over it? You bet I am. Still think Sue Anne is a patient, won't-get-angry-easily person? Think again...