When Declan finally got up, he went over to my boss and they had a short chat. I could not hear what was exchanged but he looked visibly relieved after the conversation.
He kept thanking Declan over and over as he walked him out of the nursery.
Keng : Thank you…. Thank you Declan…. Thank you.. I will never forget your help…. Thank you….
I shook my head at the mess those assholes left in the middle of the nursery as I picked up the broom and dustpan.
Jackson : Boss… you should have called the police….
Keng : Don’t talk nonsense… you don’t know who they are….
Jackson: They’re fucking gangsters…. Look at what they did…. Who’s going to pay for all of these….
I swept the broken pieces up and shook my head at the damaged plants.
Keng came over to help but I told him it’s ok, I can take care of it.
Jackson : this place is your life’s work…. They should all be arrested….
He bent down and tapped my shoulder gently.
Keng : Jackson …. I no longer own this place… since a year or so ago…
Jackson : what ?
I looked at my boss in surprise. What he says don’t make sense.
Keng : I own this place in name, but we fell on hard times a couple of years ago….Declan …. Bought and finance the day to day operations…..
Jackson : what…. But ….
Keng : The amount we make…. Is barely enough to make ends meet….and…. my son….he wanted to go study in Australia…. The… the financial strain is… i… I had to take a loan for his fees and accommodation…. And…
Jackson : I’m sorry… I didn’t know… I just assume all is fine…. Your plants are selling….i mean… things are moving….
Keng : How much can we make selling pots of mints and herbs… ? The competition is intense…. Only festive periods are better…..There’s also the workers’ levy, their dormitory fees…. Maintaining a business is not easy…… I’m also running on credit with our suppliers…. Sigh…. Sometimes I just feel so tired… it’s as if I’m struggling to pay the bills…..
Well, I wanted to say that maybe if his son is not spending a fortune enjoying himself in Melbourne, he would not be in such a state but who am I to comment.
It’s his decision.
I just thought perhaps the son should have been a bit more aware of the family’s financial constraints.
Jackson : Ok la… ok la…. don’t worry…. I’ll go fix their garden…I doubt they can appreciate the plants though….
Keng : hahaha…. I owe you one Jackson…. Don’t worry… I’ll keep your position here for you when you get back….i promise….
Jackson : How big is their garden… ? I will probably take what…. A couple of months ? …. Max… ? …
Keng : I don’t know…. you’ll have to go take a look and find out….
I finished up my work for that day and headed back home.
Looking at Declan’s name card, I realised I don’t know the address of where I was supposed to go the next day.
I dialled Declan and he answered within 3 rings.
Declan : Housekeeping…..
Jackson : errm…. This is Jackson…. I’m the gardener….
Declan : oh hi….what can I do for you Jackson…
Jackson : I need to know the address of where to go …..where is the property…. ?
Declan : Ahhh…. I shall text you in a minute….
Jackson : ok…
Declan : Another thing, I don’t believe we discussed remuneration….and staff benefits….let’s do that tomorrow shall we…. ?
Jackson : ok sure….
I hung up and waited for the address to come in.
Why did he answer with ‘housekeeping’ ?
Is he a housekeeper ?
I bet he’s going to lowball the hell out of my pay with either Seven or Hong standing around him.
Who knows, maybe he might get them to perform some more of their acrobatic stunts, breaking shit with their head as we talk about my pay.
With the odd jobs I’m doing on the side, I’m getting almost 2800 a month easily. On a good month I could get 3500, especially if the owners are happy with my services, including the gardening work of course.
There’s no way I’m going to accept anything lower than 2800 unless my life is in danger.
Maybe I got to factor in an additional 100 for petrol since it’s so far from where I stay.
Ang Mo Kio is not exactly near to Bukit Timah.
My phone vibrated and I looked at the road name.
Binjai hill.
What kind of place is that.
I keyed in the location in google map and was brought to the neighbourhood of bukit timah.
There is a secondary road along Binjai Park.
The property is located right at the top of the hill. It’s really in the middle of nowhere.
I mentally thought of the road I would need to take to work and plotted out the shortest route in my head.
I started surfing around for nearby coffeeshops or foodcourts and was horrified to see that the nearest hawker center is fucking far away. I would need to waste petrol to drive out just for lunch.
I mean come on, I’m just a general worker. I need my tea break, coffee, I need to eat my lunch. Working in such a isolated place, I can’t imagine having to drive all the way out, find a place to park, quickly wolf down my food and drive myself all the way back.
Unlike other landscaping jobs for horny stay at home wives, I doubt I would have the luxury of getting to enjoy a dip in the pool, or maybe an hour or two in the airconditioned interior of the house.
From the looks of things, I doubt anyone at this place would enthusiastically offer me tea or a drink while watching me sweat in the middle of the day.
I can’t make out how big the property is from the map and what is the extent of green space I need to fix. Guess I’ll find out tomorrow.
I shut my laptop and went to bed.
I don’t frequent the neighbourhood over there and I don’t know if there will be a jam in the morning.
It’s not my style to be late for work, and definitely not so if I’m working for people like Declan and his associates as he calls them.
16th December 2014
7.30am
I left my place in Ang Mo Kio and made the drive towards my new workplace.
Traffic is a little heavy but it’s moving.
There’s a slight drizzle and I could see lightning in the distance.
Not a good sign for 1st day of work.
Declan never said what time I needed to be at work so I assumed 9am as the standard.
I got to Bukit Timah at 8.10am and decided to take a drive around the neighbourhood.
The main roads are busy but once I turn into the residential area, it’s like entering another world. The skies started to clear and I could see the crown of the taller trees swaying gently in the breeze.
Matured trees stood tall and imposing along the side of the narrow road looking out of place with the manicured ones behind the walls of the houses I pass by.
Rows of neatly pruned frangipani with purple flowers changed abruptly to a thick row of bamboo rustling in the morning breeze. I could catch a glimpse of the houses behind the trees and landscaping, it’s beautiful.
From modern houses with flat roof and large glass facades, to the traditional pitch roof with the signature red tiles, every one of the houses there had a character of it’s own.
Some of the gardens looked like it need a bit of work. Who knows, if I do a good job, I could use it as a portfolio to enter this neighbourhood.
I even passed by a large house with it’s own security gazebo.
The Gurkhas on duty locked eyes with me as I drove pass slowly, their fingers never far away from the trigger of their weapon.
Probably some minister staying there or something.
I continued driving as I head deeper into the large private estate.
I could hear the roar of a super car engine as it went by my beat up Kia.
Jackson : woah…..
I could literally feel my small car vibrate as we pass each other.
I slowed down when I got to the small road leading up to the address on the namecard Declan gave me.
I could see the road sign indicating that it’s a dead end once I turn up that road.
I made a left turn but my car barely went 5 metres in when a large black SUV drove out and blocked the entire road.
I stopped and waited, thinking that driver must be on his way out or something.
I waited for him to move but it remained there.
I sounded the horn, feeling a little irritated.
Yes I know you are rich, but that road is still public property man.
No one came out of the car and I looked around, there’s no alternative road up to the top of the hill.
It’s the only way in.
I sighed and got out of my car and walked towards that large vehicle. I was about to knock on the tinted windows when it rolled down.
Staring at me from inside the vehicle was Kamal.
One of Declan’s so call associates.
Kamal : OEI !!!
I decided to increase the distance between Kamal and me as I asked if he could shift his vehicle.
Jackson : I’m heading up to look for Declan….
Kamal : I know !!... I’m suppose to bring you to him ….
Jackson : oh….
Kamal looked like he just woke up. His curly hair is all puffy and unkept.
I could see old scars of what looked like needles marks on his arms as he rest them on what’s left of the rolled down window.
Some of his tattoos were faded, there is an incomplete drawing of a spider on his left forearm. I can’t tell how old or young is Kamal. He’s definitely not a young punk but he don’t strike me as old as well. Probably in the late thirties range.
He had a gold chain around his neck. It’s pretty thick, there’s something hanging at the end of the chain.
Kamal saw me looking at it and he stuff it deeper into his t-shirt.
Kamal : park your car there….. you cannot drive in….
He wound up his window and I looked over to the direction he was pointing.
Jackson : I need my tools…. Some of my gardening stuff are in my trunk….
Kamal : You will get them later… not now….
The gate to the first property on my left opened up automatically.
I drove in and parked on the large porch that could comfortably fit at least 5 vehicles. When I got out of the car, I saw a few men stepping out from the house.
They definitely don’t fit the demographic of the people I was expecting to stay in a property like this in such a neighbourhood.
18-12-2019, 11:49 PM
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