Today went to do a couple if things, namely renewing by PDL (Provisional Driving Licence), collecting my A Level Cert and going to Kinokuniya (heh heh... points to blog entry on 1 June).

PDL:

Entered the Bedok post office after noon, and found that the place was packed! There were namely 2 queues, one being significantly longer than the other. I had no idea which one to go to, as renewing of PDL was not listed under either of the queues. As I was standing there, debating, I saw a guy who was clutching a PDL as well. The lucky person then went on to renew it right in front of my eyes! Haha... Talk about divine intervention.

Anyway, I tried to cheat a bit. So, I went up to the lady at the counter after he left. Feigning innocence, I asked.

"Excuse me. Is this where I renew my PDL?"

I thought that she would do it for me there and then, but no. She was too upright, politely asking me to join the queue. Inwardly sighing, I trotted off to stand at the end of a line that snaked towards the 5 active counters. All this for my stupid PDL, which expires on the 19 of June. Way before my next re-test in August.

That stupid flimsy piece of paper cost me 25 bucks! I continue to curse my stupidity for failing. Geeeezzzz...

A Level Certificate:

TJ was quite quiet as I crossed the road. I had taken 229, as I was feeling a bit nostalgic. I wanted to take a bus that I used to take to Temasek Sec as well as TJ.

Even then, the PDPs were still pretty active. In the canteen, I spotted a group of people doing something. Before that, I also met a few Year Ones in PE shirts and shorts crossing the road to eat or buy things. As I passed the Rock Wall, I could hear the sounds of a few TJ climbers talking about, what else, climbing of course!

The office was quiet. Unlike on normal school days, there were no teachers walking about. It was just the staff. I got my A Level Cert, gave them my letter, then signed my name on the enormous name list. I left, checking my cert on the way out. As I passed the Rock Wall again, the climbers had the radio blaring.

Of all the soongs...

No, no, no, no... Don't phunk with my heart...

Ah well, the Black-Eyed Peas rock!

Kinokuniya:

I impatiently stood on the escalator. To most people, the speed would be normal. To me, however, the wait was agonizing.

"Finally!" I thought as I finally reached the floor. I walked eagerly into its welcoming doors. Kinokuniya. The Nirvana of book and comic enthusiasts, as well as those interested in related paraphanelia like models, art books etc.

I made a beeline for the manga section. Truth be told, I was kinds sceptical. I mean, the place is big, but no one single store can stock all titles of anime and manga. I scanned the DVDs on the shelves on my way there.

No Hellsing. Sad... Aiyoh, everywhere Naruto. Hello, there are other stories out there apart from one about a boy with a fox demon inside him!

I arrived at the English Manga section soon enough, and then bent over to scan the shelves. My eyes fell upon a much-loved title.

Ghost in the Shell!

I picked it up. There it was, a manga drawing of Major Motoko Kusanagi on the cover, just like on all the websites. I flipped through the back. Yup, this was the right one. I squinted at the price tag and started. It was not cheap. I was starting to get a very, very bad feeling...

I went throught two shelves, but there was still no sign of anything to do with Dark Horse, vampires, or Kouta Hirano. Finally, in an act of desperation, I flicked my eyes to the shelves lining the wall.

And in a corner, nearest to the second entrance of Kino, I found my heart's desire!

Hellsing Volume One! *screeches loudly in head*

I took it down and stroked the cover lovingly. I flipped it over, and there in plain, crisp English was the outline of the story. The cover was fantastic, with Alucard dressed in his signature red coat, brandishing a gun, a crucifix on a chain clenched between his teeth.

My eyes fell on the price tag. I freaked out.

30 bucks! Wah siaaaooo! So ex!

I checked it again. Maybe it wasn't Singapore dollars. My heart sank as I realized that there was only one set of digits beneath the bar code.

Well, it makes sense. I mean, it is imported from the US. Anyway there's no Chinese version, and I have no intention of reading the Jap version with the aid of some Sakura Japanese-English dictionary...

I was really undecided. I had enough money, but I wasn't sure if I was willing to spend that amount on one comic book. Especially when there were still 4 more English volumes to buy. I had to think, so I tucked the volume beneath my arm, then proceeded to flip through an Eng comic strip book to give myself time.

Well, what did you want me to do? Stand there, in the middle of the aisle, holding a manga book at arm's length with a psychotic look on my face? Someone would probably call security or something.

I want... I'm crazy about this manga... It's so interesting.

Yah, but it costs 30 bucks, a lot of money.

Hmm... I could spend it on other things. Like a Fox Female T-shirt, a hair cut, new slippers and one of those long dangly earrings that jingle when you turn your head.

But I like this a lot.

Really a lot.

But very ex leh. I spent so much money on my driving lessons already. I'm not broke, but not exactly rich either.

Haiz...

In the end, I still couldn't come to a conclusion. So, I replaced the volume on the shelf. I decided to go back home and give myself some time to think. After all, there was really no rush. I don't see Kinokuniya going bust anytime soon, especially with people buying stuff at those astronomical prices.

And so I got on the MRT train at Bugis, clutching the pole in front of the door. After a while, the guy leaning on the glass partition beside the door moved away. I gratefully took his place. I like leaning and looking out the window.

Then I realized what I had got myself into.

Yup, one of the most horrible things to hit mankind.

The indecent couple. Right opposite me!

I sighed inwardly, again. This is so weird. Why can't I even take public transport in Singapore without incurring a nosebleed. I resolutely gazed out the window, which thankfully had plenty of interesting passing scenery with which I could focus my attention on.

They moved a lot, and the girl was making funny noises. My eyes slid involuntarily back.

Okay they were standing close to each other. The girl was hugging him, and whispering sweet nothings into his ear, or whatever stuff these horny people say to each other.

My eyes slid back to the window.

Oh the pretty green trees. Look at the pretty green trees. Green... Green...

My eyes flicked back to the couple again. I scanned the face of the guy. He was looking out the window. Not exactly handsome, what with the pimples. I mean, pimples are fine with me. I have the occasional outbreak too. But if you even have large red ones on your neck... As for the girl, not too bad-looking. But what was she doing?

The girl was touching his neck. She seemed to be inspecting it. In fact, maybe she was even picking at something on his skin. It was rude to stare, so I did not do so for a very long time. However, all sorts of disgusting thoughts came to mind. Scab, pus-filled pore, yada yada and all other nasty forms of skin disorders.

I could take no more.

BEGINNING OF HELLSING-INSPIRED DREAM SEQUENCE

I glared at them, my eyes not flinching from their scandalous forms.

I had to rid the world of this evil. There was no place good enough for them, except maybe the depths of Hell from whence they came.

Trying not to alert anyone, I slid my hand under the flap of my sling bag. My fingers closed around cold steel. Latching on to it, I slowly slipped the weapon out.

It was a beautiful thing, and it glinted in the sunlight that fell through the window like a precious gem. The Jackal was a wonder of weapons engineering, a gun with enough force to send a silver bullet slamming through flesh and bone. A real killer.

I raised the weapon, my arms outstretched. Sighting them in a line along its nozzle, I began to take aim. They did not notice me, too involved in their little activity. My thumb reached out and clicked back the safety.

I smiled. This was going to be easy. I muttered under my breath.

"In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation."

"Amen." My finger pulled on the trigger.

BANG! BANG!

And the terrible pair turned to dust at my feet.

I blew on the end of my pistol.

"Bullseye."

Everyone on the MRT cheered.

END OF HELLSING-INSPIRED DREAM SEQUENCE

Ding dong. Bedok.

I got out, extremely relieved. I left the couple to continue with whatever they were doing in reality.

Note to self. Get a life.

Oh, but consider really getting a big gun next time...