A Singaporean In Australia

Once or twice, he was felt excruciating pain when he unintentionally bent his fingers during sleep. It was enough to jolt him back from slumberland. He sighed and slipped both his hands under his buttocks and tried to resume sleep. The aches at his neck, back and legs would not be felt then. As well as the fingers. Sleep was the best painkiller.

Over the fortnight, he adopted interesting sleeping postures to prevent any premature awakening. Hands under the pillow or butt while lying back, hands clasped together under the pillow while lying at the side. Anything to keep the fingers straight.

It worked. The weakening of the wrists and fingers however, was worrying. At first he could not unscrew a tight jar anymore. Now he couldn't flick the cap of the toothpaste in the morning. Yet amazingly once he put on that magic work gloves, it was work-as-usual. He knew that his pace was getting slower, encumbered by his pain and muscles weakness so he derived unconventional methods to finish his jobs. Mind over body. Is that what they meant?

Never had he felt this sore in the hands when he pumped 25 chin ups in the army. He never experienced it washing hundreds of plates at his mother's stall either. Everyone he spoke to said that what he felt was normal. It would supposed to go away with time. It seemed taking forever though but at least it put his mind at ease. Fear was a form of pain. Without it, the rest was a bit more manageable.

Amidst all these, he had been waiting. She would be here in exactly one month's time. Possibly earlier but no later. On that day, he would be able to hold her up with joy.

With no pain felt.