Chapter 8

11th January 2017

Wednesday

10.30am

After wrapping up the Denise fiasco, the rest of the week went by without much excitement. I tagged along for a couple of short unofficial bodyguard duties, but it was really just putting on a stern face and driving people around the island. Not to forget carrying luggage and holding up placards so I could receive them at the airport. It seems some people really enjoyed the prestige of having a couple of middle-aged men standing around them looking important and shit.

I had the cab with me for another week before it was officially out of my hands. I was put on an unofficial babysitting duty that day. It isn’t exactly looking after a baby, but more of following someone around.

To keep it short, a rich man’s son had borrowed his dad’s Ferrari to go meet his girlfriend. I was to follow them discreetly and see where they went. On top of that, the client wanted to know whether the son was driving around like a mad man. In case you are wondering why the rich man’s son didn’t have his own car, he did actually.

Just that it was in the workshop for a few days and the rich man’s son was pestering his dad to upgrade his ride to a similar Ferrari.

So, this explained the assignment. Perhaps the dad was secretly hoping we would be able to get evidence of his son driving like an idiot on the road, and that way, he could save the money for the car.

I have to hand it to the kids these days. Pestering the father for a car. Perhaps I’m too old and traditional in my thinking. If I didn’t earn it, I didn’t deserve it; this motto of mine must be out of date.

Anyway, to sum it up, it was a pretty brainless job. Camera did the recording, I did the driving.

It was really simple work, all the son did was drive from Bukit Timah to Woodlands where the girlfriend stays. That was it.

His son was a pretty good driver. He kept to his lane, within the speed limit and he even signalled for 3 seconds before changing lanes. I was impressed, honest. There were no loud revs of the engine, no sudden braking. He stopped for old people at the zebra crossings, he should be given a model driver award.

It was just a short drive to Woodlands and we got there in less than half an hour. The car stayed in the car park and so did I. The rich man’s son, Issac, went up to his girlfriend’s apartment and that was it. Issac looked bespectacled and clean, like the friendly accountant you would trust with your taxes. He had a permanent smile on his face that looked a little creepy to me though.

Once Issac went up to his girlfriend’s place, there was nothing for me to do but wait. Young people, go visit girlfriend, need some intimate moments of course. Eric arrived at my location around noon to take over for a while so I could grab lunch.

12.30pm

Jim: What you want to eat? I’ll treat you.

Eric: Anything man. Rice ... er ... vegetables. I’m old already so I need to eat more vegetables.

I grabbed coffee and 2 packets of economy rice and we ate in the cab and talked a little about the family. I’d seen Eric’s phone countless times since we started working together and on his wallpaper was a cute picture of his daughter Claire. She had the sweetest smile and the brightest eyes, features that I think came from the mum. I made a mental note not to tell Eric about that.

Jim: How’s Claire?

Eric: Well she’s a handful these days, but you know kids these days can talk back to you. She’s asking so many questions and talking like an adult already.

Jim: Ok she’s already 5 plus, turning 6 right? Another 15 years you can relax already.

Eric: 15 years! Still a long way to go.

We chatted as we ate and Eric let on that he was dating a pre-school teacher at the moment.

Jim: That’s good, at least you’re seeing someone. Next time introduce me to one of her friends.

Eric told me that his girlfriend Wendy used to be the teacher taking care of Claire in nursery.

Jim: Wow. You go and attack the teacher direct eh. Not bad eh.

Eric: Fuck you man. It’s just I think she saw me taking care of Claire alone and there were so many things that I was not doing properly, so she chipped in to help a little. And then it just happened.