Every day is a new day. For the last 30 years, save but 1 day; it has not just been any new day, each day.

For the last 30 years, save but 1 day, it has been with Jeannie. I never in my wildest dreams (pun?) and imagination would have thought that she was going to be with me as my life partner.

It all began 30 years ago, when I was one of the facilitators for the RCIA (Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults) programme at Church of St. Francis Xavier, Petaling Jaya. We facilitators, together with those walking in this 9 month programme; organised an outreach event to “Rumah Faith”, a children’s orphanage / home in Kajang (1), Selangor.

We gathered at the arranged meeting point early on the Saturday morning of January 18th. The sky was fairly gloomy, with large light grey clouds hanging (literally).

Jeannie arrived with her sisters. We decided to carpool and I quickly asked Jeannie to come in my car. I think that since my car was 2-doors (it was a near brand new [I already had it for 9 months] white, Ford Laser TX-3 1.8i (with the “T-spoiler”); the other people chose to go in the other cars. Which left Jeannie and I in my car.

We had a very good eventful experience at the outreach. The day ended early evening.

Come Monday, January 20th; I wanted to meet Jeannie again. By now, I had her office contact. I had to find some excuse just to meet with her. So, I telephoned (yes, “telephoned”) her and told her that I was nearby her office, whether she would like to meet for lunch. Her office was in the heart of K. L. (2) That was a huge fib! I was in my office in another part of K. L. Traffic snarls were notorious at that time and I had about 20 minutes to get to her office. She said, “O.k.”

I was to meet her at the lobby of her building, and then, we were to walk over to McD’s for our lunch. Her lunch break was limited to an hour, and I didn’t want to make it seem too forward. So McD’s it was. I put the “boy-racer” (that was what the Ford Laser TX-3 1.8i was known at that time. It was a powerful road machine) through its paces, nervously; managing to get to her office just a few minutes late.

We both ordered a McD’s “prosperity burger”. It was our first time trying this burger out. I think it was the first time that McD’s had introduced this burger. It was during lunch that Jeannie told me that her birthday was the day before (yes, I asked; trying to get as much information about her as possible).

From here on, it was history. We try to get the prosperity burger at McD’s every year. So, come every Jan 20th anniversary, we go for a prosperity burger meal.

These last 30 years, save but 1 day; Jeannie has been what a wife should always be: my better half. She has always been there for me. If there was anything that needed changing, it would definitely be my dancing.

Happy and Blessed Birthday, Jeannie!🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️🌹🌹🌹

NOTES:
1. Kajang is a city in the state of Selangor, Malaysia.
2. K.L. is short for Kuala Lumpur. It is the capital of Malaysia.