Where has everyone else gone ...?

I find myself seated at Long Bar of Raffles Hotel, a hotel that has a rather long history since its opening in 1887 during colonial Singapore and the creator of the popular cocktail, Singapore Sling.

Thanks to technology, I am able to blog this right off my phone as the music from the 7-piece band perform right in front of me. Music shouting into my ears. As I sit and watch the other tables surrounding me, happy laughter and great company accompanied the patrons of this bar. All but me.

Its rather unusual to be alone on a Saturday night as I am usually in the warm comfort of either friends or family. Today, everyone else has got programs of their own except for yours truly.

In my previous blogs, I did mention that I do not like eating alone and if I had to, I would rather choose to forgo my meals, like I did for the past many days. What to do? Am too dependant on company of friends.

So what is it like to feel alone especially on a Saturday?I really don't know. Its a mix feeling.A little excited but a little skeptical if I can last even an hour in a bar that is filled with happy faces that I do not recognise. If only I were a little friendlier to the group of ladies next to my table, who knows I might just get lucky. Lucky to make a friend, whatwere yo thinking?

For tonight's company, I carry a book with me. Thinking I could read it but no, the lights here are too dim. I should have known, how could a bar have lights bright enough for reading. The book titled 'Like the flowing river' written by Paulo Coelho, a book expressing the author's thoughts and reflections. The exact same thing of what I am doing right now, thinking and reflecting what tonight will be without friends but only with strangers around me.

As the band plays to the familiar tune of 'Africa' by Toto, I drift my eyes away from the band and to the table right across. Three ladies smiling and posing as they take snapshots of one another, tourists I believe they are. Koreans perhaps. The nationality that has been in the news for the wrong reasons in Middle East.

So what would my life be without friends? Pathetic and lonely like what I am now. I kind of thought the music would somehow tame that lonesome feel from exploding but its not working especially to the song 'All night long'. Right. A rather long night before I pick Sandy from her Aaron Kwok concert in 2 hours.

Before I stepped into this bar, I actually dropped an sms to my buddy Hanwen, hinting to him l will be here listening in to the band alone. He's always nice to me and will always try and make time for me but I know its a little selfish on my part to take him away from spending time with his family and wife thus I never intended to rush him here or even get him to be here with me.

Can anyone be without friends at any point of time in their lives? Rephrase. Can anyone be without friends for a long period of time, say 1 week without meeting up? I for one can't be alone without friends for less than 24 hours, what worse way to torture me for a week. If this really happened, I am really sure I would have walked across the dance floor, right to the table of three ladies and introduced myself. I would have made a friend then. Ahh.... A fourth lady just joined the group and they are introducing themselves. Another friendship blossomed.

Life without strangers - a familiar tag line of apparel Giordano. How about ' connecting people' ? Nokia. See, even brands are pushing the importance of having friends. I remembered clearly when I was younger, my mother would always ask me to make friends with the other children at the playground. I did and I always thought I really had many friends so where have they all gone to tonight?

Frankly, I tried making a few appointments but was turned down so I decided to brave myself and stay alone and I did it for almost two hours now. I guess its the final minutes of my lonely night as I just received an sms from Hanwen saying he will be here in less than 10 minutes.I have to say its a really huge feat for me to stay alone for two hours especially on a Saturday night - the only night one really gets to enjoy himself without worrying of getting up late the next day.

My conclusion is this, friends play a very important part in our growth and social life and we must never take them for granted. If opportunity allows, make more friends, its never a bad thing to have many friends but it sure is a terrible feeling when you do not have friends to idle your day away or a friend to share those burdens you might carry with you. So should you ever want to make friends with the people across your table, go ahead, it's never wrong to make friends.

I shall now sit patiently and wait for someone in the crowd to approach lonely me seated beside the stage. So where are you Hanwen?