The long and short about The Other Side Of Nerd

Without really realizing it, Nerd has been with the company for almost ten weeks already, and this is his last week of internship. Somehow, he knew he will be on MC today and tomorrow, so I treated him to a farewell lunch yesterday.

I am kind of sad to see him go. Although he irritated the hell out of me initially, we became good buddies over the many rounds of Puzzle Fighter at the office PC. We also had a good time reminiscing about the troubles we managed to get ourselves into during the short ten weeks, the evilness of Ms Tan, and the mystery about why we our crushes never worked out.

The steaks were very delicious, but when the bill came, I realized I was in trouble. I didn’t have enough cash, and the waiter smilingly told me that they don’t accept NETS. I thought I will be spending some time at the lockup until Nerd calmly opened his wallet and took out a Platinum credit card to settle the bill.

What the?!?!?!


Me: Nerd!!!! You have a Platinum card wor!!!!

Nerd: Huh? Oh. Haha. . . . Not really mine lah, it’s a sup card from my dad.


It turns out that Nerd’s dad is a retired Air Force colonel who is now running his own business. He stays in this swanky bungalow at Bukit Timah, though I would never have guessed because Nerd gets his shirts from factory outlets, takes the bus with me, and still uses a non-color phone without fanciful camera or MP3 functions. He also never told his beloved Heartless Girl about any of this because he doesn’t want her to be with him simply because he is rich. In his own words, “Aiyah, it’s my dad who is rich and not me. I feel weird in showing off something that I have done nothing to deserve, haha. . . .”

I felt very ashamed at Nerd’s words. I hankered after a credit card for the longest time because if truth be told, I want to show off and flaunt it whenever possible. I am shallow, and thought that piece of plastic would get me more friends. But here is this guy who takes pains in hiding his affluent background. In my shame, I look at the unassuming Nerd with a new found respect.

I would have treated him to dinner after work, if not for the fact he is meeting Heartless Girl, who got her heart broken again by her on-and-off boyfriend. Nerd was sad at leaving too, but not so sad to leave the mundane data entry tasks that I have been giving him, haha. We promise to keep in contact though. So we shook hands, and gave each other a brotherly hug while saying our goodbyes.

Office Bimbo saw us in the middle of our embrace when she passed by the cubicle. She looked very, very disturbed.

With Love,
Sibeh Sian