What Money Can Buy

We had gone to Long Beach at East Coast to pick up our Chinese New Year reunion food, and spent some time lazing about on the beach: Matthew playing alone in the warm sand, Sean and I reclining a distance away, enjoying the sound of the waves and the balmy breeze. On our way home, Matt, nearly 7, sat in the middle between us while we drove down the ECP, all sunny and blue and palm fringed.

"How much is it to join Raffles Town Club?", Matt asked.

I paused.

"I'm not sure, Matt. Why? Do you want to join?"

"Just wondering. I really like the bowling and the swimming pool there."

"Yes, it's very nice, isn't it. But I think it's around twelve or fifteen thousand dollars, or maybe even more. But you can always go to Raffles Town Club again when Jia Wei or your other friends invite you next time for their birthday parties."

"But how much is it, really? Is it really fifteen thousand dollars?"

"I don't really know, I'm just guessing, but it's probably about there. I'm not sure. I can check."

The subject dropped and we continued our drive in silence while the sky grew golden.

We had a great reunion dinner that night (of course, Long Beach black pepper crab!!), followed by all the family (aunties, uncles, cousins etc.) plonked in our living room watching American Idol until 11 p.m. At one point during the show we heard Matthew shouting, "Get out!" to his cousin and sister because the two little girls were sitting on his bed in his room refusing to let him sleep. The poor boy had had a long day!

>>Fast forward to the 3rd day of CNY>>

After counting out the kids' angpao takings, we decided that instead of banking everything for them, we'd let them each have a small sum to buy something they'd like with. Especially for Matthew who has started school and grown to be quite independent, what with having to take care of his own lunch before coming home, packing his own school bag, checking for homework etc., and generally being a trustworthy, lovable boy.

I went to him and said, "Would you like to buy anything with your angpao money, Matt?"

"Buy what?," he replied.

"Anything you like. Maybe some toys?"

"Do I have to buy toys?"

"Well, you don't HAVE to buy toys, but if there's anything you want, you can use some of your angpao money to buy it. If not I'll put everything in the bank for you. So, do you want some of the money now or should I bank it all?"

Matt thought for a while.

"Can I have two dollars?"

"Of course! What do you want the two dollars for?"

"To buy my lunch?"