Write? Right.

I was flipping through the newspaper one day and saw this rectangular box of information in The Star.

There were three noteworthy lines:
1. Write an essay.
2. The theme is 'The Best Things in Life'.
3. Grand prize winner wins trip to Dublin.

...and so I did write.

About a week plus before the 15th of May, I was informed that I was among the top 20 winners and was invited to attend the Award Presentation Dinner in Istana Hotel at some Jalan Raja Chulan in KL.

I didn't think it was a big event because:
1. Istana Hotel sounds so...un-istana-ish.
[I even inquired of a friend from KL if he had any idea about Hotel Istana and he was clueless.]
2. I've never heard of IMPAC Dublin Literary Award until now.


But I was wrong because:
1. Istana Hotel is pretty istana-ish.
2. The IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is pretty prestigious. [I've been living in a cave so please forgive me.]

Menu for the night.

The food was...okay. The ambience was better.

The VIP table.


Out of the 20, there would be:
1 grand prize winner
9 merit award winners
10 consolation prize winners


The grand prize winner is...

*drumroll*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
obviously not me. Lol.

The grand prize goes to Hillary Wee Wei Lee. Love his work.

Congratulations to you, Hillary.
[Named after Sir Edmund Hillary. Anyone wants to be named after the Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay?]

Receiving one of the merit awards.
[a certificate, a cheque and a book prize]


Reading excerpts from my essay.

Before the whole event, we actually had a rehearsal and the guy conducting the rehearsal said
"If you're a consolation prize winner, the good news is - you don't have to read your essay."
Thanks to quick calculation and natural reflexes, I exhaled a loud sigh of relief in a picosecond.
He looked at me, surprised and asked for my name so that he could just adjust a 'maybe whatever' to a 'certain consolation'.
:S
ANYWAY.

VIPs with the 20 winners.

Overall, it was a pleasant and remunerative experience.
The best part about it would be the memories that I've brought back with me...
...the newfound friends...and the experience...and the cash.

---------------------------------------------

My first attempt:

The Best Things In Life

With just his pinky, he pushed the King’s Pawn forward and I met him in direct confrontation while I made a random statement, "The best things in life are free."
"Do you think so?" he asked.
"I believe it is so," I answered as he brought his Knight forward.
"Relationships are the best things in mine. Family and true friends cannot be bought with a price. Families are fixed but friends are free to come and go. I love my family and friends and to have them love me in return is just too wonderful to describe. Without them, life would be quite meaningless. Anyone can afford relationships. It does not take a million bucks to keep them and if it did, then it would perhaps not be worth it."

Having said all that, I mirrored his move.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Nonchalantly, I answered "I did say it was free and if anyone would relate just for money, the relationship would not be worth it."
"What if that million is the ransom for my life? If you could afford it, would you pay up?" he asked, smirking. I sensed a trap because this was not just a friend; he was my mentor and almost family. After five seconds of quick thinking I replied with an affirmative.
He came with the question, "Now what do you think is the price of our relationship?" "Priceless, I must admit," was my reply.
"Exactly my point," he countered and continued, “The best things in life are not free. For family and friends you have to work at it. You cultivate your relationships with time, effort, care and love. That’s why some people can have family and friends and still be lonely and cold while others can have friends that are as close as family and sometimes probably, closer than family. Freedom for example, is one of the best things in life but to gain it, many have fought and gave their lives to the cause. What we enjoy and take for granted today has been bought with the sacrifice of many. They cared and were committed enough to trail blaze. There is blood, sweat and tears invested into it. Therefore the opposite is true. The best things in life are priceless because all the riches in the world are not enough to purchase it. You can never measure them with the empirical because their worth is immeasurable and possibly infinite. Love, peace, and joy may not come with a price tag. Freedom, justice and faith are not commodities for trade but these are the most sought after and have value far greater than fame and fortune. The plus side to the best things in life is that it is attainable to anyone. I agree with you that not everyone can afford a million bucks but everyone can afford to give some of themselves to others to make a difference in their lives which in turn brings meaning to relationships. Therefore whatever they’re giving to a relationship to keep it strong and vibrant, that’s priceless.”

I listened and looked intently as he performed a mild attack with his Bishop. I set the standard classic Giuoco Piano opening which I was sure he would notice and wondered if he knew about the Kostics Trap played in Cologne by Borislav Kostics versus Muhlock. I do understand and value his opinions and this part of me just wanted to spur him forward and so I queried, “If money has the ability to buy, what would the best things in life be?” I smiled as he took the bait in haste because it would have been a painful risk and a long game if he had not. His Knight looked threatening on the board.
“Well, allow me to quote my dad. He said a fortune could buy you a house but not a home. It could buy company but not friends, bed but not sleep, medicine but not health, education but not wisdom, possessions but not fulfillment. Whatever the things money can buy the value and excellence of its counterpart transcends it,” he quoted with eloquence and passion as if he had it etched in his heart.

It almost seems pathetic as I move my Queen to attack his Knight. “I suppose this is pretty subjective and though all you’ve said is truly noble and excellent, there will always be people who would prefer and choose otherwise. By the way, what do you think of the other extreme? Aristotle said that the best thing in life is...unreachable?” I added.
“My dear, Aristotle thinks that this life is too wretched to live and his best thing would be not to have been born, not to be, to be nothing and the second best thing would be to die soon for all who live. Does that sound good to you?” he asked while he forked my Queen with his Knight.
I laughed for we both knew the exact opposite was true. He sipped his coffee, bit into a croissant and proclaimed, “The best croissant in the world comes from Grandma’s oven.” I agreed wholeheartedly as I moved my Queen as far from me as possible to take his Pawn and the rest of the moves were pretty much forced.

“Actually, most of the favourite things in my life are free. The shapely thick clouds, the splendid shimmering stars in the dark night sky, the many beaming faces of the moon, the smell of rain before it pours, the comforting sound of raindrops on rooftops, the waves breaking on the beach and the sand running with it, the fresh green fragrance in the cool morning air as you step on the grass, the cool breeze on temperate sunny days, beautiful picturesque skies...” I pointed upwards to the almost indigo sky. It’s all invaluable to me.
“Most of yours, are mine too. It’s a pity that not many realize or appreciate their worth but the ones that seek, will find them,” he stated.
He held my hands, looked me in the eyes and asked, “What’s the best thing in your life now?” “As of now, to love and win,” I smiled radiantly. “Checkmate. And you?”
“In this case, to love and lose,” he replied.