I have always wanted to watch this movie, Ilo Ilo because I heard it won many awards. Now I know the reason behind the series of winning. It has a really nostalgic plot. It shows the common memories between the maid and a child. And how they bonded. A film that brought me a lot of memories of having my former maid for 12 years. Ilo Ilo is my maid's hometown. Unlike the main child actor, my maid looked after me since I was 11 months old. Thus I had no problem getting along with her.
I cried loudly as I watched it being unfolded. I remember my maid bathing me and accompanying me to school and back home. Cracking jokes and laughing over it during our monotonous train trips. I would lean my head against her shoulder or on her lap for a siesta. Sometimes, I would fart in the train. She would giggle and tell me, "You farted?". I would quietly laugh in return. We would share cartoon stickers. I would paste them on her cupboard and surprised her with new addition of stickers from time to time. My former best friend liked giving me stickers through our letter exchange (I miss reading hand-written letters!) and I would peel them off and give to my maid. Whenever my parents were out, I would sit with my maid and see if there was anything I could help. Or begged her to play jigsaw puzzles. I was fond of puzzles back then. Because puzzles taught me how to persevere till I finished the whole puzzle. Similar to the movie, she would always remind me to finish up my homework or mummy's tuition homework before I could watch some TV. We shared secrets too. Like the movie, my maid would tell me a bit about her own family. She always brings her radio with her to my school while waiting for the school bell to ring, indicating the end of the school day. She never, not even once, scolded me.
The movie showed the boy trying ways to prevent his maid from being sent home, by trying his luck on 4D. He failed. I could totally relate to his feelings when he saw his maid off to the airport. He cut a few strands of her hair in remembrance of her. No, I did not do that! My maid's hair was too beautiful to be cut. Her hair used to be a little wavy. But she dolled up and straightened her hair at a salon before her day of departure. She looked so gorgeous that I kept stroking her rebonded hair.
For him, he refused to accompany his family to send his maid off. I followed my family and maid all the way till I finally bided my final goodbye to her at the departure hall. She was well-loved by many of my family members and relatives. She sobbed while hugging some of the relatives. I would not even let her go. I held her tightly while we wept loudly. My father had a struggle, trying to break apart my tight grip on my maid. It was a very long, good hug. I could not stop weeping in the car ride home. I cried till I slept. I felt empty, waking up the next morning, knowing Gina was no longer here. It was time to be independent, I realised.
I could not even show her my PSLE results a year after which pained me the most. She knew my academic results all the way from nursery. She watched me perform my every performance. She was like a big sister to me. When my daddy scolded me, I would hide in the toilet and cried. Since my maid was always in the kitchen, she would open the toilet door and locked it. I would tilt my head up and told her the whole story of whatever happened that day. She would hug me till I stopped crying. Now, I talk to the wall and receive no hug in return. I still hide in the same toilet. I would even cry when I was desperate for a hug but she was nowhere in my house after a scolding. Worse, I usually bottle everything up, thinking nobody understands me other than my dear maid.
Gina, thinking of you right now makes me want to run back to where you are. I really hope you are doing alright in the other house. I have not seen you for nearly 7 years. As I watched the film, the child actor said he preferred his maid's cooking. Due to my eating difficulties when I was young, it dawned on me that I have not even tasted a single normal dish of hers apart from regular porridge and milk she made. I could not help wondering whether my maid cooked better than my mummy or grandma? I really want to try some of her dishes someday. But I know it is one of my far-fetched dreams. I remembered telling my maid I can now eat anything. She displayed a sense of delight. She asked if I missed the porridge she cooked. I said, "No!". The only time she regularly contacts me is on my birthday. The number of conversation we have gotten so far is three only. She sent me a birthday greeting and I reply saying thanks and how she is. She responds and it stops there. As always. It gets me hanging, wondering what has truly happened in her life.
Sigh, I miss you a lot! Thank you for the many memories we shared. Take care, Gina!
