John is just like any ordinary working guy who has been dredging through life by living the expectations of his family. As the only son, he is expected to support and care his parents as they grow old even as his sisters marry off to other families. It is a blessing to have 5 generations living under one roof and importantly, to have each generation living harmoniously with one another. In fact, John's granddad, Alfred, told him when he was younger that in China, there are streets named as "5 generation" street.
John however has a longing. Despite raised as under a strict Confucius regime, he has been searching for meaning of life ever since his first encounter with people of other faith. You see, John used to walk to his school everyday. He happened to pass by a mosque and was amazed to see people coming in unison, irrespective of creed or colour, praying at the appointed hour in a synchronised movement. He began to wonder why people do it because back in his home and his community, most only pray as a family unit and gather in the temples for the gods & ancestors birthday and even then, prayer was offered in a predictable rhytme but not with such synchrony as the Muslims.
Source: http://happylists.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/10-ways-to-cope-with-missing-a-funeral/Whenever he has a chance to speak to the Muslims, he would do so. To him, he has to know why. Eventually, through discourse, he felt deeply in his heart that his longing for meaning of life has been found. He wanted to embrace Islam but not sure what to do. He approached his parents during dinner and when he shared his longing, he was soundly scolded and caned. His parents said this is all wrong. He as the only son is expected to carry out the ancestral worship. To his parents, having no one to mourn and carry the coffin and sending them off when they pass on is unthinkable. As a strict measure, John was prevented from ever walking by the mosque and his parents took pain to pick him up after school each day to indoctrinate him the values of their people.
Eventually John forgotten about his meaning of life, a sacrifice made to appease his parents and in keeping with his understanding of the need to be filial. That was of course, when John was only in Standard 5.
Fast forward to the present, where John is now 43 years old. In keeping with the filial piety virtue expounded by Confusius, he has been labourously cleaned the ancestral tablets and worship altars for years now since his father's passing. His mother is now a grand mother to his two children, Mark who is 8 and Jane who is 5, and he is happily married with Mary. There are only 3 generations under John's roof but it's ok, who is to know someday there will be five generation?
Anyway, despite what appears to be a good and filial son, deep in John's mind, he knows he now has a chance to reopen the long lost chapter of his life. His dad's passing a couple of years ago made him realised the frailty of life. He realises that as he mourned for his dad, there must be more to life that what the Taoist priests have potrayed during the funeral rites. He saw the pictures of the gods so lifeless, distant and unattached to him and he wonders, is this all the meaning of life?
One day, John decided to visit the old mosque where he was forbidden to go near to. He saw a few men sitting at the verandah and seemed to be in a deep discourse. He was intrigued. He called out and asked if he could join in. Ali, the man speaking at that time was surprised but he welcomed John to have a discussion with them. Eventually, Ali realises John's longing and soon expounded the faith to him. John was delighted and decided there and there to accept the new found faith. The men there was delighted as well. Alas, another has found the meaning to life.
However, being apprehensive of the repurcussion he might face, John decided to keep quiet about his conversion for now. He was worried as he had memories of how he was severely treated for merely sharing his interests to his parents. Like a baby elephant grew up to be a giant still tied to a 6-metre long iron wire, he has not been able to unshackle his fears. As he bid farewell to his brothers in faith, he proceeded to hop into the car and drive off. Little did he know that this farewell is the last farewell he will bid to any living being on earth.
You see, John was later involved in an accident. It was most unfortunate as a drunk driver in a broad daylight smashed his car into the John's car and in that freak accident killing both of them. John was merely following the traffic rules, the drunk driver was obviously... drunk.
Mary was devastated when she received the call. She broke down in tears on hearing that and she took her children to go to the hospital to identify his husband. When she arrived, she couldn't even recognise his face. All that is left for her to recognise is that ring he once wore on his left hand and the unmistakably scar mark he had on his upper right shoulder. "What will I do John? Why did you left us?" as Mary mournfully eek to her now deceased husband.
Later that day, Mary was in for a shock. It turns out that Mary can't claim her husband's body as he has apparently converted to Islam in that same day. And to make matters worse, she found out that the property bequeath by John's father to John , which the entire family currently resides in, is now owned by the State as he has no other Muslim heirs. From sadness, it is now disbelief and anger. "Are you kidding me?" as Mary screamed. Again, Mary broke down, as she looked up, she saw her children tearfully crying and looking at her, wondering, what happened to daddy...
