What is Fondness

What is Fondness

10/10/2001

Fondness is a special word to me. It's one of those slippery "in-between" words that can be used in various situations for several effects. I like using it when I speak of animals - there is a closeness that seems fuzzy when it's used that way.

I'm also particularly fond of the word fond because it was the tentative word that I used to first express my non-platonic "fondness" for Ms Tan. In an off the cuff pseudo cool manner one night on the phone I 'casually' told her, "I'm rather fond of you." It's a quaint little line isn't it? A little bit stiff and old-fashioned and yet having the suggestiveness of emotional intimacy. It was a deliberate choice because it gave me room to recoup in case she wasn't into me. As things turned out, she was "fond" of me in the same manner.

And today, I think I uncovered another moment of fondness, of a different sort. Class Chairperson was not feeling well and was sleeping in the sick bay. So I went to look in on her during lunch and some of 4K was there as well. Actually quite a number trooped in after a while and the room was beginning to resemble a hospital ward. Had to chase them out because "it will not do to have students in the staff room", but that was a moment of fondness, to see them caring for one another like that and bothering to cluster into the sick bay. (Ok ok maybe it was just herd mentality and everyone just wanted the aircon of the staff room - but it was rather stuffy in the sick bay ...) A moment of fondness, knowing that while the kids may not be brightest and the best in school, they certainly are some of the most caring, honest, sincere, unpretentious ones around. Anyway had to be mean and 1. Chased them out and 2. Chased class chairperson out/home

Surely a day to remember.