It was almost 8pm on a Friday night (28 Aug) and I was on the train home. I was definitely going to be late for a meeting with a few friends. It is a meeting to discuss a less than pleasant matter.

A few days ago a friend sent an email to a few of us from church. A mutual friend had died.

We have gotten to know Steven Leong a lot better the past couple of years ago. This determined, sprightly man was hardly intelligible but was highly intelligent. Apparently he had a PhD in Finance from the LSE (London School of Economics). He was in the rarefied area of high finance. He was a revered player in Malaysia in the mid 80s in the then UMBC. Apparently, a fledgling Dami Zainuddin had him as a go to man for corporate finance deals. No doubt Steven would have amassed a reputation and a fortune in the course of providing Daim with his expert service of corporate banking and finance.

Yet for all his highly respectable financial skills, Steven was in the end, a down to earth man who simply enjoyed the company of friends and good food. He would have enjoyed good wine too, had he not been on long term medication.

While tracking in the tropical jungles of Malaysia, he drank from a stream and was inflicted by a virus which irreversibly affected his nervous system. He almost died and escaped with permanent scars to his motor and speech abilities. For as long as we have known him, he could not for the most part, take half a dozen steps without falling over. We could barely understand what he was saying to us most of the time.

As at 8am 2 September. We said our final goodbyes to Steven yesterday. Tress and I took the day off. After a leisurely morning we left home at around 9am, stopped for a coffee and made our way to church at 9.30am. Steven had just arrived in a hearse when we pulled up at the car park.

Alex, Brian and I busied ourselves with directing traffic and parking and I only got into the church in time before the first eulogy finished. The rest of the service was touching and beautiful.

After the service we drove up to Springvale for the burial, followed by some refreshments in a hotel across the road. It was the first time I had a glass of wine after a funeral. Thanks and au revoir, Steven.

Kooky stuff in Church

At the conclusion of the funeral service in church, as everyone was milling around at the car park getting ready for the drive to Springvale, a group of church leaders got together near the stage, formed a circle, held hands and conducted a cleansing prayer. This is the kookiest (sorry, but it is very weird and disturbing) thing I have seen my church do and quite frankly, I am rather shocked and seriously question if I’m in the right place… an elder has promised to discuss this with me “some day” and I am diarising for that day. After the “Elijah Challenge” sideshow this will surely fuel my questions on a much more serious note.