I once had a colleague who was what you would call in Chinese a " 开心果 ". There was not a dull moment with her. She was always bubbly and smiling and cracking people up with her wit and jokes, like someone without a care in the world.
Every day after school, we would walk together to the bus stop which was quite a distance. Alone with her, she was a more serious self though still very jovial and we talked about things and such. She was older than me by a good number of years.
Over time I must have won her confidence and trust because one day, she suggested going for a drink. We sat and talked and then she began to tell me her story.
Then I realized that the bubbly self was just a facade. Beneath was a person who had been greatly hurt and struggling to get on with life.
She was Sinhalese and she had been going steady with a guy for a few years. They had even discussed marriage. Then one day, the man dropped a bombshell on her. He told her he was going to get married - just one day before he was married. It was an arranged marriage and he wanted to listen to his parents.
She had no idea at all because he gave her no hint! He let her believe that marriage was on the cards and broke with her on the eve of his wedding.
I sat and listened spellbound to my colleague. I could never have guessed what she was going through. I found no comforting words to say to her because words, to me, were hollow and insincere in the face of a hurt so deep.
But I guess she did not want any comforting words or advice, just a listening ear, someone to whom she could pour her heart out and release the pent-up hurt she had been doing her utmost best to bury with a smiling face and witty jokes.
I was glad to be that listening ear.
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