Year 2018, Han Jie

"Ah Jie ah, you are fifty already this year. Do you really plan to continue living like that?"

"I don't see anything wrong...."

"Nothing wrong? Are you really never going to get married? Will I ever get to hold my grandchild? Look at your sixth Aunt, she already has 4 great grandchildren. Am I asking too much, am I? I only want 1 grandchild!"

"Come on, ma. We have been through this too many times."

"You are not young already, you know! Have you ever thought of your retirement plan? Do you think that the meagre salary you are earning now is sufficient? Look at the neighbour's son. I bumped into him at the lift that day and he was sharing about how he is all ready for retirement. And he's only forty!"

"What's the big deal.... Look, ma, you never had a retirement plan either. Aren't you doing well now?..."

"Well? Well! How can you compare yourself to me? I have children! I will have people to rely on even when I'm old and not working."

"How many times do you need me to repeat myself.... your children is not your retirement plan..."

"Ha! You think I need to be reminded? I just look at you and know how badly my retirement plan failed.... I would be thankful if you can keep yourself alive. How would I dare to count on you to support me? Lucky, I have your sister. She might be a dumb one but at least she knows how to be grateful."

Han Jie sighed. His mother was a true Asian. She never bothered to mince her words.

She wasn't wrong though. Han Jie had just celebrated his fiftieth birthday last month.

After spending half a century on earth, he still had not accomplished much.

He was unmarried and had no children, a failure by the standards of his mother.

It might have been fine if he had been busy climbing career ladders in his earlier years but that was not the case.

After working for a few years, Han Jie had tried to start his own business. Unfortunately, he was cheated and implicated in a fraud case.

If it had only been money that he lost, he would still be considered lucky.

Jie was cheated and framed by his business partner, resulting in bankruptcy and a five year jail sentence.

That was a huge blow. Jie was thirty that year. His fiance left him and got together with his buddy from his previous job while he served his sentence.

After his release, Jie lost hope in life.

With a record, companies were not willing to hire him. Nobody bothered giving him a chance even though he had tried so hard.

Twenty years of education, good records and work experience were denied because of a mistake. A mistake where he trusted the wrong guy.

Eventually, Jie found a job. He became a deliveryman. He delivered ice to cafes and restaurants.

it was a physically demanding job and extremely tiring. Jie liked that because the hard work allowed him to fall asleep with more ease each night.

He no longer had to struggle to fall alseep each night. He had enough of sleepless nights spent staring at the ceiling.

"Alright, Ma, I'm off to work. Remember to take your medicine after having dinner."

Jie was off to deliver ice again. He had done this for ten over years.

The harsh rejection from cold potential employers had scarred Jie. He did not want to experience that ever again. Hence, he never tried to find another job.

Age was indeed catching up on him. While his muscles were still defined from all the lifting of heavy ice bags, Jie could feel the strain every time he lifted the bag of ice nowadays.

"Ringggg ringggggg"

Jie's phone rang as he was on his way to make the last delivery of the day.

It was a call from home. Jie looked at his watch, it was already past midnight.

Jie frowned as he picked up the phone. It was rare for him to receive a call from home while he was working, especially when it was past midnight. It must be an urgent call.

"Whaaaaaaat!?"

In his daze, Jie dropped his phone. As he bent down to pick it up, a truck driving in the opposite direction zoomed in on him.

BANNNNNNNNG!

"Wh.... what.... just.... happened..... Am.. I... going.... to..... " Jie thought before he slowly lost conscious.

That was the last of Jie's memory before he blacked out.

And that was the last time Jie would be in 2018.