But after extensive persuasion (read: mild guilt-tripping), I agreed to go. Then the sun decided to set itself on “Inferno Mode.” I almost turned back home to hug my aircon. But then I remembered—@Maya Lightchaser, my idol, was making the trek from Tampines just to join me. How could I say no?
We met at Punggol MRT at 10 sharp, took the LRT to Sam Kee (which, by the way, sounds like a great name for a snack), then trekked to the park. By the time I got there, I was sweating profusely and mentally questioning all my life choices.
And then I met Afiqah and Sowmitra. Lovely people from Singapore National Stroke Association—kind, warm, welcoming. Suddenly, things didn’t feel so awkward. I introduced myself to everyone, and that’s when I met Richard Lee. He chatted with me as if we were old friends who’d finally caught up after years apart. I didn’t even have time to feel nervous.
Now, the game. Boccia is kind of like bowling meets marbles with a splash of Olympic drama. You've got two sets of balls—red and blue—and one lonely white ball in the middle. Objective: throw your coloured balls as close as possible to the white one. Simple, right? WRONG. My balls had their own GPS system—they went everywhere except near the white one.
Despite the chaos, the confusion, and my aim that could only be described as “abstract,” we had a blast. Laughter echoed through the park. No one cared about the score—we were just happy being there, throwing balls and throwing away stress.
Afterward, we migrated to the food centre at One Punggol. Now this was a game I understood: eating. Maya, Melvin ( Lemon Beery ), Richard, Dawn, and I gathered around the table and chatted like old kampong buddies. We shared stories, laughed at missed shots, and bonded over food and friendship.
Would I do it again? Honestly… yeah, I think I would. Not because I’m suddenly a Boccia champ (I’m really not), but because for once, it felt good to be part of a team. A team of survivors. Fighters. People just trying to have a little fun—one wobbly ball at a time.