The speech I made on 13th Nov at Tony and Pengs wedding lunch.

Hi. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Sheila, and Tony, Peng and I go back a few years. We first met in Dec 1998 when all 3 of us worked in the same company, and got to know each other better throughout 1999. In fact, when my late husband, Ken, and I got married in KL in 1999, it was Peng who organized the transport for guests from Singapore to KL, and Tony was one of those who took advantage of that transport! That was the first time he took advantage of her!

Anyway, even after we went our separate ways we still stayed close – Tony and Ken were close friends, and Peng and I were close friends and, from time to time, when we met Tony for drinks, we would get Peng to come along as well. And after each such outing, Ken and I would head home and then I would be grumbling away that these two good looking, otherwise intelligent, single people, NEVER seemed to actually SEE each other. I mean, what was WRONG with them? Were they just being willfully blind?

So, now, let’s fast-forward a few years – 10 years, to be precise.

Last year, when Ken was very ill, I decided to have a surprise birthday party for him for his 70th birthday in June. Well, of course, I could not do that without having both of these two “somewhat DENSE” individuals present…. so the two of them had to come up with some excuse to be present in KL that weekend. Peng was easy – as she had been up to KL a few times and LOVED shopping in KL, and Ken would always accept that as her reason for coming up. Tony was a bit more complicated, but he used the excuse of visiting another old friend in KL as HIS reason for coming up.

That weekend, I could not spend as much time with Tony and Peng as I would normally have done, so they were pushed into each others company – and discovered, to their mutual surprise I think, that they actually enjoyed each others company! Good start, wouldn’t you say?

2 weeks later, Tony called. He says, “I just got my new car. I want to come to KL, but I don’t want to drive up on my own.” LIGHT BULB moment for me! I said “CALL PENG, she would LOVE to come to KL – especially with a car at her disposal to put all her shopping in!”… and, well, he took my advise, and he DID call her, not just for that trip, but for several other trips to KL too.

Now, the first two times they drove up to KL, Tony insisted he would use his GPS, instead of following my directions, and, to cut a long-story short, a 4-hour journey turned into a 6-hour journey. BOTH WAYS!! And it wasn’t until the 3rd time that he followed MY directions, instead of the GPS, and the 4-hour journey, well, it was a 4-hour journey.

BUT, if you ask him about it NOW, he will tell you the REAL reason for the 6-hour journeys up and down – he knew that he liked this woman much more than he wanted to say out loud, and this was his ‘ahem’ “SEDUCTION” technique – having her as a captive audience…. Now, don't laugh! Because the fact that we are all here today proves that his seduction technique, however strange, actually WORKED!!

Tony and Peng,
You both were with Ken and me through a very difficult time, and both of you, your love, your cheerfulness, your presence, helped to keep us going. You were there for us when we needed you, and I will always be there for you when you need me. And wherever Ken is now, I know he is happy to see this day FINALLY happen, and he is DEFINITELY toasting you with a pint of Kilkenny! And I know what he is saying to you Tony – he’s saying “It’s about bloody time mate!!!”

Now, what I want for you is simple. Many years ago, somebody told me that Ken and I were “grotesquely happy” with each other, and, to me, that was a brilliant way of describing our happiness, and that happiness is still with me today… and that is what I want for the two of you – for always and forever, that you may be truly, completely “grotesquely” HAPPY with each other.

I love you both.