Goodbye, Mr. Jones

I just found out that one of my math teachers passed away this February.

God. I went to school overseas, so it's so hard to keep in contact with old friends and pass teachers. I get almost zero news from my past schools. And to me hit with is shocking.

When I first saw the name, I was like, no way that can't be my math teacher. It can't bee. Perhaps there was another teacher with the same name.

The crazy thing is that I was just thinking about math recently and how he taught the O level math class. I was reminiscing about what a hard time I had because I was not a natural at math, and they put me in this advance class that was studying for O Level Math. God, I was thinking about how he thought I wouldn't do very well because I pretty much struggled all through the class, but in the end, I got a B. And he thought that I should at least aim for a C because he knew how I was struggling. I was so happy when I found out about my better than expected grades. I was feeling a sort of "Take That!" Mr. Jones. I exceeded your expectation as well as mine.

Now I can't believe he's gone. I remember coming to class and finding out that he was up at 2/3am (I can't remember) because his wife had just given birth to his 2nd daughter. Subsequently I remember him holding one of his daughters up on shoulders too at sports day or something.

Gosh, I wished I remembered more. Just a few snippets here and there. This isn't enough to capture the man. Or give people who didn't know him any sense of who he was. Gosh, I really don't remember all that much either, and that is what will haunt me.

I never expected this of him. Never.