How much does a sorry mean to you?

The common topic in the family is always the same: how grandma is unreasonable in her ways in terms of everything. Food hoarding (takes a bite out of everything and keeps the rest in the fridge), electricity saving (if you step away from the TV for 2 seconds, she turns off the TV. Not exaggerating.), and if I may say, rather miserly ways (always asking my cousins/relatives to eat before going over to her house - and we were not even eating out of her fridge), and the eccentricity of wanting just the perfect number of people at her house (too few people, she starts calling people and complaining that they don't care / she is bored. Too many people, she shushes everyone home.)

It was just another typical day when grandma called me on my handphone (she has memorised my number as my mum's ever since Switzerland) and knowing how loudly she talks (and my reply to her), I ran out of office to pick up the call.

Grandma called me by mum's name (no surprises there) and was surprised to hear that it's me (again, no surprises). We have also all perfected the art of just saying yes to all her questions:

Is mum working? - Yes

Does she work until 6pm? - Yes, even though that was from the past, these days she ends work at 3

She is no longer working for Ah-Poh (uncle)? - Yes.

Rationale: Even if we explain half a day to her why it is a no, she will forget in 5 minutes and the whole process just starts again. 

So this is a ranting post, you think?

No.

The only different thing about this phone call was that at the end of the call, grandma actually said: Sorry hor, to bother you.

That, is definitely a first. And it definitely negated all the earlier complaints. At that point of time, no frustration could be felt. The only feeling I can get is that of a lonely old lady trying to seek some company. And that, sank my heart some. It was an indescribable feeling.

And you know how strong the feeling is when two days after the event happened, I can still feel it as strongly.