One World My World

Dear Diary,

Yesterday was my first attempt to do my medical check at Central Manpower Base(CMPB) at Depot road. I managed to get the 11am appointment because I'm not a morning person and I don't think I can make it earlier.

Nonetheless, I don' know why I was so scared/nervous that I ended up sleeping for just four hours before I go to the check-up. Lucky, I don't have any eye-bags. I was supposed to go to school to grab my transcript but in the end, I couldn't wake anytime early.

I'm such a scatterbrain. So when I was walking towards the LRT, I realised I forgot to bring one of my certificate. So I walk all the way back to my house just to find myself having a stomachache. At that point of time I said "Die! Confirm late one."

So I thought I want to call the taxi. "No taxi is available around your district!" What to do? No time to get angry also. So I walk slowly to the LRT. Change to MRT. It has been some time since I took the train. So I saw people I know. The train was quite packed at 930. Surprise Surprise.

So I changed from Jurong East to Changi Airport train, where I drop at Queenstown Mrt Station. And I run like mad to take bus 195. All the way until I see the building. So normal lah, surrender my camera phone. And make my way inside the building.

It was 1045 exact when I reached. Now I know why when I made my small prayers, God never gave me the taxi. Lucky. Save Money. When I reach the counter, I was given the form and take a photo with the army uniform(No. 3 I think. correct me if I'm wrong).

When I went into the medical side, the guy said "Go for your break now. Come back at 1pm" It was already 11. I had to wait for two hours. What I did?

1. Eat one plate of Nasi Briyani for One hour while watching Channel Newasia while eyes roaming to see familiar faces.
2. Walk back to CMPB and read strait times for half an hour.
3. Go toilet/ Drink water
4. Watch Channel 5 cooking show until I almost fallen asleep.

By then they started to call out names, I know mine is one of them. So I took my file and go to Station one. I put my file there and he gave me this thing stick(like a litmus paper) with 5 colours. He told me to pee to all 5 colour and bring back.

"Let me see your stick. Ok throw it away. Take your file and queue up" I don't wish to be the first. So I was like the 5th or 6th guy. Next station, blood test. This is my third time I draw blood. I know my other times I took blood was okay. This times I wasn't sure.

He doesn't look professional but I have to trust that he had stick that needle on thousands of recruits so far. I look away. When he took to hold the cotton. I said " so fast ah". And I laugh very loud. The reason being is his name is Moses Lim. Haha.

Proceed to next station. Hearing station.

I was the third person to go in still holding my hands to exert pressure on the wound. Then I went inside and raise my hand when I hear a beep on my left or right ear. It was rather soft. The guy was so nerdish that I wanted to laugh.

Proceed to next station. Eye examination.

He ask me if I were colour blind. Wear spectacles or contacts. All no. He ask me to read this colour blind book. I passed and reading the smallest letter was small feat. Afterall, I was a perfect eyesight.

Proceed to next station. X-ray.

"Take off your shirt and place your belonging on the shelves." "Stand on the footstep, stand near the machine and chin-up" Breathe in and hold your breath for 5 seconds. I was counting up to 5 and he said okay.

Proceed to next station. Dental.

I put the file on the shelf. And the dental was like "sit down and let me see your teeth". He said something Buck and something Missing and Dented. I was so shocked. That bad my teeth. He told me to go for my regular check-up. Scary leh. What buck What missing what dented.

Proceed to next station. Ahem...

"Place your items and belonging in the locker. Place all your clothes into the locker and just wear your shorts." I even put my shoes inside.

I go into one room where they measure my heartbeat. I was so cold. The guy covered me with a towel. I was told not to fidget. I was like ehh. I cannot sit still one leh. I need to move around.

Ok next one was checkin my blood pressure. I was darn scared. I try not to laugh and relax. Blood pressure 85. Coolness. I saw it was normal. I took the number and proceed to see the doctor.

Some of the myth I heard.

1. The doctor will hold you crouth and ask you to bend over and cough.
2. He will do a rectum/anal check.

I tell you this ain't true. He made you stand like more than one metre away from him and ask you to pull down your shorts. And less than 5 seconds he ask to put it back. Ok done. He ask me about my history of illness and I'm waiting outside.

I done all the station very very very fast. I was practically running from one station to another. Just like amazing race. Dash here. Dash there. I'm so happy that I wanted to go back earlier but it was darn fun lah.

They call my name and next was the computer test.

Proceed to station 9. Computer test.

This test will determine where your posting will be at for the next years to come. Try to do it well and fast. Cause the time is very very very fast. They will give you a paper for you to scribble down.

Two maths question. One physics question. One reaction question. One memory question. I took so long on the maths question. I almost suffocated sitting at the room. I cheated on the memory question.

What they did was; they give you from 5 to 8 digits number. They will screen this bunch of codes and expect you to give the exact number. What I did was write down the number and memorise it as I wrote down. Look away from the codes and type down the number.

If I look at the number, I will die. Cause I'm a visual person. Confirm I will lose focus. I'm done. And off I go.

Guess what! I'm at PES A. Which mean I'm fit for all combat. Happy goober. It was 4 plus.