Lost in Celebration

𝐍𝐎𝐖

Frank stands there, flustered and unsure of what to do next. The once joyous atmosphere has turned hostile, and he is the source of it all. The angry glares of those around him seem to pierce through his very being, and he is fully aware of the reason behind their aggression. But, rather than expressing contrition for his misdeed, he clings to his irritation.

The cries of the young children echo in his ears, and he knows that he has caused them unnecessary pain. Nurain, the birthday girl, is shielded from the ugly scene that has unfolded. Her parents and relatives are doing their best to prevent her from witnessing the chaos that Frank has brought about.

But Frank doesn't seem to care about the damage he has caused. As Nurain's mother screams at him to leave, his face twists with rage, and he continues to tap away on his phone, as if nothing is wrong. It is then that Nurain's father, fueled by anger and frustration, seizes Frank by the arms and forcibly removes him from the premises.

Frank is left standing outside, alone and humiliated. He knows what he has done, and the consequences of his actions will linger long after the party is over.

Trudging towards his car, Frank’s heart is heavy with a mix of rage and fury. The searing sun beats down on him mercilessly, pricking his skin like a thousand needles. As he settles into his vehicle, the heat from the scorching leather seats sizzles his thighs, back and arms, adding insult to injury. 

For years, he has been known as the amiable adoptive grandpa of the neighbourhood, loved by all. But now, after what he has done, his once-sterling reputation is in tatters. It will take a long time before he can regain the trust and admiration of his peers.

Frank twists the key in the ignition, the car sputtering to life. He casts a quick glance at the dashboard, his impatience palpable as he waits for the air conditioning to kick in. The sweltering heat of the day has intensified the pulsating pain radiating from the small cut on his chest, and he longs for the much-needed relief that the cold air promises.

Finally, with a soft hum, the air conditioning begins to cool the interior of the car. Frank sighs in relief, his tense muscles relaxing as he prepares to begin driving. But before he puts the car in gear, he takes a moment to compose himself and gather his thoughts.

With trembling fingers, he types out a message on the senior citizens' WhatsApp group, his emotions raw and unfiltered. "I almost got injured because of you guys," he writes, his words heavy with the weight of wrath and accusation.

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎

Frank's pulse quickened as he revved the engine of his car, the thrill of the moment coursing through his veins. He had spent years living a mundane, uneventful life, but now he was on a mission to shock and surprise everyone around him. He was going to prove that he still had the daring and the guts of his youth.

A sly smile crept across his face as he drove towards his destination, determined to show everyone what he was truly capable of. He had done a lot of crazy things in his younger days, and today, he was going to relive that rush of adrenaline once again.

He double-checked the address, grinning with satisfaction as he realised he didn't need GPS to find his way. He was an experienced man, and he knew these streets like the back of his hand. The clock on his dashboard read 12 pm, and he knew the party was in full swing. He could see the rows of cars parked outside, and the house was heavily decorated, a sure sign of a good time.

Frank pulled into the driveway, his engine roaring to a stop. He shut off the car and took a deep breath, a cynical smile playing on his lips. "Here I come," he muttered to himself, his heart pounding with excitement and anticipation. He was about to make a grand entrance, and nothing would stand in his way.

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎

Linda's heart pounded in her chest as she looked at her husband with a mix of shame and fear. "Are you sure?" she pleaded, hoping Frank would come to his senses.

But Frank's expression twisted into a sly, determined grin. "Of course," he replied, his voice dripping with cunning confidence. "I know what I'm doing. Don't worry."

Linda shook her head, her face contorted with regretful sighs. She couldn't believe Frank was really going through with it. She wanted to plead with him, to make him see reason, but she knew it was no use. He was a man on a mission, and she was powerless to stop him.

With a heavy heart, Linda turned and walked into the house, not even daring to look back at Frank as he said, "Goodbye, love you, darling."

Frank, for his part, couldn't understand why Linda was making such a fuss. He knew he wasn't the only one who had done what he was about to do. Why should she be so dramatic?

Taking a deep breath, he shrugged off his wife's overreaction and climbed into his car, ready to do what he had to do. He was confident that he could pull it off without getting into trouble. But little did he know, the consequences of his actions would be far more severe than he could have ever imagined.

𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐆𝐎

Frank stood in the shower, taking a moment to carefully shave his body. He was a man in his late sixties, and normally he didn't bother with such frivolities, but today was different. He wanted to look presentable, if not perfect. He glanced at his reflection in the foggy mirror, feeling annoyed at the sight of all the grey and white hairs on his chest. He remembered a time when he was younger, with a full head of black hair and smooth skin. Now, he didn't even recognize himself.

With a determined expression, he evenly sprayed shaving cream on his wrinkled chest and belly, then reached for the razor. As he placed the blade on his chest, he noticed that the mirror had fogged up from the steam. He cursed himself for his absentmindedness and turned off the shower to wait for the steam to dissipate.

After a few moments, the mirror cleared, and Frank noticed that some of the shaving cream had lost its thickness. He reapplied it to his chest and belly before running the sharp blade over the unsightly hairs. As he shaved, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, as if he was preparing himself for something ominous.

"Ouch! Ow! Shit!" Frank cried out in pain, realising too late that he had been too reckless in his quest to rid his body of hair. The sharp blade had sliced into his chest, leaving a burning sensation in its wake. Droplets of blood dripped onto the bathroom floor, staining the water from the shower a deep crimson.

Approaching the mirror, Frank inspected his wound with a sense of relief. It was just a small cut, but it served as a reminder that one mistake could have serious consequences. Linda's muffled voice could be heard from outside the bathroom, drowned out by the blaring TV. Their grandchildren always cranked up the volume to maximum.

"Nothing," Frank replied hastily, not wanting to reveal his true intentions to his wife. He resumed shaving, this time more carefully, determined to leave no hair behind.

Satisfied with the results, he stepped back into the shower to rinse off the remaining foam. He knew that today was the day he had been preparing for. He must make his plan work, no matter what it takes. The thought filled him with a sense of adrenaline-fueled excitement. He was ready for anything.

As soon as he finished his shower, Frank hurried to the bedroom and unlocked the deep recesses of his cupboard. With outstretched arms, he retrieved a bundle of raffia strings, admiring his handiwork. It was a masterpiece, and one of his secret weapons for the mission ahead.

Next, he reached under Linda's dressing table and pulled out a plastic bag. Inside was a pair of brown, round-shaped objects. A sense of satisfaction filled Frank as he carefully delved into the plastic bag and extracted what was inside. They were crucial to his plan, and he couldn't wait to shock everyone with his capabilities.

He took a deep breath and steadied himself. This was it. The moment he had been preparing for. He was determined to succeed, no matter what the cost. His mind raced with anticipation as he set about finalising his preparations. He would show them what Frank Grenade was truly capable of.

𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎

Frank chuckled as he scrolled through the WhatsApp group chat. The wrinkly crew of Fong Ling Park's senior citizen club had been jabbering about their party theme for ages, but they finally settled on one that was pure gold. He spilled the beans to Linda and their kiddos, Marcus and Delilah, and they all cackled like loons.

"So, what's the plan, pops?" Marcus quipped.

Frank's grin turned mischievous. "I don’t know yet, but it's got to be something crazy."

"Dad, no way! Don't go too wild!" Delilah protested.

"Yep, she's right. Let's keep it within reason," Linda chimed in.

No matter how much flak Frank caught from his family, he was set on his wacky mission. He didn't have much time to score the gear he needed, since the costume store was a freaking trek from their place, and with it being school break and all, Kota Kinabalu's roads were sure to be gridlocked with cars. Everyone from Sabah would be scrounging around the malls like vultures.

Frank hit up Linda's sewing stash in the bedroom, rustling around until he snagged a stretchy length of elastic. Then he beelined to the kitchen for a trusty blade, and dashed off to the garage where he grabbed a roll of bright pink raffia rope. With the precision of a ninja, he sliced the rope into a bunch of even bits and glued them onto the elastic. Grinning like a maniac, Frank hightailed it to the backyard, where he knew a plethora of old coconuts lay scattered on the ground, knocked down by the wind.

Frank cast a glance at Delilah, who was slaving away in the kitchen, and hollered out, "Hey, you need some of that grated coco for your curry?"

Delilah's eyes bulged in disbelief. "What the hell, Dad? I was gonna use the pre-shredded crap from the store, but if you're offering to mangle a coconut for me, I won't say no."

"You got it, kiddo!" Frank said with glee.

Snatching an old, crusty nut from the ground, Frank got down to business and sliced it in half, busting out his coconut-shredding skills like a pro. Once he finished the job, he handed the pile of shreds to a beaming Delilah.

With a pair of empty shells in hand, Frank sauntered to the garage, his carpentry prowess primed and ready to unleash.

After a solid hour of craftiness, Frank beamed with pride and muttered to himself, "Good work, Frank, you genius old man." The senior citizen crew wanted to throw a costume shindig and award the nuttiest outfit. Frank was determined to give those old timers a run for their money. He was going to rock a Hawaiian dame getup, complete with raffia skirt and coconut bra. The thought of their jaws hitting the floor made him cackle like a maniac.

Frank fired up his WhatsApp group to check if anyone had answered his query. He scanned the screen and spotted a voice message from Raymond. Tapping the play button, he heard Raymond's voice ring out, “Hey, Frank! You're not exactly searching for a needle in a haystack here. You don't need to know the house number. Just follow that address and look for the house with a bunch of old party animals inside! It’s hardly brain surgery - even a cat can do it!”

"Son of a biscuit!" Frank grumbled, miffed by Raymond's comment. Still, deep down he knew the old lad had a point, so he went to grab the raffia hula skirt and coconut bra. He threw the coconut bra into a plastic bag and snuck it into his bedroom, hiding it under Linda’s dressing table. As for the hula skirt, he stuffed it deep into his closet, hoping nobody would ever find it. After that, he dashed into the bathroom and jumped in the shower.

𝐍𝐎𝐖

Frank zooms away from the birthday bash with a giant groan. Holy smokes, he's still reeling from his epic blunder. Who knew two parties could be popping off at the exact same time?! Now he's so mortified he could just dig a hole and hibernate for the next 365 days.

As he glances down at his geriatric beer belly bulging out from under his coconut bra and raffia skirt, he can't help but chuckle at himself. He looks like a total ding-dong!

After a solid half-hour of driving, he finally rolls up to the correct shindig. Through the windshield, he spots his cronies Raymond, Bruce, Chong, and Ahmad all decked out in their trusty costumes: Spidey, cop, cowboy, and James Bond, respectively. Meanwhile, the rest of the geezers milling around are dressed up too, but nowhere near as wacky as he is.

Frank climbs out of his car and strides towards the house, where the guests erupt in raucous applause and laughter. But as soon as they clock his sombre face, their curiosity is piqued.

Bruce lets out a cringe-worthy chuckle. "Hey there, saucy mama, what's the trouble?"

"I'm starving, boys. Details to come," Frank replies before beelining straight for the grub.

A few minutes later, they all plop down at the table and Frank spills the beans about his botched party excursion.

"Holy moly!" Raymond exclaims, causing all the old fogies to cackle and reveal their pearly whites. "Got to hand it to you, pal. I thought you were sharper than that!"

"Looks like we've got ourselves a winner, folks!" Dora, the silver-haired lady dressed up as Dame Edna, declares.

"Obviously," Ahmad chimes in. "It's hardly brain surgery."

The whole crew erupts in laughter, and soon enough, even Frank joins in on the fun. "Better cough up that prize, fellas. After all the chaos I went through, it's the least you can do," he jibes with a sarcastic grin, drumming his fingers on his coconut bra.

Frank bounces with glee as he kicks it with his fellow vintage go-getters at the Fong Ling Park Senior Citizen Club. He hopes the sweet, innocent Nurain's birthday party has bounced back by now. He vows to himself that he'll make it up to her parents.

But for the moment, it's all about getting down and funky with his fellow golden oldies. As soon as the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" erupts from the speakers, he leaps from his seat and joins the congregation of geriatric groove-masters on the dance floor. He casts a disdainful eye on their feeble gyrations and bellows, "Hold onto your dentures, folks! It's showtime!" He launches into a booty-quaking extravaganza that sends his raffia hula skirt and prodigious beer belly a-jiggling. Oh, he knows he is a sultry siren of the disco, that one. The disco ball pales in comparison to his radiant beauty.