Gina, on the left, has been a friend of Jean's since grammar school. Theirs was a friendship built on law and order. Gina, the hall monitor, was constantly doling out demerits to Jean for being late to school and cutting the lunch line queue. They've been tight ever since, or mostly so. A few years back Sze Long, on the right, formerly the girlfriend of Jean's sister, changed allegiances, shacking up with Gina.
This caused a fracture in Jean's group of friends for two reasons - one: the realization that Gina was gay and two: the poor taste of hurting Jean's sister. Some reacted with a bit of homophobia though much less than I expected. Others simply couldn't get over the lack of loyalty. Jean, as is usual, took it in stride better than everyone. She was caught in the middle - helping her sister get over the pain of it while trying to keep her group of friends together. It took a few years for the tension in the group to subside but it's not completely gone yet.
We met the ladies for dinner at their apartment. Sze Long cooked a meal and we caught up. It's clear the two are very happy together. I've always enjoyed chatting with Gina - she's one of the few Singaporeans I've met who openly questions the government's decisions. She also has a great sense of humor and a wonderful laugh.
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