Saturday, November 07, 2009

Moral of the story

My bag was soaked. My sparkling new Lenovo Thinkpad was spoilt. I was drenched from neck to toe. I was $10 poorer, by choice. And I didn't even get a proper "thanks".

****

It was raining like crap, at about 11am. I boarded the bus from Bukit Merah Central to go home, which was about 3 bus stops away. I was carrying my bag, with my little, lovely Lenovo inside. I was also carrying lunch which I just bought.

The bus ride was perfectly normal for the first 32 seconds. At the 33rd second, I saw a middle-aged Indian woman (MIAW) having a heated conversation with the bus driver (BD). The conversation follows:

MIAW: Does this bus go to Tiong Bahru MRT?
BD: No... no, that one you must take bus number 5. Then stop after two stops.

MIAW: This doesn't go to Tiong Bahru MRT? I need to go there now! Where is this bus going? I want to -
BD: This bus no go to Tiong Bahru. You-

MIAW: I want a refund! I want a refund now. Does this bus go to Tiong Bahru? (exasperated and clearly panicking)
BD: I tell you oredi. This bus go to Bukit Merah. This no go to Tiong Bahru. You see outside?
You must get down and walk -

MIAW: I can't walk! I need to go there now! I need to go to WORK! Do you understand? I need to GO! How long does it take to go to Tiong Bahru?
BD: (pissed off) 24 hours.

MIAW: (very, very pissed off) Why aren't you helping! You're talking to me like this because you think I'm not a bloody Singaporean right? You think I'm a foreigner right? You Singaporeans are all like this. I'm a SINGAPOREAN TOO!
BD: Huh? I'm MALAYSIAN.

MIAW: What? OK. (cools down). Where is Tiong Bahru mrt?
BD: I tell you already: IT'S THAT SIDE ONE LAH! You take taxi and go. Can reach there.

MIAW: I don't have that kind of money.
BD: I give you the money.

MIAW: (Breaks down and cries)

At this point, my stop had arrived. I also couldn't bear to not guide the woman to Tiong Bahru mrt, which was near my home. As she cried, I asked her to come with me so that I could show her the way to the station.

It was pouring. You have no idea. I asked her to share the umbrella with me, but it was pointless. We were both drenched. This woman was from India (presumably a professional , looking at her contemporary dress-sense), and this was here 2nd day at her job. She'd taken time off from work to meet an agent for a rental flat, but she was lost and wanted to head back to work. But she got lost even more and was scared pissed that she'd lose her job for being late. So she took it out on the driver. And she started to take it out on me.

She asked angrily where I was taking her in the rain, and she whined that she wanted to go back to work, and that she wanted to find Tiong Bahru mrt. After speaking to her as one would with a lost 4-year-old, I found out that she really wanted to go to LAVENDER where her workplace was. To do so, she wanted to take the train from Tiong Bahru. Genius. I thought that if this continued, (1) I'd be soaked silly, (2) she'd be scolding me silly and commit suicide after that, and (3) I'd go crazy.

I told her to take a taxi and just go. She said she didn't have money. Fine - I gave her $10 and asked to find the next available taxi and just GO. She whined that she was all wet. I half expected her to ask me for a towel and fresh change of clothes. She asked for my handphone number to return me the $10 - I told her to forget it. I left her there and went home to a shocked wifey.

****

My bag was soaked. My sparkling new Lenovo Thinkpad was spoilt. I was drenched from neck to toe. I was $10 poorer, by choice. And I didn't even get a proper "thanks".

Moral of the story - SBS employs a fair number of Malaysians.

4 comments:

Good Times said...

haha, you must have asked something from God, and thus made this opportunity for you be forbearing. Or just another of of His test on the servant He loves...Barakallahufik... Btw, are you taking QTRS?

Unknown said...

Athuthaan un moral-la? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Unknown said...

you're a better man than me.

*then again, anyone's a better man than me.... hmmm.*

Anonymous said...

Hats Off for ur help...If i were to be in ur place i would have juz ignored her & mind my own biz...She may not hav thank u properly at tt moment but trust me she were reflect back to the incident and were feel so thankful to god for creating such a nice soul like u in tiz world =)