complacency - 10/10

A regular day in the office.
The fire alarm bell rang to the surprise of everyone, but utters no one in their work.

Level 26

Jonathan: Sharon, are we suppose to run or what?

Sharon: Hold on. Let me make a call first.
(Sharon calls the reception)
Hello Liz, are we suppose to run?

Liz: ...I dont know...

Sharon: She said she doesnt know neither.

Jonathan: Huh? Well, Its raining out there, we will be wet if we run to the outside.

Sharon: Yah, thats true. I will call to check the situation at the middle level

Level 12

Kelvin: Yup, a fire broke out in my level, and i suppose someone is assessing the situation already.

Sharon: Is the water sprinkler even working down there?

Kelvin: Errm.....Nope. Its not sprinkling any water from what i can see. I guess its a malfunction. I'm gonna inform Liz about this and get her to call up the fire system management. Our entire pantry is engulfed in flames. This is outrageous.

Fire System Management Office

Liz: Apparently, fire broke out at level 12 and your sprinkler system had malfunction. Our company will not accept such fault. We need you to send someone to assess the situation, Right Now!

Receiver: I see, we will send our maintenance team over immediately.

Liz: How long will it take them?

Receiver: Mmm...approximately 15 minutes?

Liz: 15 minutes?!? We dont have 15 minutes. This building will be ashes in 10. How then will i explain this to my boss? I cannot accept this. Get them down here right now or i will launch an official complain right up to your directors!!!

Level 26

Sharon: Liz said the maintenance team is already on their way, but the alarm is making me mad. Lets shut the front the door.

Jonathan: Good idea.

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This screw up scenario is loosely based on an actual encounter. Of course, this is the extragarented version of what really happened. But this incident proves that Singaporeans are simply less concern with a life threatening issue unless it turns out to be VERY Real, or right before their eyes.

when did the merlion become extinct?

I read the morning newspaper and I was astonished by what Pilar Arlando, the previous 2nd runner up turned Miss World Singapore, said about our iconic Merlion. To make sure it is true, I went online to watch the video on Razor TV myself, as I couldnt believe it.

What happened was, Razor TV put few of the contestants to the test by asking them a set on trivia questions. One of which was, "When did the Merlion become extinct?" and her answer was "1965"!!! Amazing~

Well beside making fun of her, I think its ok to be wrong. We are not born to know everything, and its totally fine if you dont know something even if it seems like common sense for some people. But anyway, just for correction, Merlion never existed and 1965 was the year Singapore gained independence and so that year was Singapore's birthday.

off to prison

neck pain and my heart ache

Just yesterday was one of my most physically torturing days I had, since the last time when I had cramps on both my calf muscles and I couldn’t stand nor sit. You just don’t know what to do. To stand or sit, or which leg you should rest your weight onto.

Anyway, I was suffering from an immerse neck pain on the left side of it. By the time I realized it wasn’t something I can simply ignore, I knew I had to get myself to the clinic. Every step was carefully taken, I cannot make any sudden or large movement at all. Momentarily, the area on my neck would just squeeze itself so tightly and immobilize me with acute pain.

It took some skills for me to put on my clothes and move out to the clinic. I knew I must look ridiculous with my head badly tilted to the right, probably like an ostrich dodging an arrow or something. Though I should put on a monkey mask to disguise myself, I thought I will just screw it and quickly get myself treated.

The doctor said I was suffering from something, what they known as, “rims” or “reams”. Whatever that is, the doctor said to me, “You can choose to take only medication which would take 2 days, or take an injection. 2 days can be a lot of pain.”

I promptly agreed to the injection which amounted to my most expensive clinical visit ever. A whooping $97!!! I don’t know what exactly the injection does, but it definitely got worsen after that. My neck was more uptight and the pain was more intensive. It could be the medical fee I had to pay, I’m not sure of that, and it took me twice the time and effort to get myself back home.

I had to make several stops along the way, sing myself motivational song and do deep breathing. And at one time I was stopping beside the road to treat my pain, a stranger came from behind and stood infront of me. He looks like he has a neurological illness and he couldn’t walk or orientate like a normal human. You would think some friendly guy came to help me out? WRONG, he wasn’t concern about my situation. He just wanted to tell me about the Neighborhood Car Park System!! *What the Fuck!? That really came out of nowhere.

He went on and on for 5 minutes about how I should insert the Cash card at the appropriate timing or else paying more, social ethics of the drivers, and other irrelevant stuff that I don’t give a damn about. He was totally oblivious of the pain I was suffering from. I was genuinely in pain and I still had to maintain my politeness. “Okay, Alright, and thank you” were all that I could say, but actually I just wanted him to get out of my way and stop obstructing my path.

Then when he was finally satisfied, I thank him again and he gave me a smile on his face, probably feeling very accomplished for helping out a neighbor who is not driving and unaware of the random information about the car park system. But that wasn’t the end, even with neurological illness; he was moving ahead of me and got to the traffic light. When I finally dragged my every step to the traffic light, HE WENT ON with more details about the authority installing metal guards because the drivers ramped down the plastic ones. I think to myself, I don’t hold any top secret information, what does he want from me?

Anyway, I only had 4 hours of sleep but I am feeling a lot better now. I think now I can understand how its like to be recovering from a mild stroke. I remember during that excruciating hour before and after taking the medication, I had an idea of setting up a charity foundation for…..Myself. Then I thought this is why people need to get themselves married. You can’t live alone when you are old, you can really use some help at times like this. Its not about being independent, but you just never know when you will really need an extra pair of hands.

this year's rally - feeling contented?

nobody wants to be a shame

Today I sighted a social issue, one that actually forced me to pay attention to it merely because it happened on a bus that should take me to my late appointment. A common social issue, for some, a man not paying his bus fares and still begs for money from passengers. But what occurs to me is not only on poverty, and also the perception of the public towards it.

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It was the next stop from where I got on the bus, and the bus driver was doing some waving gesture to somebody. I later realized that it wasn’t a friendly gesture. The bus driver was stopping a man from boarding the bus, but with failure. Apparently, the driver seems to already know the ragged looking man carrying many plastic bags filled.

The man, I will call him Walter from here onwards, was a skinny and frail man but with his hair well combed backwards. Walter ignored the objection from the driver, boarded and placed his bags in the center of the bus. The driver was persistent and he wanted Walter to get off the bus unless he was to pay the fares.

Walter doesn’t seem like a demanding person and was very soft-spoken. In fact, so soft-spoken that I never caught a single word he said in the entire incident. He then tried to ask for money from the passengers, which the driver objected as well.

“No auntie, don’t give him money. This is not his first time already,” he shouted from his seat in a somewhat polite manner. Then he added, “Eh you cannot just ask for money from the passengers. You cannot always do this.”

The female passenger tugged her purse back in when the driver stopped her. The truth is, even I wanted to spare Walter my extra dollar coin, simply because I was in hurry and I wanted the bus to get moving. Walter walked to the driver and tried to talk his way through, but was futile.

The driver, later on, decided to refuse Walter’s departure and shut the exit. He threatened to call the police and get Walter arrested. Finally, the bus was moving to the next stop. More passengers boarded, and in a desperate attempt, Walter ungracefully begged from the passengers.

“Uncle, don’t bother about him. Don’t give him money,” the driver advised the passenger.

Still the man gave Walter some coins, which the driver refused as well. Seems like the driver wanted to stop Walter from doing this for good. He made a phone call and intentionally converse loudly so that Walter would hear it from behind. The driver was supposedly reporting to the police and Walter was panicking. The trick worked.

Walter desperately pleaded with the driver in several attempts, walking back and fore from the driver’s seat and his bags. Out of his wits, he stood there in the middle of the bus, worried. As I looked at him, sorrow was scribbled all over his face, and I honestly sympathized with him.

Some where on the journey, the bus dropped off passengers. Walter took the opportunity, quickly grabbed his bags and jumped off the bus, not literately. I was looking at the side of his face as he stared at the on-coming direction of the road. I’m not sure if that was the destination Walter had in mind, or was he just looking out for other bus to hop on to.

____________________________________

Through the rest of the journey I was pondering on this subject. I find that it is humane that people would sympathize with Walter, but the driver wasn’t doing anything wrong either. It was afterall a business, you have a job to do and you have to set an example. But then I was thinking, if I had the money to pay for the fares then why would I want to go through such shame?

I can’t help but relate Walter to other people of similar status, whom had went on TV. If Walter has a heart felt life story good enough for the media, would the driver make an exception of Walter? Would the public’s opinion of Walter changed dramatically and they would effortlessly help a man like him? What exactly is the position of the media for the public on such a subject?

If ever I was ganged by a group of hooligans on the bus and in need of assistance, I hope the passengers would put their rational behind and stand up for a stranger. Instead of ignoring the scene and blame it on ‘society’.

first class education?