1. Fly Away
I have my late lunch at hawker center. I order some rice, top with a sweet and sour fried drumstick, French beans, crispy fried anchovies and sunny side up (fried egg). Sounds like a big plate I am having, huh? Well, I like to eat but I have requested the hawker to give me smaller portion of rice beforehand. So, I should be able to finish my plate of meals.
When I was carefully ‘operating’ the drumstick (meaning cutting and separating the meat from the drumstick’s bone) with my spoon and fork, a waiter stands in front of me and look at what I was doing.
I look up and he asks with a smile on his face “You worry it might ‘fly’ away?” He jokes with me.
“Haha… Yeah, if it flies away, then the chicken is ALIVE!! Haha…” I joke in return.
This short conversation brings a smile on both of us. (Haha~)
2. Milk Tea Moment
At the local coffee shop, “Auntie, can you give me milk tea please?” I order hot milk tea from the waitress who is at her 50’s (I guess).
“Okay.” She replied. After a while, my tea is served and I paid for the tea.
If you notice, in both Singapore and Malaysia, it is a norm for us to address or call those middle-aged people as uncle (for man) and auntie (for woman). That do not necessary mean that they have any blood relationship with you. It is just a courtesy way in addressing them. Most of them doesn’t feel offended, well, unless he or she still does not willing to admit that they are entering that age group or they look like one. (Haha…)
Here at the local shop, we usually need to pay then the food is served due to shortage of man power.
I slowly stir the tea for the condensed milk at the bottom of the cup to have a good mix with the tea. Have a sip of it. (Emm… Good one.) Ah~ before I even finished enjoying the ‘Ah~’ moment, a rather loud voice from afar towards my direction “Hot ah!” that auntie shouts.
Oh my goodness, she’s worrying that the tea might be too hot for me to consume right away.
(Aww…) For a stranger to act so much like my mum nagging for my good sake, my heart feels the warmth by her good thoughts.
I reply her with a thumbs up in the air “It’s good!”
I am happy at this very moment.
After this day, this auntie remembers my usual order and even knowing my preferred timing to order my drink (i.e. after I am done with my meals). I am loved~
3. Never Grow Since…
One day my boss walks into my office to ask me for my thoughts on an issue from accounting point of view. My boss is a local Chinese, humble yet caliber businessman.
“Gao Ren, ask you something.”
(‘Gao Ren’ 高人 in mandarin refers to someone who has good knowledge or wisdom.)
I am flattered but shy to be called as such but he has no bad intentions. Instantly, I replied to him “Boss, I am only 155cm, not tall at all. Please don’t call me ‘Gao Ren’ please.
(Here, I am referring ‘Gao Ren’ to the meaning by each word on its own – i.e. ‘Gao’ means Tall while ‘Ren’ means Man or Human.)
I break down the words in such a way to joke with him. He is quick to catch my joke.
“Haha… 155?”
“Yeah, never grow since my secondary schooling time. Haha…” I further explain.
He laughs in happy mood. We continue on our topic of discussion but from that day onwards, he STILL calls me ‘Gao Ren’…
Oh Goodness… I’m just 155…
(If I could grow another 5cm when someone calls me by ‘Gao Ren’, then I don’t mind he calls me that. Haha…)
4. Ah Moi!
When I go for the usual lunch place during workday, I usually order Ginger Milk Tea after my meals. The drink maker at the drink stall makes the best Ginger Milk Tea I have ever had. So, almost every time I would order this, without fail so far.
After lunch meal, enjoying a cup of hot drink is my way of relaxation moment. I would enjoy the drink until the max of my lunch break hour.
So, today, same old routine, I queue for my turn to order my drink. There is one more customer ahead of me.
“Ah Moi!” The drink maker shouts out loud.
(Hmm? ‘Ah Moi’?)
‘Ah Moi’ is the traditional way of addressing Chinese little girl or young lady. We still often hear this calling now a day, here in Singapore and Malaysia.
(Was he calling me?) I look at him. He nods his head and then he look at the milk tea cup that he just made.
(Oh, my! I received his eye signal – My ginger milk tea is ready!) I gave him a broad smile.
(Oops, so sorry to the customer in front of me as I somehow jump queue.)
At local hawker center or local coffee shop, you could easily hear this kind of loud shouting. Of course, you won’t find this level of ‘service’ at restaurant and cafeteria. To local, we find this friendly though. The more you know the hawker seller; you can even communicate with them from afar with hand sign or a simple shout like ‘Coffee, two!”. Haha~ I don’t mind that at all whenever dining at local coffee shop. If you want a quiet ambience, then choose elsewhere but not local coffee shop please.
I pay for my drink, grab my ginger milk tea and enjoy it at my seat.
Take a sip. Ah~ What a day~
5. Do You Know Where This Is?
Once when I travelled to Taiwan, I was trying to find the location for a book shop. Back then, map application yet to be available in the mobile phones.
It was morning, around 10 am that day. I ask for direction from an auntie who seems to have just finished her marketing at wet market nearby.
“Oh, that road, I know, I know. Come, I bring you there.” She says.
(Huh?!? I am flattered. You want to bring me there? You can just tell me verbally how to reach there, like turn left or turn right…)
“Wouldn’t that be too troublesome for you?” I reply her instantly.
“It’s okay. Come, I go with you. It’s not far.” She says.
(I’m so touched! Never in my life has anyone showing me the way by walking me there. I am not referring to the act from those bad-intention people.)
I joined her and had a light chat with her along the journey. When we reach there, I thank her again and wish her safe journey home.
It feels really good when find the locals are so friendly towards you when you visiting their country. Thank you for having me~
6. What A Pose
When I was still working with my previous employer, nearby our office there is a huge hawker center with more than 50 stalls of hawker food.
During my lunch time, I went to the coffee stall to order local coffee.
“Uncle, one Kopi Siew Dai.” I said.
‘Kopi Siew Dai’ is Singapore-way of calling coffee with less sweetness.
The coffee maker uncle looks my way and then he puts his hands on his hips and says this right back to me “Order coffee has to be in this pose?”
(Hmm? Oh my goodness, I subconsciously putting my hands on my hips – a rather bad habit of mine, like a madam who is ordering people around – when ordering my coffee.)
“Haha… Yeah, one Kopi Siew Dai, please.” The naughty me, repeating my order to him with my hands on my hips but this time with a broad smile on my face.
He rolls his eyes and smiles; and makes me a good cup of coffee.
(Silly me…)
7. Don’t You Think So?
I went for my routine hair scalp treatment. The hair specialist auntie attends to me as usual. We chat and she carries a Happy-Go-Lucky vibes, just like me.
She loves novel while I love comics; we share our hobby and recommend each other which good book to read.
Today, we touch on face mask topic. We are all required to wear face mask ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. All local residents are have been given a complimentary pack of face mask from government. We have been distributed with several types and models of fabric face masks so far.
“Do you know there is this type of face mask in dark blue colour?” She asks me.
“You mean the latest version we received not long ago?” I said.
“Yeah, don’t you find its look a bit weird?” She continues.
“I have yet to open the packaging.” “Like what?” I ask in return.
“Like men’s underwear.” She replies.
“Buahahaha…!!!” I laugh out loud.
“Must be the fabric cutting, I think. So when people put the face mask on, the bottom part of the face mask seems droopy or hangs low at their chin area. Looks so much like a man in his underwear.” She elaborates.
“Oh my goodness… haha…!!!” I imagine alongside with her elaboration; I laugh until I was about to slam the table.
Now to think of it, it does look weird.
This topic causes a side-effect on me. Now, whenever I see people wearing that version of fabric face mask, I laugh.
I can’t help it. Haha… That’s too hilarious! Her elaboration was so right to the point.
Some says that those who enjoys comics and/or novels do have a more creative mind and great imagination as well, don’t you think so?
8. A Bit
The hawker or the cook is preparing my order, i. e. Fried Instant Noodles. I always complete my order with extra topping of crispy anchovies.
When the cook is serving me the noodles, he asked me if I want some ketchup to go with it.
I say: “A bit.” (Here, I’m referring to a little bit).
He squeezes the ketchup bottle and put exactly one tiny DOT or DROP of ketchup on that plate of noodles. Trying to emphasis that he is complying with my request of ‘a bit’.
I look at him and laugh! “Haha… three drops then.” I join in the jokes.
He – who is teasing me – put the ketchup zigzag-ly onto my plate of noodles.
Wow, what an art in food presentation this is. Happily, I paid for my order and enjoy my yummy meal at my seat.
9. The Fried Pancake
When we have to wear face mask during the COVID pandemic, it would sometimes mislead the listener when we talk because now they can’t see or read our lips movements.
I was standing right in front of the Indian fried pancake hawker stall; trying to decide what to order.
They have plenty of choices of Roti Prata, i.e. friend pancake. For example Plain Roti Prata, Roti Egg, Roti Onion, Roti Helicopter, and many more.
Tonight, I am thinking of having Roti Boom – Fried pancake with butter in it which makes the pancake a little sweet but crispier – my favourite so far.
I shout ‘Roti Boom’ to him. Why I shout? That’s simply because he is right at the corner of his stall busy preparing the fried rice for the customer before me. He looks at me when he heard my shouts. He nods his head (not the nodding that says he got it but asking what is it instead) as he didn’t hear me clearly.
(Oh, boy… fine then.) “Roti Boom!” and then I added with my hand movements mimicking the explosion effects of ‘Boom’.
He smiles and copies my hand movements, “Roti Boom, yeah?”
Haha… he gets it! “Haha… Yes, 2 pieces please, having here.” Showing him a ‘peace’ or ‘V’ hand signs this round.
Done; order is now successfully placed. Wait for my butter-filled crispy friend ‘Roti Boom’.
10. Are You Okay?
On Saturday, I joined my colleague on document filing work for the upcoming office shift. I ordered pizza delivery for our lunch.
It was raining drizzling outside.
About lunch hour, I received a call from the delivery guy, asking for exact office location. Our office location is rather deep in and kind of difficult to locate sometimes. I went downstairs to wait for him.
“Hello, are you the one ordering pizza?” He stops his motorcycle and asks me.
“Yes, you’ve found your way here.” I replied.
“Here you go.” Handling me a package that contains a box of pizza and all the other items I ordered.
I thought the delivery transaction was completed but then he U-turn and walks back to me, asking “Is the pizza okay?”
(Huh? Is pizza okay? I don’t quite get what he means.)
He opens the plastic packaging and check. He continues “The hot steam from the pizza might causes the pizza box became crooked and press onto the pizza instead.”
(Oh, that’s what he meant. So thoughtful. I’m touched.) I jokingly look into the packaging and ask “Hey, Pizza, are you okay?”
He laughs at my joke and then wishes me “Enjoy your pizza, ma’am.” He then went off to his next delivery destination with that motorcycle of his.
I told my colleague the conversations I had with that delivery guy. We have our steamy hot pizza that afternoon with a little heart-warm feelings~