no ill intentions...
I had a very funny encounter today while waiting to take a cab from Bishan back home.
There is an unofficial taxi waiting line @ the Prime Supermarket (in front of the 7-ll convenient mart) along Bishan St 22 and as usual, after lunch, I would walk over and hail a cab. Now today, there was this elderly lady, hands full with groceries and big bags, waiting in front of me and was trying to hail a cab without releasing her grip on her groceries (beats me why she didn't but it sure looked heavy to lift her arm up even)
By now, you would be already assuming what is going to happen when I decided to play 'hero' and helped her to hail a cab with my arm stretched out.
Well, nope she didn't snap at me but she did gave me a dirty look like I was going to steal her taxi. Worse was when a taxi finally arrived and becoz she was struggling with her heavy groceries, I decided to help her open the door. From my position, I stretched over to open the cab door and the next moment, I saw her gave me a very dirty look like "you dare steal my cab now?"
I was really bewildered with such hostility lor.... I even have to explain that I am helping her with the door. My body language was out of kindness coz I was still standing behind her when I opened the car door with my left hand like what a valet staff would do when standing side by side the passenger.
My goodness... why most Singaporeans' 1st thought at the approach of kindness was to deal it with hostility?
This incident reminded me of a story ms Clover heard over the radio of how DJ Jean Danker flashed a car in front of her on the road during the evening and was confronted by the driver at a traffic junction soon after, asking why did she 'flash' him? Jean D was cool enough to smile and said: "you forgot to turn on your headlights, dear." The guy retreated with a super sheepish apologetic look.
Sheeesh...... :p
Labels: Thoughts
sadly, you are right. this is how singaporeans jump to conclusions and react to their view of how things are going to turn out. now, we wonder why people don't bother to do little acts of kindness???
Posted by
michelle |
11:07 PM
Michelle:
hahah.. so true.. sigh :)
Posted by
ShutterBug |
11:40 PM
ermm...this post reflects the society behaviour now, guess we need to be more open sometimes.=p
Posted by
=eLaiNe= |
8:43 AM
Way to go Bug, let's combat the hostility with kindness!
Posted by
pfong |
8:59 AM
u know what they always say about singapore- that 'it doesn't pay to be kind here'. and so often, kindness is met with rudeness.
:) but good on you for trying!
pssst: elderly ladies are fierce! you'll just have to grin at them. they'll appreciate it lah.
Posted by
imp |
10:44 AM
it just a mis-comm. Old people are like that...they knew they are clumsy and slow (also physically and mentally)..so if a young person is faster in anyway...they feel threaten. I like your headline.."no ill intention" so long we know we did the correct thing..we knew and it alright.
Good thing she did not scold you..cos i got it before and I just smiled back at him...
Posted by
Anonymous |
9:28 AM
hehe... maybe you could have explained to her before raising your arm. Haha... what a misunderstanding.
But it was very gentlemanly of you to help her. Wish more pp around were like you.
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:19 AM
it was really sweet of you to extend a helping hand but she may have misunderstood the gesture. Next time, must explain and then you will be greeted with smiles instead of hostility.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:42 AM