Thank God for the shower!!!!
Because without showers, we wouldn't be able to see rainbows. =)
Or more literally, the kindness in people.
Most of us are brought up to imagine Singaporeans as a selfish, self-effacing lot, concerned only about matters close to their hearts. Just today, my Philosophy of Culture lecture listed as example this quote by MM Lee - that the Singaporean culture is one of "intelligent cooperation for self-interest." Hmmm. Well I'm glad the sudden afternoon downpour today showed me the other side of my compatriots.
As I stepped out of Boon Keng MRT station, it was already raining significantly. But no worries. Kailuo is a gian, gung-ho person, not inclined to be stopped by a few mere drops of rain. Hmm. As I walked briskly towards Hiap Huat House(which contains the Mecca of all Crusaders - Hmm..THAT sounds a bit wrong. But I digress.), the few mere drops of rain evolved within a few minutes into a LOT of drops of rain. But still mere, thought KL. Still weak and unable to stop KL in her quest for a study bible!
Boy, was I wrong. VERY soon, the rain became a downright tropical.. downpour. So there I was, stranded equidistance between HHH and Boon Keng MRT station. I was going to get soaking wet, whichever way I headed. OF COURSE, it had not failed to escape my powers of observations that there WERE HDB flats, about 5 metres away from where I had been standing. Well, actually, to tell the truth, I'm not so unalert; I'm just impatient. The heavens looked all set to open up and rain down upon me for the entire afternoon. I wasn't about to wait THAT long.
Grimly, I soldered onwards to HHH. By then, not only was I already soaking wet, my hair was all flat and I was all grouchy at myself and at God for letting it rain. AND - AND! There was still a traffic light to be crossed!
The light took forever to turn green. Well, maybe not forever, but about 7 minutes, which is a LONG time when you're standing there shivering and soaked to the bones like a drowned cat. I glared around me impatiently and - AHA! There behind me stood my savior - someone with an UMBRELLA.
But slowly, reality dawned upon me. Wait a tick - this is SINGAPORE, this guy wouldn't step forward to offer me the usageo of his umbrella. More likely, we would both stand with animosity next to each other for the next few minutes, I soaking wet and he completely dry, with the added advantage on his side of getting amused by me getting wetter and wetter by the minute.
But boy - was I wrong! And I'm glad I was. After one glare, I'd turned back towards the road. But this guy wasn't deterred by my buay song look; all of a sudden, I stopped getting rained on. Halleluja! This uncle had decided to step out of the natural comfort zone occupied by most Singaporeans and decided to help me.
So we stood there, side by side, not speaking except a "Thanks Uncle" from me and a "You're welcome" from him. With awkward gestures and little sideways smiles, I communicated my thanksgiving to him though.
And when I'd reached HHH, all under the shelter of his umbrella, a lady actually stepped forward (by herself! No hostile glares at all!) to offer me her pack of tissue paper, to wipe my dripping face and body. Haha.
Wow.. I think God used these two people today to break my cynical heart down. Despite the shower, I'm so thankful that I got offered help by these two. =)
Kailuo
Or more literally, the kindness in people.
Most of us are brought up to imagine Singaporeans as a selfish, self-effacing lot, concerned only about matters close to their hearts. Just today, my Philosophy of Culture lecture listed as example this quote by MM Lee - that the Singaporean culture is one of "intelligent cooperation for self-interest." Hmmm. Well I'm glad the sudden afternoon downpour today showed me the other side of my compatriots.
As I stepped out of Boon Keng MRT station, it was already raining significantly. But no worries. Kailuo is a gian, gung-ho person, not inclined to be stopped by a few mere drops of rain. Hmm. As I walked briskly towards Hiap Huat House(which contains the Mecca of all Crusaders - Hmm..THAT sounds a bit wrong. But I digress.), the few mere drops of rain evolved within a few minutes into a LOT of drops of rain. But still mere, thought KL. Still weak and unable to stop KL in her quest for a study bible!
Boy, was I wrong. VERY soon, the rain became a downright tropical.. downpour. So there I was, stranded equidistance between HHH and Boon Keng MRT station. I was going to get soaking wet, whichever way I headed. OF COURSE, it had not failed to escape my powers of observations that there WERE HDB flats, about 5 metres away from where I had been standing. Well, actually, to tell the truth, I'm not so unalert; I'm just impatient. The heavens looked all set to open up and rain down upon me for the entire afternoon. I wasn't about to wait THAT long.
Grimly, I soldered onwards to HHH. By then, not only was I already soaking wet, my hair was all flat and I was all grouchy at myself and at God for letting it rain. AND - AND! There was still a traffic light to be crossed!
The light took forever to turn green. Well, maybe not forever, but about 7 minutes, which is a LONG time when you're standing there shivering and soaked to the bones like a drowned cat. I glared around me impatiently and - AHA! There behind me stood my savior - someone with an UMBRELLA.
But slowly, reality dawned upon me. Wait a tick - this is SINGAPORE, this guy wouldn't step forward to offer me the usageo of his umbrella. More likely, we would both stand with animosity next to each other for the next few minutes, I soaking wet and he completely dry, with the added advantage on his side of getting amused by me getting wetter and wetter by the minute.
But boy - was I wrong! And I'm glad I was. After one glare, I'd turned back towards the road. But this guy wasn't deterred by my buay song look; all of a sudden, I stopped getting rained on. Halleluja! This uncle had decided to step out of the natural comfort zone occupied by most Singaporeans and decided to help me.
So we stood there, side by side, not speaking except a "Thanks Uncle" from me and a "You're welcome" from him. With awkward gestures and little sideways smiles, I communicated my thanksgiving to him though.
And when I'd reached HHH, all under the shelter of his umbrella, a lady actually stepped forward (by herself! No hostile glares at all!) to offer me her pack of tissue paper, to wipe my dripping face and body. Haha.
Wow.. I think God used these two people today to break my cynical heart down. Despite the shower, I'm so thankful that I got offered help by these two. =)
Kailuo
posted by Yellow Garfield at 10:36 PM
4 Comments:
Poor You!! all soaked! Please dun get sick! will pray for you!!! :)
haha... Kailuo see what happens when you go alone. now, IF you had gone with a certain someone, there would have been a BIG car to send you safe and dry all the way to the doorstep! kekeke...
but ok lah... this way, you got to get soaked with blessings! ;)
HAHA, are you sure you were in singapore when that happened?
*sorry, wasen ment to be sarcastic*
take care ar, dun fall sick! (:
but that 2pple was really really VERY kind.
Dear Lindeee and Faithy~,
Thank you gals for your concern and prayers! Yup I DON'T think I'm sick...or falling sick. Thank God! But serves me right if I do.. I must learn to be more patient. Heh-heh. Mass Media VERY VERY mind boggling leh. =)
Dear Dinkeee,
.............................
Uhm. I wanted to go alone lah. Heh-heh. Cos the car's reserved for you. MUAHAHAHA. =p
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