My my......why are all my entries in September related to MRT & Bus... the trusty public transport system in Singapore? Here's one and it was ugly, right to the core.
Before the ugly reared its head in my blog, i met a young "angel" in the morning. She was sitting fast asleep with earphones when the old man and I stepped into the train at Clementi. He was old but looked healthy, not the frail looking type. I glanced and waited for kind souls to give up seats but most were either sleeping or deserving passengers..... children in tow and babies in arms. I spotted this aunty.....who happened to be seated at the PRIORITY seat. I was bracing myself for courage to tell her to stand up when her handphone rang and oh my, she spoke loudly in the only English she ever knew. She was speaking to her maid, asking her to get ready for dinner tonight. Perhaps it was her loud talking that woke up the young teen. She took a dazed look at old man and prompty gave up her seat. He wanted to say NO but she insisted and i smiled to myself hmmm.... perhaps there are gems in our youth :)
This thought was quickly erased during my return trip. It was crowded but not sardine-packed. I was standing near the door initially but slowly moved towards the centre. There was a seat available but today i felt like standing... haha. I dont usually study people in public transport, as in i try to look outside and not inside. Anyhow, it was nearing Bugis that i began to notice this old man seated on the right of a young lady. Why? Because everyone could hear him asking her if it has reached City Hall. He was loud but i guess he was a little deaf coz people usually speak much louder to compensate for what they cannot hear.
He moved his right hand to reach for Ezlink pass in his left shirt pocket and gathered up his newspapers. His left arm remained limp, resembling those who had stroke before. Then he talked or rather called out loudly to another old man seated opposite. His friend? I dont know.
What did he do next? Rachel's style but with more gusto! He stopped some youths from sitting down at an empty opposite seat with these chinese words 让老人家坐 (translation for those who need: let the elderly sit)。 Then he looked around for elderly and spotted one standing near the opposite door on his right. Called out to her to sit and she dutifully obey.
At the same time, the man on the left of the young lady alighted at Bugis and there was an empty seat....about 1 step away from me. This was the second time i had a seat and i thot why not sit down..... Oh man, but after witnessing what happened, dont want to be the next soul to be told off by him.
Haha.... guess what happened next? He called out to me: 小姐，这里有位，快坐。 (translation: Miss, quick sit at this empty seat).
I was taken back but pleasantly surprised. You know how in the Bible it was mentioned about those who were invited to the banquet and sit themselves at VIP seats only to be told to shoo off? Whoa, it was one time that i felt i had made a right decision not to sit..... u know what i mean? LOL，being random here, right? Anyway, I wanted to reject the offer but when i gazed into his sincere eyes, couldnt help but humbly obey. Not that i felt i was a VIP or deserving passenger, but he was genuine. The young lady next to him and me smiled at each other ..... it was like "heh, grandfather is talking, better obey". I didnt bother to look if there were deserving passengers because he would have taken care of that. Quickly sat down next to her coz all eyes seemed to be on me now.
You know he kind of resembled the bus captain or the conductor, one who gave the shots and ordered people to move around, but not to his advantage. This kind old soul has guts and much more. As i settled down at my seat, i began to wonder what's next. Honestly, i didnt know what grandfather gonna do before he reached City Hall (shall call him that from now on).
The attention on me quickly slipped back to grandfather and a young man, probably 16-18 years old. He was the one who was ordered not to sit just now and he had since kept staring at grandfather. I only noticed this young man when grandfather said: 看什么看？为什么一直看? (translation: stare what? What’s so nice to stare)
The young man was adamant. He doesn’t know what is humility and patience towards elderly. He has no respect at all. He continued to stare and his face was one of those that we see in gangster movies where a fight is about to erupt, those confrontational stares that bawl loudly, “Who is in charge here? Who is the strong one” Ironically, he claimed, “我没有看。有什么好看”(translation: I am not staring. Nothing to see), clearly identifying this young man from China.
Grandfather stood up (apparently train reaching City Hall) and continued renting, “新加坡不需要你。你回去中国”（translation: Singapore doesn’t need you, go back to China) Oh boy, grandfather’s anger seemed to stem from the foreign talent saga or what. He was visibly upset and more so when the young man refused to let go and no sign of apology or looking away.
The young man took a step towards grandfather, with shoulders squaring up and kept saying, “我为什么不能看”？(translation: why cant I stare?) His demeanour was to fight it out. I saw his right hand fisting and raising and fearing the worse scenario, I gave a shout, “Hei”. It was directed at both. I wanted to pull grandfather not to challenge young man, no matter how wrong he was but didnt. The voice came out faster than hands action. Blah!
Grandfather took another step towards young man, “你来新加坡做什么”? (translation: Why do you come to Singapore) I braced myself for a fight and got ready my subway plastic bags to slam the young man to protect grandfather if I have to. I don’t know what to expect nor think now. All I wanted was nobody get hurt. It was tense, fearfully tense indeed.
Thank goodness there were 2 friends who stood with the young man. All from China. They pulled him back. First two attempts were unsuccessful as he struggled, breaking loose from friend’s grip. Third attempt worked. They told him to let it go and he stepped backwards and I heaved a sigh of relief... thank God).
Grandfather was saved. Train stopped. He uttered loudly with hand gesture to young man as he left the train, “你给我规规矩矩的在新加坡” (translation: behave yourself while in Singapore). He said this twice. From his behaviour, i can tell grandfather was probably a very heated up young man himself years ago and most likely involved in fights too. He was outspoken, very in fact. But the point is, he didnt exactly challenge the young man and even if it seemed he did a little, no one in the right mind would hit someone old enough to be your grandfather and not to mention with weakness on one side.
Many new faces came into the train, some with shared earphones, some with handheld games, some talking among themselves....all oblivious to what the remnant few witnessed split seconds ago. I was left in shock. The young man or boy (whatever) kept saying to his friends that he didnt stare. I dont know, didnt notice until the commotion started. Even after grandfather confronted him, he could have just looked away. He didn’t but wanted to hit him instead. I can never forget the right hand turning to a fist and moving up to action. Sad. So very sad. Young generation, full of zest and youthfulness, and yet so so impatient. All fire up for the wrong things in life. What do you need to prove to the whole world? That you are not a weakling when scolded or told off by elderly? What is wrong with the young people? The trio left at Tanjong Pagar station. I was so thankful that he didnt charge after grandfather at City Hall station when he warned him to conduct himself properly.
I closed my eyes and thank God that none of our youths or even my children are like this or ever will be (by God's grace). I hope not and trust that they will not. May God keep all our young people in His tender loving care and in the paths of righteousness. Pray much for our youths.
Anger is a thing that all of us must learn to control, adults alike. It will bite and hurt not just yourself but those around you. How many stories we have heard of uncontrolled anger that turned to violence and maliciousness? Listen to the words of Paul in Ephesians 4:26
"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:"
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