But I did not take offence. Good this was a year-end, the last evening of the year in fact! Good this did not happen tomorrow - because, that would have been a bad start for the new year for me. Pinuna at pinangaralan ako by an old lady cashier (with a caring heart) at Raffles City Marketplace in Singapore!
Here's the story...
After my Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh dinner (story in my last blog entry), I went straight to the supermarket to buy beer, snacks and yosi, so I would have things to guzzle and munch while waiting for the "strike of midnight fireworks", so I could greet and shout happy new year to me myself and I. Pathetic ba? Well, two Singapore-residing Pinoy friends were supposed to meet me after midnight pa - after celebrating w/ their families. Ganyan pala gumimik ang mga Pinoy dito, kahit dis-oras, basta holiday bukas, larga!
Easy, right? My purpose at the supermarket was just to grab 4 bottles or cans of beer, some chichirya, and Marlboro Lights. No brand, kind or type of beer in mind. Kung ano lang ang magustuhan ko at ng bulsa ko. Yet I was even overjoyed to discover, there is SML at the beer section. Yes mga kabarangay, SML as in SanMigLight, as in San Miguel Beer Light! Ang beer na nakasanayan na ng aking panlasa!
Ack! Very long lines. I suddenly remembered, I have been told about this some time ago (by Pol?) that groceries, supermarkets and even department stores, tend to be busier after dinner, because workers who mostly eat out or buy their dinner 'to-go', make them as their last stop before going home. Unlike us in the Philippines, Sabado - Linggo tayo. Pasyal with the whole family tayo mag-grocery shopping.
Anyway, I recalled there are 2 other check-out counters at one side exit of this store, nearer to Ya Hua. I dashed for it. Argh, long lines na rin! But a bit shorter than those at the main counters. So I opted to join one of the lines leading to a jolly talkative senior lady of a cashier (e lahat yata sila senior, di ba?).
She sounded fun, unlike the usual buntogin gurang service crews! She was greeting customers.., and sending them off with sweet nothings like 'enjoy your day', 'happy new year', etc. in that notably sing-song Chinese-sounding English (Singlish). I could sense she "influenced" the mood in this area - jolly!
Long story short, it finally came my time to pay, where she promptly said "Hello Sir". As I unloaded my 6 bottles of SML from the basket, she even exclaimed "ah, this one, very good beer, it comes from my country, Philippines". I quickly glanced at her name as she was saying that. I think it was either Linda or Lydia, which 90% of me said she is Pinay. The 10% was a bit of reserve since she spoke just like all the other old ladies, speaking in their Singlish, sometimes even muttering purely Chinese sentences...
To make sure Pinay nga sya, I jokingly said "opo, adik po ako dyan"!
Eto ka na Mano Emilio! What I said suddenly changed her smilingly jolly disposition into some kind of an irritated stern seething Miss Tapia! Jusko what did I do? She scanned my items without looking at them, she was instead looking at me in the eye, and with a lowered voice she said "so Pinoy ka, akala ko Hapon, gaano ka katagal di nakakauwi para sayangin ang kinita mo dito para lang sa beer natin"?
Very wrong answer, I said: "hindi po ako nagtatrabaho dito, namasyal lang po, kahapon ako dumating, bukas uuwi na rin". I thought that was the end of it, like panalo na ako. Wrong! She was harsher when she said "o tingnan mo, bakit hindi ka na lang bukas uminom nito doon sa atin? Hijo, 5 dollars ang isa nyan (4.95SGD), ang anim na 'to, dalawang kaha na yata kung sa atin yan. Nagwawaldas ka ng pera".
Aguy! May tinamaan.., sapul!
Another very wrong answer (sumagot pa kasi ako) when I said "sige lang po, new year naman, ngayon lang po habang nanonood ng fireworks"! Akala ko "the end" na! She was already putting my groceries unto a shopping bag and she said "tapos sasabihin nyo mahal sa Singapore, ganun? Hay naku kayong mga kabataan ngayon, kelan ba kayo matututo magtipid at ingatan ang perang kinita? Kung anak kita, babasagin ko ang beer na yan sa noo mo nang matuto ka hihi"! At least she ended laughing. Pinoy eh!
And I said "salamat po" when she gave me my change and the bag of groceries. So I turned away and started my way back to my hotel. BUT... she was not done OMG, she hollered "hey mister" (back to her Singlish accent). Everyone in earshot seemed to be looking at me. When I turned back to face her, she said "happy new year" smiling. All I could do was an "ojigi". Yes, the Jap bow. Naging Hapon ako bigla!
Back in the room, I thought about that lady and everything she said. I could have cut or stopped her by saying "shut up, tantanan mo ako, 'wag kang makialam sa buhay ng me buhay" etc., But remembering her eyes, the tone of her voice while she said everything she had to say to me.., something moved me.
I think, the fire in her eyes, the sincerity of her voice made me listen. There was concern, responsibility and that motherly kakulitan (love) as she spoke to me! Yes, parang sermon ng mga nanay natin. Yung nakakainis, but deep inside our hearts, we know they only mean well? Ganun ang feeling as I listened.
Perhaps, this Lola I encountered, was either 'me pinag-daanan' or 'me pinagdadaanan', which was why ganun sya kung makapag-salita. Maybe she had experienced family or friends na nagwaldas ng pera. Whatever those are/were, whatever her situation is/was, all I heard from her were true wisdom, that is probably why I intently listened to her, with my heart. Now I am reflecting.., that was a timely reminder!
Big lessons to be learned, can come from unexpected places - even as we travel.
But let me pause here, I'll go out to the balcony and watch the fireworks!
That will be my next story, I suppose!
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