Especially Voluble

We had visited the outlet at Parkway Parade on Saturday to return a pair of jeans that Sa had picked up a few days earlier, and unwittingly walked into a maelstrom of primary colours, sequins and lace, and about a million women squeezed into an area the size of your average coffee outlet.

I heaved a heavy sigh when I saw the dreaded 4-letter word: Mango was having a SALE.

I'm happy to report that we managed to get a refund for the jeans, but in the process, my wallet was lightened much more. But I had a happy wife, and that's what counts, no?

But that's not the point of this blog. While imprisoned outside the Mango shop, I met another friend of mine who was similarly incarcerated. He had come over once he finished shopping for his new shirt, and on seeing me, called out - "Oy - neeyum maatindutiya?" ("Oi - you got stuck too?"). His wife had been sucked into the Mango vaccuum too, and we swapped stories outside.

There was this little girl standing by next to us, and we didn't bother her while she ate her Twisties. But I was surprised when she offered us one. Now you have to understand that in Singapore, no one offers strangers anything, leave alone strangers who are at least 20 years older than you, and of a different race. It made us raise an eyebrow (each); we politely declined, and resumed our chatting.

A minute later, she struck up a conversation. For us, having been in Singapore this long, striking up a random conversation is an alien phenomenon, and we didn't know how to respond. No one starts conversations with strangers here!

My friend, whom I will call RS recovered first and replied, and we chatted about all sorts of things from her age (she was 8), her school, classmates, and her birthday. She identified with our plight: her own mother was involved in the feeding frenzy inside, and I guess she could see the harassed and pitiful looks in our eyes.

At the end, RS and I decided to go for a coffee, and bid her farewell. While we were walking away, the little girl ran up to him, and wished him a Happy Birthday in advance! Very sweet, very voluble. I wish her the best in life, for lifting our day and warming our hearts.