I erred today
and I blame no one but myself. It was a moment of madness. I was a bit grumpy
and I had a poor night's sleep. I had received too many irksome emails from my
English masters who had been annoying me from their far away ivory towers. In
London. I was on the train and it had been raining so I had my umbrella.
So I was armed
and I was dangerous.
In Singapore
in each train carriage there are designated seats for the elderly and for
pregnant women and these are very clearly marked. There are amusing little
caricatures of an old man and woman with walking sticks and a lady with a swollen
belly above each of these seat and there is text in four different languages
that also asks train travelers to consider such passengers and to give up these
seats.
So the
designation is clear for both the literate and the illiterate.
I have on many
occasions witnessed young Singaporean women leap to their feet and usher both
the elderly and expecting mothers to such seats. Often these seats are occupied
by young Singaporean men. I have previously cast such men an inquisitive
glance. Sometimes I have given them a withering stare or I have nodded my head
towards someone standing. Someone more deserving to be sitting than they. In
most cases they too have offered up their seats but they have done so a little
more reluctantly.
In recent
times I have noticed a cunning ploy that has been adopted by some young
Singaporean men. Not all mind you - but a few. They have dived into such seats
and then they have immediately feigned sleep. This happened this morning. It
happened when I was grumpy and peeved - and when I was armed and dangerous.
After one stop
an enormously pregnant but tiny little Indian lady got on the train and almost
instinctively I prodded the sleepy Singaporean with my umbrella. Gently mind
you - just to rouse him. One bespectacled eye opened and then closed, which
forced me to prod again.
Then both eyes
opened. They opened in a shallow squint.
I nodded my
head to the pregnant lady who was standing directly in front of him and who was
next to me. To my great chagrin, he then again closed both his eyes.
The third prod
was less gentle.
His eyes then
fully opened and he snarled, "What?
That was his
first mistake.
Snarling.
I replied that
he must stand up. I told him that the poor lady was pregnant and she should sit
down. The Singaporean man than called me a "Stupid British'.
Which was his
second mistake.
This was a
most unwise comment to make to any Australian - under any circumstances. Not
the "stupid” comment - just
the "British. It was like waving a red rag to an enraged bull.
Without
raising my voice I suggested that he stand immediately or I would set him on
fire. He, the pregnant lady and all other passengers within earshot looked
visibly alarmed and there was a collective gasp. Nevertheless, stand he did.
The prospect
of incineration is a powerful motivator.
The Indian
lady of course refused then to sit down and I had to force her.
The
Singaporean man glared at me for the next 10 minutes. It was a little awkward and
a tad uncomfortable. He alighted the train one stop before me and as he exited
he smirked at me and he took my photo with his mobile phone.
I'm not sure
why but it has been concerning me all day.
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