"Where do you want to go?"
Saturday - 4th October 2008
"Where do you want to go?" that is the question I asked an elderly gentleman this Saturday.
I was carrying a big backpack, and a handbag containing my dirty laundry for 1-week from school hostel. As I get off from the MRT at the designated stop, I walked to the entrance of the tunnel leading to my HDB block.
There they are, an elderly gentleman in his 70s, holding a cane in his right hand, and he was talking to another gentleman in his 40s or 50s. "How to go to Ghim Moh market?", he asked.
From a distance of 3 meters away, I can see that there was a hint of anxiety on his face, and his hand was a bit shaky as he asked that question.
The younger gentleman tried to point the direction using his hand, but rather impatiently I would say. As I approached them and asked "Where do you want to go?", he felt so relieved and quickly went on his way.
"I want to go to block 1 at Ghim Moh" the elderly man said. Using my left hand to carry my handbag, I used my right hand and hold his hand firmly to lead him through the tunnel.
"why do you want to go to block 1?"
"that's where I live, but I forgot the way"
"where have you been? why are you alone?"
"I wanted to go and buy a spectacle, so I went to queenstown. I couldn't find the spectacle shop there, so I took a train and stopped here to get home. But I don't know how to. I am unfamiliar with this place. Do you know where is the bus stop? I need to take bus 100 or 111 to get home"
Bus 100 and 111 are the two buses that stopped at Ghim Moh. The terminal, which is the final stop, is just 250 metres away from where I live. The block 1 which the elderly man wanted to go was further down from the terminal.
"why not I sent you home instead?" I asked, gently.
"I just want to go to the bus stop, and take a bus from there"
"but the bus stop is quite a distance away, and your house is also a distance away, why don't we walk?"
"I shouldn't have stopped here, I should just stopped at Commonwealth and took the bus from there."
I realized his reluctance to walk, and finally noticed that he was a bit tired.
"Are you very tired? your legs tired?"
"Yes, I am tired of walking."
We reached the void deck of my block. I told him that why don't he sit down and rest for a while here, and let me put down my luggage. I will come down again to show him the way. He agreed.
Quickly, I took the lift up to my floor. I put my luggage and went to the lift again, but it was gone. In order not to let the already-anxious old man wait, I rushed down by the staircase. He's already walking around the lift as he saw me running down. Maybe he thought I would not come down for him again.
I hold his hand, and lead him out of the void deck into the car park.
"who do you live with uncle? are you staying alone?"
"No, there are two of us. I stay with my wife"
His wife is probably as old as him and wouldn't help much. I was wondering where his children are, but I did not ask.
"don't worry, uncle. People forget about things, next time you will remember the road"
"I don't dare to do this again. It is such a painful experience"
"If you want to do spectacle, there is a spectacle shop here, and also at the market. You don't need to go that far to queenstown, here at block 21 across, there are a few shop"
"oh.. block 21 is it?
"there is a bus stop just across the road, you can take the 100 and 111 from there"
He was so glad to hear that. We were about to cross the road, and he did not want me to lead him to cross. I insisted, after all, there were many cars, and the old man could not walk fast. We crossed the road, slowly but steadily. The uncle finally sat down on the bus stop seat.
"Thankyou", he said.
"you're welcome" I said. I smiled at him, and crossed the road.
I thought of sending him all the way to his home, but was afraid that I might overdo. Afterall, we live in Singapore, where everyone is so individualistic. My act of kindness may be interpreted by others differently. Do I have an ulterior motive? Might I be the next robber that targets elderly at home?
The uncle assured me that he knew his way from the next bus stop. He trusted me to lead him thus far, and so I must trust his words that he knew his way. I think he was relieved, both because he found his way, and because he managed to shake me off :)
hmm..
I begin to wonder. If I were that old and helpless, where would my child be? will I get the attention and help from unknown strangers? will my heart be strong enough to venture into uncharted or forgotten waters? I reflect on the lack of kindness in this society where I am living. If I were the gentleman in his 40s-50s, will I do the same thing and ignored the old man, forgetting the fact that I am not that far from his condition? Will I be able to educate my children to respect and be kind to elderly?
"where do I want to go from here?"
"Where do you want to go?" that is the question I asked an elderly gentleman this Saturday.
I was carrying a big backpack, and a handbag containing my dirty laundry for 1-week from school hostel. As I get off from the MRT at the designated stop, I walked to the entrance of the tunnel leading to my HDB block.
There they are, an elderly gentleman in his 70s, holding a cane in his right hand, and he was talking to another gentleman in his 40s or 50s. "How to go to Ghim Moh market?", he asked.
From a distance of 3 meters away, I can see that there was a hint of anxiety on his face, and his hand was a bit shaky as he asked that question.
The younger gentleman tried to point the direction using his hand, but rather impatiently I would say. As I approached them and asked "Where do you want to go?", he felt so relieved and quickly went on his way.
"I want to go to block 1 at Ghim Moh" the elderly man said. Using my left hand to carry my handbag, I used my right hand and hold his hand firmly to lead him through the tunnel.
"why do you want to go to block 1?"
"that's where I live, but I forgot the way"
"where have you been? why are you alone?"
"I wanted to go and buy a spectacle, so I went to queenstown. I couldn't find the spectacle shop there, so I took a train and stopped here to get home. But I don't know how to. I am unfamiliar with this place. Do you know where is the bus stop? I need to take bus 100 or 111 to get home"
Bus 100 and 111 are the two buses that stopped at Ghim Moh. The terminal, which is the final stop, is just 250 metres away from where I live. The block 1 which the elderly man wanted to go was further down from the terminal.
"why not I sent you home instead?" I asked, gently.
"I just want to go to the bus stop, and take a bus from there"
"but the bus stop is quite a distance away, and your house is also a distance away, why don't we walk?"
"I shouldn't have stopped here, I should just stopped at Commonwealth and took the bus from there."
I realized his reluctance to walk, and finally noticed that he was a bit tired.
"Are you very tired? your legs tired?"
"Yes, I am tired of walking."
We reached the void deck of my block. I told him that why don't he sit down and rest for a while here, and let me put down my luggage. I will come down again to show him the way. He agreed.
Quickly, I took the lift up to my floor. I put my luggage and went to the lift again, but it was gone. In order not to let the already-anxious old man wait, I rushed down by the staircase. He's already walking around the lift as he saw me running down. Maybe he thought I would not come down for him again.
I hold his hand, and lead him out of the void deck into the car park.
"who do you live with uncle? are you staying alone?"
"No, there are two of us. I stay with my wife"
His wife is probably as old as him and wouldn't help much. I was wondering where his children are, but I did not ask.
"don't worry, uncle. People forget about things, next time you will remember the road"
"I don't dare to do this again. It is such a painful experience"
"If you want to do spectacle, there is a spectacle shop here, and also at the market. You don't need to go that far to queenstown, here at block 21 across, there are a few shop"
"oh.. block 21 is it?
"there is a bus stop just across the road, you can take the 100 and 111 from there"
He was so glad to hear that. We were about to cross the road, and he did not want me to lead him to cross. I insisted, after all, there were many cars, and the old man could not walk fast. We crossed the road, slowly but steadily. The uncle finally sat down on the bus stop seat.
"Thankyou", he said.
"you're welcome" I said. I smiled at him, and crossed the road.
I thought of sending him all the way to his home, but was afraid that I might overdo. Afterall, we live in Singapore, where everyone is so individualistic. My act of kindness may be interpreted by others differently. Do I have an ulterior motive? Might I be the next robber that targets elderly at home?
The uncle assured me that he knew his way from the next bus stop. He trusted me to lead him thus far, and so I must trust his words that he knew his way. I think he was relieved, both because he found his way, and because he managed to shake me off :)
hmm..
I begin to wonder. If I were that old and helpless, where would my child be? will I get the attention and help from unknown strangers? will my heart be strong enough to venture into uncharted or forgotten waters? I reflect on the lack of kindness in this society where I am living. If I were the gentleman in his 40s-50s, will I do the same thing and ignored the old man, forgetting the fact that I am not that far from his condition? Will I be able to educate my children to respect and be kind to elderly?
"where do I want to go from here?"
posted by Suhandy Yao Wei Xuan @ 10:34 am
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