… with a tissue pack of course…lol!
I’m not sure about you but this is very much a culture in Singapore lifestyle. I remembered back when I was living in Singapore, I always made sure I had a pack of tissue or the papers to “reserve” my seat at the hawker center while I order my lunch. It was understood that if you see a pack of tissue or the papers on the seat, than that place is reserved and you just move on and look for an empty one. This habit had become so instilled in me that I took it for granted that everyone does it around the world.
How To "Chop" Seats in Singapore
So the story began, and this was a long time ago, mind you. We were on our way to Ipoh and made a stopover at Tapah. As usual that rest stop is always crowded. So after making a quick stop to the restroom, which would have been a more desirable experience if it had been a Saniflo toilet, Azwaj went to grab his food. I, totally done without malice and innocently I might add, took out a pack of tissue and put it on the chair he had been sitting on before. I took out another one and put it on my chair and happily went to see what the stall had to offer. My hubby was puzzled at first to see me standing with him and he asked me who’s taking care of the seat so I told him, “Don’t worry, put tissue already”. He kept quiet (now I know why, coz he did not understand!). Anyway, after paying for the food I led him to “our” seat and lo and behold, there was another couple there already having their meal. I looked at my hubby and I told him “hmm some people just don’t have manners”. Not wanting to create a scene, we looked around for another table.
After we found another one, my hubby asked me what I meant by “people not having manners”. I explained to him about the tissue. He kept quiet at first and then he gave me this guttural laugh that had everyone looking at us… He then told me, “NO ONE DOES THAT IN MALAYSIA! The pack of tissue did not mean a thing there except probably you dropped it or something”. I looked at him at go “huh?.
Then it hit me!..It’s Uniquely Singapore!
I guess what they say is true.. you can take me away from Singapore but you can’t take the Singapore away from me!
Cheerio…
First Two Commenter Gets FCSB Point from LadyJava.
Thank you for your comments.
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Elai
Caroline
Singapore is celebrating it’s 45th birthday this year on Monday, 9th. If you’re an overseas Singaporean like me, then here are some activities you can do to celebrate our nations’ birthday.
