STORY 1. A very old lady travels on the subway alone on a Sunday morning.
Immediately
a young lady gave her the corner seat reserved for the aged, pregnant
or disabled. In the train she whipped out her slim handphone to see her
image wearing the same dress in her Chinese text WhatsApp. Later she
rifled her hand bag, uncapped a small bottle, her index finger rubbed
some oil from inside the bottle and sniffed the oil.
A sad
expression. Had all her peers passed away?Where was she going on this
fine Sunday morning? I alighted at City Hall to take some photos of
Suntec City. She was still in the train.
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4 Apr 2024.
STORY 2. A happy positive 77-year-old lady.
Shan's mother had been working all her life as a food court's server. She had a Rolex watch for long service from the first boss of Kopitiam which is now taken over by NTUC. Her husband passed away some decades ago but she has two adult children, a son and a daughter who care for her.
Around 3 years ago, she had injections for macular degeneration. Her daughter Shan promptly took her to a specialist in private practice. A series of 4 injections into the eye over a year. She is now OK and can see and be active herself. She is forced to retire as Kopitiam in Kandang Kerbau Hospital wanted to transfer her to Changi Airport.
Staying with her sister-in-law and an adult son in the same house is good for senior citizens as they don't feel lonely. She goes out for exercises, shopping and meals with friends and calls me occasionally to chat in Cantonese. Travels to Malaysia are with Shan. She does not like airplane travels or animals.
