What will be shall be

From all walks of life

I have been working there for almost 2 weeks. 2 weeks is not a long time but during this time, I have already met more than my fair share of interesting things. I have very rude customers, some funny ones and even cranky ones.

I also realized that Jurong point is actually little China because out of every 3 customers I serve, one hails from China. Jurong point may not be situated in a very central place like town, it seemed to me that most people still like to go there. I will run into friends or old classmates every often while I'm there. I even saw teachers who used to teach me before. Apparently they always try to shun me or are always in a rush for time. I am not too sure why but I always prided myself as a good student while in school. At least that is what I think. I don't know how the nickname 'little monster' came about. That is so not me, you know :).

I had a customer who is your typical pai kia. Or rather, an old pai kia who had little dragon paintings on his body and some mickey mouse or maybe tiger symbols on his arm. His very fluent Hokkien put me in shame. While I always thought I held a degree in the National University of Hokkien or NUH , I figured he must have held a MBA in that studies. Anyway, he bought a T-shirt for $9.90 and came back in 2 days wearing it. His first remark upon seeing me was," Ho seng bo?!! Ge wu si mi kang tao boh?" meaning "How are you? Still got any nice lobang or not?"

He claimed that his friends praised that his shirt is very nice and even asked where he bought it. Now he is coming back for more. The only problem was that that particular shirt had been sold out and he had to choose another one which cost $24.90. He exclaimed that the price is too costly and wanted me to go ask my boss whether he could get it for a cheaper price since he is a regular customer. I didn't know that coming once before means you are a regular but one lesson I learnt while out on the streets, avoid arguing with people who enjoys physical pain by putting cartoons characters on his body. And of course, he didn't get his discount. He just shook his head and exchanged handshakes with me before going off.

Since it is the school holidays, there are quite a couple of young secondary school seedlings prowling in Jurong point. I remembered one mini lian who is out with 2 little bengs. The bengs are choosing shirts for her, yes those very shirts I am selling. She had the cheek to loudly exclaim," Eeee, so ugly, how to wear?!!" right in front of my face. Well, same to you bitch. I hope you drown in your shower.

There are also many little bengs or monkeys if you would prefer who walked around making nuisances of themselves. They will talk loudly and always have a KNN as their closing statement. The opening dialogue of course will start with a CB. They ought to be put into a remote island and be released only when they have decided to repent and be as holy as me. I was never like that when I was young you know, those KNN CB kids. I just hate vulgarities.

There is also this very kan giong auntie who came with her son looking for shorts. "Quick! Show me that one, that got M size or not. Oh wait! That one also! Cheap or not? Aiyo! Why you so slow one?" She seemed to forget that all human beings only have a pair of eyes and a pair of hands. Or do I look like an octopus?

And that is this bloody unreasonable biatch who came shopping for shoes for her sister. She wanted to buy shoes which have white bottems so that she can wear to school as well. The problem was I already don't have white-bottem shoes that have her size. And I DID try to look for it despite knowing it. She looked at me fiercely and questioned," You here so many shoes and you this don't have and that don't have, then you sell what shoes? Forget it! Let's go!"

I then wrestled her to the floor and gave her 2 tight slaps right before the horrified eyes of her sister. I then proceeded to take off my shoe and insert my toes into her nostrils to give her a taste of paradise --- in my fantasy. Instead all I did was muttered a soft 'sorry'. I am such a dog. Damn it. I think I am a changed man.

Well, of course not all customers are like that. I do have some very nice ones. Like the very sweet looking JJC girl today who was with her parents. She messed up the clothes which I have folded neatly while looking for a particular size. She then realized that I was folding clothes in another wagon. She quickly folded those clothes which she had messed up and apolgized to me repeatly, not daring to look at me in the eye. Her face even turned red. Well dear, I will be most willingly to fold your clothes for you forever if you had asked me.

The most memorable one was this particular auntie who wanted to get a pair of shoes for her son. We chit-chat a bit and she asked about how long my working hours is and how much I am paid. When I told her, she was so shocked at my very 'high' pay and even offered to buy me a coffee. That was such a sweet gesture and I am really grateful and touched.

A little plead from yours truely. While it is our job to serve customers like you, please understand that we are also humans like you and while you are tired because you have shopped the whole day, we are also tired because we have worked the whole day too. Do be a little polite to us. A little smile is enough. Many of the customers will give us the black face and have the 'fuck off' works written on their foreheads. And when they need our help in finding something, they expect us to appear straightaway and give them what they have requested. The 'customer is always right' policy seemed so wrong at times.

Anyway, when there are no customers around, I will have to fold all the clothes neatly into the wagon. Esp after a weekend, the clothes that need folding just never seemed to end. I told my mother I am suffering from bad karma as a result of her doings. I remembered whenever she goes shopping at sales, she is those typical aunties who will flip all the clothes over as if there is gold hidden beneath. As a result of her doings, I now have to suffer retribution by folding the clothes repeatly. She calmly said that was not the case. I am suffering from bad karma because I have never folded my own clothes, much less washing them myself and this is my retribution.

You just can never win an arguement with my mother.

posted by malmoncolo @ 2:16 AM