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Oh To Be Gracious at the Food Court.

Have you ever experienced difficulties finding seats at food court? Well I have, especially at the "Dining Codes" in Plaza Singapura. Today was the first time we managed to find a pair of seats. Besides the fact that there are really lotsa people, I think the other reason for the difficulty is that some people just occupy too much space. I'm not referring to individual size. I'm referring to a person occupying more one seat - their precious bags or prized shopping need a seat as well!

And people wonder why Singapore is full of campaigns... including one which encourages people to be gracious? Well here's your answer!

After we painstakingly found a couple of seats, I had plenty of time at the table to look around while my wife went to buy her food. I saw this couple sitting side by side, while their bags each occupy a chair opposite them. Oh so lovey dovey! Their minds devoid of any other beings in this world, including an uncle with a bowl of buloh hitam in hand, looking for a seat.

When I came back with my food, there were some shopping bags on the chairs beside mine, their owners no where to be seen. I chuckled and told my wife that Singaporeans are so innocent and trust the general public not to take their things. Then I asked her a question, "Do you think they are going to sit opposite on the empty seats or remove their bags?" Without hesitation she gave me the answer!

Sure enough, the couple came back with their nice tasty Korean food and sat on the empty seats - two people occupying four seats. Well, that was nothing new lah, they were just behaving like the lovey dovey couple mah. Then, came this child who revealed more about this 'innocent' couple.

This child crawled near the chair with shopping bags to retrieve his toy as his dad looked on. Immediately, the man stool up and walked towards the chair. The apologetic dad offered thanks for the man's concern and said that it was okay and his child can handle. Strangely, the man mumbled about camera in his bag.

When the man sat down, he told his female companion in a very arrogant tone, "My camera is in the bag, if he dropped my bag and break the camera, he is going to get it!"

My jaws dropped, not that I was still hungry... I just couldn't believe that the dad had mistaken this man's arrogance as concern for his child. That was no where near 'innocent'. My judgment was completely wrong. :-p

My motive of sharing this small incident isn't because I enjoy pointing fingers or criticising others. But more importantly, I hope that readers of my entry will occupy only one seat per person next time when they visit the food court. Never mind that the rest are keeping seats for their precious belongings, this is the right thing to do. Someday, others may follow suit as it becomes a social norm. At least for now, you will not feel guilty for being inconsiderate.

And please don't leave your belongings unattended. Some of us may have heard of people using their laptops to reserve seats at hawker centre. This is much costly than using tissue paper to do so, but of course that is a norm in the Singapore financial district only. If you can't trust others to be nice and considerate, how can you trust them with your belongings?

Finally, I think it is more gracious to show concern for fellow human being than concern for your own non-animated things. Keep your things near you especially if they are fragile. After all, we should be responsible for our own things. It is useless to complain or whine when things are broken or lost, due to own negligence.

Besides being ungracious, are there more people who are becoming economists' typical consumers, who are less caring of others and put self interest as utmost importance? Well, I am not sure whether the campaigns are working, but I will just start with myself and hope that you can join me to be gracious too. :-)

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