i was at a hawker centre with my mom yesterday night.
we were having dinner.
it was a rather simple affair.
we were sharing this plate of fishcake and tofu plus a bowl of fishball noodles.
then this old lady caught my attention.
her hair was already greying.
and she was carrying this huge bag that hung from her shoulders until her thigh level.
curiousity struck me as to what was in the bag.
...
well,everyone tell me that i'm someone that likes to use big stuff.
my school bag.pencil box.wallet.handphone.-.- whatever.
...
i watched her as she approached a nearby table.
speaking in chinese she took out a packet of joss sticks and tried selling it.
so that was what the bag contained.
she got rejected.
so she tried another table.
i watched her and realised that she was limping.
it must have been the bag.
it's too heavy. with all the joss sitcks and plastic bags.
someone as old as her shouldn't be carrying something so heavy.
she got rejected yet again.
i suddenly felt this plunge of guilt for sitting there, happily eating my dinner.
while an old lady had to earn her dinner this way.
selling joss sticks.
being looked down upon and rejected by so many
it's not easy you know? why not you go try selling things from table to table.
finally at the 6th table, she managed to sell one packet of joss sticks.
finally.
she earned her dinner money.
but she didn't stop to eat/rest.
instead she limped to the other side of the hawker centre and continued selling her joss sticks.
i didn't know how late she worked til that night.
...
life's unfair.
oh well. it always has been unfair.