one dollar, one dollar,
zi3 mai4 one dollar.
uncle, auntie, xiao di, xiao mei
bang1 wo3 mai3 tissue paper
hao3 ma1?
...

this song has been ringing in my ears ever since i walked past her. though her voice wasn't a nice nice, but yet a tinge of sadness could be heard from it, with a tiny bit of hope. i reached home feeling a pange of guilt for having bought the 2 sticks of chocolate lollipops from marks and spencers. $4.90 + $0.10 would be equivilant to her lunch and dinner. starting out with an occupation that is nothing to be proud of, she made it into something that she can feel pride in doing.

the song that she sings non-stop. hoping against hope that passers by will stop and buy.

the auntie sitting in a wheelchair, selling tissue paper, outside douby gauht mrt.