Our locals

We have had a particularly quiet week and we probably needed it, to recharge our batteries after the pretty hectic start to term 3. It gave me time to contemplate how lucky we have been to stay in the same condo for all of the 5 years. It has allowed us the opportunity to build relationships with locals that we would otherwise have missed. It doesn't matter where you live, getting to know the locals in your area makes coming home so much more satisfying. I'm taking this opportunity to introduce you to them. Some of you will recognise them. They are in no particular order but they all greet us as we walk by or line up to be served.

At our own condo we have a number of staff who clean, garden and keep the place secure. Over time, many of them have changed but this chap has been a constant. The noisiest thing he does is tow the rubbish bins to the skip on this machine.

Jia Wei, our original and best Tiger Girl at the local Kopitiam. When we first began eating there she was very unsure about serving us and we had to do all the transaction through hand gestures. Before she was moved on, she had shown us selfies she had taken to show us how she spent her rare day off. We were very disappointed she was moved and kept hoping to find her again but without success. None of the others that followed at our local were as much fun.

One of the girls at Fush House, the blue room of pain. She would giggle as I squirmed in discomfort during a reflexology session. 

This couple run the Mama Shop. They have everything from stationary to mobile phone cards, double-adaptors, hair ties, sewing needles, light globes, tools, ... I don't know how we would have got by without them.

I couldn't convince this couple to be in the same frame. They run the fruit and veg. She serves, and like Jia Wei was very unsure about dealing with us at first. Now we have no trouble. He is on his feet all day long, wearing the same singlet and shorts set and thongs day in, day out. I don't think I would recognise him if he ever changed into a shirt. He rarely does more than grunt but it is not an offensive grunt. Just his way of acknowledging us. His English vocab is restricted to 'very sweet', or was that 'very cheap'. You don't like to ask in case it stops him trying. He works incredibly long hours, 7 days a week.

   

Our 24 hour supermarket is a great business. They have so much stock almost half of it is on the sidewalk. Easier to stay open than pack it all up each day I guess. No chance of pushing a trolley through the aisles either. It seems to be a family business but I am not sure. One very elderly man helps pack the purchases in the busy hours, surely he has to be the check out girls' father. Once again he only wears his singlet and shorts. This woman has very little English and didn't understand me when I asked permission to take the photo. Fortunately the phone rang so she asked her friend to listen to me then translated and all was good. The other one has a good mastery of English and always wears her hair up in a beehive do. 

Another family business, the florist owned by brothers Bernard (L) and Gary (G) who grew up in this very HDB. They took over the business from their father. They do all the arranging in the open doorway so you can rarely get past without a greeting from Bernard or a salute from Gary. 

Our favourite chicken rice stall holders. These two were running the stall in the coffee shop under Block 2 when we first discovered them, but moved to the Kopitiam under Block 3 as the rents were cheaper. Despite working 7 days a week they are always cheerful and ask after us. 

 These two ladies work in the coffee and Tiger stall. They do a mean coffee set for breakfast of coffee and two soft boiled eggs with toast for a $2 breakfast, but mostly we support them through purchases of beer and herbal tea. Wei Ah Lian on the right is a manager and works 12 hr shifts as the place stays open 24hrs.

And this team from Tian Li Seafood; how will we ever manage without them? They have fed us regularly every week for almost 5 years. They insist on calling us Ang Mo even though they know our names and take it as a great honour if we take our friends there to eat. Often they share little treats with us; a piece of fresh fruit, plate of french fries or sweets which they have on hand for the staff. We have really appreciated their great food, quick service and cheerful banter. Had a lot of fun with them the night I took this photo and explained that one day soon we would be returning to Aust. They gave me a business card so I called them and asked if they could deliver coffee pork to Australia. If that had happened 5 years ago they would not have understood a word, let alone the humour. They work 7 days a week from about 2 pm when they begin chopping vegetables for the evening trade and serve until after 11pm.