At the market

While I was at the market today, I heard a beautiful voice singing at the food centre. I looked around and saw a good looking young man in crutches, with one leg missing. There he was, belting out songs in Chinese and Cantonese into a microphone, filling the wet market and food centre with his melodies. It's the first time I have come across a busker at the heartland. I admire his talent and courage in the face of adversity.

I made my rounds, buying vegetables and fish from the regular vendors. I like the business owner at the small vegetable stall the best even though he doesn't have alot of varieties to offer. He's always so cheerful and thoughtful with a kind word for everyone unlike the man at the sundry stall where I get my tofu and bean sprouts from.

While I was buying tofu today, he was grumbing loudly about an old lady who was choosing some products at his stall. "Look at her. She can never decide what she wants. She picks things up, then put down again. She's worse than 3 customers combined." he grumbled to me.

I glanced at the old lady who was quietly rummaging through her purse. Maybe she has budget constraints or she's just losing her memory. Why can't he be kinder to her?

When I asked him about the best way to cook a kind of bean sprouts I have not bought before, he simply shot back "How would I know? I'm only selling this. It all depends on how you cook it right? Or whether you're a good cook or not?"

I don't feel like patronising his stall anymore. I really dislike unkind and mean people.