On hind sight, I really should not have jogged with my sister last night. The adrenaline rush kept me awake the whole night and only released me to sleep at wee hours of the morning. It probably didn't help that I woke up feeling like my clothes weighed a ton.
Out of habit, I automatically walked out to the coffee shop behind my house for lunch and greeted the chicken rice brother as I came through the back door along their stall. As I was still sleepy and tired, I ordered a plate of chicken rice and mechanically sat in the nearest table, a seat away from where he was having his lunch before attending to my order.
We didn't converse while I was eating and halfway through my lunch, I spotted a middle aged man walked up to the drink stall uncle and spoke to him. The drink stalls uncle then proceeded to walk around speaking in Hainanese really loudly as if he was relaying a message to everyone. It was only when I saw people start rushing from their seats to the car park did I realise it was a warning for the "fine lady".
It really warms my heart to see a friendly gesture and I can't help smiling as I drank my soup and savoured the warm atmosphere of the coffee shop. The people are so friendly and kind that it lifts my spirits whenever I am there and it feels like home, even though most people there except the stall owners are strangers to me. I think that this is exactly what our society needs. A kinship, an environment where everyone feels like a friend / family instead of being cold strangers to each other.
Before I even finished my thought or my soup for the matter, I was suddenly offered another warm bowl of soup, topped with spring onions that I liked so much. I've only exchanged a few words with the chicken rice brother (they only started their business here recently) so I wasn't even familiar with him. Imagine my surprise when he placed the bowl in front of me with these kind words "Here, have another bowl of soup. It's still hot!"
I'm so touched by this small action, bless his kind soul! I've not talked to him but here he was, offering me a bowl of soup. It shows how thoughtful he was since he took time in the midst of his lunch to prepare the extra bowl and added the usual garnish I used. He must have noticed and cared enough to remember since I know for a fact that he'd usually have added pepper if it were someone else but thankfully not for me >.<
Using this as an opportunity, I started talking to him. We've learnt much about each other as I shared that I'm in University and am studying for my exams next week. We proceeded to talk about random stuff as the vegetarian stall uncle came and joined out conversation and it lead to talking about sleep of all things!
He's a generally content and happy person but I do wish he'd put himself in higher regards. He's wonderful in his own way and it's a wrong concept that he'd feel inferior because he is not as well educated and works as a hawker.
Through our conversation, I could tell that he really wishes that I would do well for my studies and not end up as a hawker like him though I do not see any fault with how he is living right now. He is happy and works in such a healthy environment (he sometimes even work less hours than my family =.=). He even laughs when I told him I wanted to learn how to cut up a chicken like him. He thinks it's not a useful skill and I have better things to learn in university than that. I'd beg to differ though.
Thinking deeper into this, I think people like him are precious children of God. Even though they might not be as well off in their opinion, they still celebrate and sincerely hope for others to succeed. Many people these days wishes for others to fail so they would not feel as inferior. I myself am sometimes guilty of this. Through the grace of God, I shall learn to reject those thoughts and learn to be more like this brother and celebrate and encourage other people's success.
His parting reminder to rest and not take things too seriously is sincere and warms my heart yet again. I left feeling good and happy that I've managed to make a new friend.
The idea that this coffee shop is like home is further enhanced when I went back for dinner with my dad. When my dad came back with sugar for the prata, he got an extra packet of biscuit with him that I'm sure the coffee shop nor the prata shop sells.
Turns out, the mixed rice lady offered it to my dad on his way back. A passing drink stall uncle then commented and told us to put the biscuit in between our bread and it'd be very delicious. I tried and it really is very delicious. My dad then proceed to share with me how the people there will frequently share tidbits with him every time he comes.
It really does feel like family in that coffee shop especially when the chicken rice brother came down the isle with a bucket of beer and offered my dad and I a drink from his personal stash. We refused of course. The casual offering of food and joking conversation makes these strangers-turned-friends seems like family as each day passes by. I really treasure this coffee shop and maybe after my exams, it shall be my turn to make some food and offer it them. I hope that this sense of home will never go away and I thank God each day for such a rich blessing. Hallelujah!
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