Gone ... vanished ... disparated without a trace ...
Just when I was in the mood for a sinful slice of beefsteak, my favourite stall at S-11 near Tampines Regional Library was unblushingly bereft of human presence amidst the bustle and hustle of the lunch hour today. Everything had been packed away, including the signage, and nary a note to explain the outrage that offended every sense in me of propriety, fairness and justice.
It must have been less than a month ago since my last patronage, wasn't it? I was feeling rather peckish then and asked for rice instead of fries.
Admittedly, since I resumed my fitness regime, I went out a lot less for lunch, and hence might have unwittingly compromised my status as a regular, but I just couldn't help but feel miffed and let down.
For years now, given the lacklustre offerings at my office canteen, I had the perfect excuse to lunch out by visiting the National Library branches around my office, the term around being somewhat loosely used. My office is at Upper Changi Rd East, but I could range the libraries from as far west from here as Geylang, as far east as Paris Ris and as far north as Sengkang, taking advantage of both private motor transport and MRT.
Once or twice, I did the extreme to go as far as Jurong, but only because because of certain hard to get titles. Fuel prices the way they are today, it probably "pays" to reserve the books instead and exercise a little patience to wait for my turn and have it delivered to a nearer branch.
But I digress.
This is not the first time, nor I suspect will be the last, that a regular store I patronise just shut down without me finding out its fate. Here yesterday, gone today, and I would never know what happened to it even tomorrow.
My childhood haunt at Serangoon Gardens, the corner bookshop NIB, the cornerstone of my primary school days, which I visited less from secondary school onwards, just closed shop. My colleague who is a Serangoon Gardens native knew when it happened, but did not know if they moved or were picked up by UFOs.
There's just some chapters in life where the loose ends will never be tied up. It just isn't fair. Shouldn't there be some cosmic sense of accountability?
At least when I found the best char kway teow stall in Singapore no more after several years of not visiting it, I was able to find out from the neighbouring sugar cane juice stall operator that the old chef had passed away.
At least I was given a chance to mourn for the loss of grand dame National Library @ Stamford, as well kiss goodbye her sassy god-daughter Library @ Orchard.
Where would the plague of the ephemeral strike next?
Nah, life is unpredictable, go with the flow. Change is the only constant. Be one with the Universe.
ReplyDeleteThat beefsteak and char kway teow are part of the Universe too, right? So if I'm One with the Universe, why aren't they with me all the time?
ReplyDeleteHaha!
ReplyDeleteI like these words urofzhuangzi ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe Universe is vast... :-)
ReplyDeleteMerci!
ReplyDeleteSo caught up with living now, I've quite forgotten whatever TV serials I've watched in the past that had no conclusion - like Battlestar Galactica, Pirates of the Dark Water, Gummi Bears ...
ReplyDeleteFor books, I've been wondering on and off whether I'll ever find the last volume of the "original" Three Investigators - Mystery of the Cranky Collector & last volume of Race Against Time by JJ Fortune - Danger: Due North.
What other loose ends dangle in the recesses of my mind ... to surface and taunt me at unexpected times ...
De rien !
ReplyDeleteYou seems to be a bit moody ?
ReplyDeleteNo lah, this is the normal Snowy. Go read his previous postings. A true-blue Singaporean indeed who laments so lyrically about lost tastes.
ReplyDeleteMe? Food is just food lor, yeah some Char Kway Teow are better than others but no travelling beyond a 15mins radius to satisfy my hunger (I walk). Speaking of which, I need some food, hungry. TTYL.
I am soooo insulted ... I am a true-cyan Singaporean who is anguished not just by lost tastes ... but haunted by lack of closures ...
ReplyDeleteYa thats me too. No matter how good the food the stall is, but if there is a long queue for it, I'll say, forget it.
ReplyDeleteResidents of AMK & Clementi are so spoilt for choices.
ReplyDeleteI don't like queueing either, but I don't mind going the distance sometimes.
And Ur, walkers are advantaged when it comes to good food - no worries about parking.
Haha, but life is like that. I thought you would have realised it by now given your advanced years (relative to me)
ReplyDeletei think you expect too much sense from the universe. We are smaller than specks of dust to Her, :-)
Anyway I prefer to count my blessings (such as they are) and spend what time I have on what is yet to come. Que Sera Sera
This I quite agree although almost certainly the food aficionados here will say while Ang Mo Kio may have the quantity and availability, it does not mean we have quality.
ReplyDeleteNot that I would know the difference...
Example, last time I ate durians? When our french friend was here about a year ago. ;-)
Is it usual to queue for food in Singapore ??
ReplyDeleteI think it really depends on the location first, quality of food second.
ReplyDeleteMalls will be crowded on weekends and eateries near offices during weekdays.
One test of a good food is if the eatery is located away from malls yet experience good flow of customers. Finding such an outlet is not always easy - and truth is, the younger generations of Singaporean customers and F&B operators are generally less discerning in quality.
If you do visit Singapore though, I should be able to take you to places where there are good food and arrange it such that you won't have to wait long. But I cannot guarantee it forever since nosy parkers have a way of identifying these eateries in some magazines and newspapers too. The only thing going against it is that some of them are tucked away in little corners where many Singaporeans don't bother taking the trouble to find (too much of a hassle, to paraphrase our mutual friend).
Only if you follow *some* Singaporeans. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWith me, it is queue-less. We pick stores based on which ones have no queues. Haha.
But yes, Singaporeans are willing to queue for food and sometimes even for 'food' that is little more than junk food (I mean, donuts?????????????)
Oh, did I mention most Singaporeans love eating? You can find Singaporeans eating at all hours of the day.
oh btw, I am eating now. ;-P
ReplyDeleteIn my hometown, people are sometimes queueing to get their lunch in the restaurants or even in the streets where they can buy sandwiches or salads. But this is not very usual. These people walk in the city and eat their sandwiches on the same time. I often see people eating their sandwich in their car in underground car parks for example... I do not approve that.
ReplyDeleteRestaurants are often crowded but it is advisable to book your table in advance. You don't have to queue and you are sure you will eat. :p With my colleagues, we always book in restaurants/pizzerias before lunching together. No stress...
Oh, and I don't see people eating at anytime... Only during regular hours such as lunch or dinner time...just after the apéritif ! :p
Come to Singapore and you will see our food courts filled with people at all hours eating all kinds of food. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to eating sandwich jambon/fromage. and all other delicious french bread and assorted sandwiches.
We have terrible bread in Singapore. I do not eat bread here except on occasion when offered to me. :-)
Most Singaporeans do not eat at restaurants except as a treat, it would be considered too expensive. What we have are food courts or 'coffeeshops' with myriad stores selling all kinds of food and a large communal table and chairs area. NO service. You just order your food, find a seat and eat.
ReplyDeleteFor most Singaporeans most of the time food is all about the taste and perhaps the anticipation. Very little regard is placed on service, ambience or presentation.
Haha! That's funny!! A 'Jambon/fromage' is often named a 'Mixte', don't ask me why...;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ur for these explanations.
ReplyDeleteIt seems you know very well our restaurants !
Haha, ok, I better cut the chatter before Snowy have a talk with me about hijacking threads.
ReplyDeleteOops... I'm guilty too ! :s
ReplyDeleteTalking about food liven things up, I don't mind. It's the best thing next to actually eating them.
ReplyDeleteOn my first trip to France, Paris, I had a delicious omelette loaf for dinner. The next day, I bought Kit Kat bars and 2 bottles of Orangina 'cos I was flying out the very evening.
Had much more leisurely meals during my 2nd trip, which was also my honeymoon.
Kit Kat and Orangina ? :p
ReplyDeleteDid you choose France for your honeymoon, because they say it is "soooo romantic" ? Did you visit other town than Paris ?
We went first to Roma, then Firenze, Venetia, then finally Paris. These were the choices of the bride, so her word was the Law.
ReplyDeleteYeah. Kit Kat & Orangina 'cos I didn't want to stop for meals.
Oh, you are actually making me hungry! (or perhaps it is 3.20pm here and I haven't had a bite since 7pm last night) Hmm, hope they don't put garlic, onions or other assorted stuff in their omelettes. Best omelettes are either plain or with some cheese and ham.
ReplyDeleteVery good choice !
ReplyDeleteYes. I like also omelette à la ciboulette (small chive) and omelette aux pommes de terre et lardons (potatoes and bacon). :-)
ReplyDeleteoooh... sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteI think there were, but it was delicious anyway. My french was and still is virtually non-existent, so I don't expect to know how to order beyond the basic anymore than I would expect a foreign visitor to Singapore to know how to order coffee in a hawker centre.
ReplyDeleteOne thing about eating in a foreign country though, attempt at least once to eat their food their local way, unless one has allergies or other dietary restrictions of course.
Yeah, agreed. I expect to be eating snails and rabbits at some point during my trip...
ReplyDeleteAh, so you're finally going. When will that be?
ReplyDeletenext month, after 中秋节
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I cannot imagine visiting a foreign country without tasting its local food. When I've been in Asia, I've been sick almost all along my stay but I didn't want to miss the chinese food even though I didn't know what I was eating. I couldn't read chinese so it was difficult to know what I had ordered with my finger on the menu. I like surprises !!
ReplyDeleteYou forgot stinking and mouldy fromages...
ReplyDeleteWhat would you dread in french food ? hehe.... :-)
Hehe... i might be less brave with those fromages. i hear that in France, people have died from food poisoning of bad cheese...
ReplyDeleteNever heard such a story...
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, there are many very good fromages! :D