Digest-1

It is over a month here and I have a mental log of faces. It includes all those faces who've smiled at me, winced at me or have simply looked at me for a little longer than the driver of the bus- long enough for me to notice them.

The lady at the counter at MOM. She was an Indian probably. I still remember when she said that "You may have to go back (to India)" that to a girl who had just landed a day before- her first day away from home- in the unknown.

The lady at the counter at the Medical Centre who reconised me when I went there the second time and said, "You're back!" Her name was Heln, I read it on her badge. She walked like a man, wore the kind of heels i don't like- the funnel shaped ones.

The lady who taught me how to go about finding my way with the MRT. It was my second day and completely unaware, I went to the MRT station. She was tamilian and figures out that I was new. She guided me to the right train and then sat with me. There was an MRT map in front of us, so she explained the concept of interchange etc. etc. She even told me about some places I could visit in Singapore. I haven't seen her after that, although I visit the MRT station every weekend.

I remember going to the IMM mall. I was waiting on the bus-stop for the fre shuttle service. A lady came and sat next to me. I asked her how long will the bus take to arrive. She was Singaporean and she knew the ways. I asked her where could I find good bags in Singapore. She told me Bugies. She wasn't as dry as the rest of the faceless gentry of Singapore is.

An indian at one of the tailor shops in Orchard- we smiled at each other like most stranger Indians do when they see each other. He was old, had the most rotten set of teeth I have seen but he talked to me. He asked me my whereabouts, how long had I been in Singapore etc.tc. and advised me to visit Little India. And then at the end of the conversation even mentioned, :If you need some help, tell me."

While coming back from the ECP, I was standing at a crossing and I asked the man next to me which way to the MRT. He said he was going there, so I could go along. He asked me- the same questions. I gave him the same answers. But he told me about himself. He was 72, had come to paya lebar for a dental check up, lived in Bishan, carried a senior citizen EZ-link card. He had served in the Foreign Service of Singapore and had been to India for an official visit. He had lived in Greater Kailash, New Delhi. He had been to Chandigarh also, although, only a cursory visit. He had been to Agra and to some place south of Agra which had lots of temples. My limited knowledge could not help me remind him of it. He said he had begun to forget things because of the by-pass operation he had had recently.We talked about a lot of things while on the MRT but could not remember the name of the city. And his station came. He left saying, "Good luck. Nice talking to you, you have given me something to think about." Later, when I told a friend about it, he said, the city was Mathura- south of Agra, just like the man on the MRT had mentioned.

I went looking for a perfume at John Little. A lady tried to help me find the right one. She was Indian, i guess. She was plump, dark at streaked hair which she let loose. She tried hard to convince me to buy a perfume, but I didn't like it enough. I went to John Little again after a few days and we bumped into each other. She recognised me, despite the fact that she deals withso many customers like me every day. She said a loud Hi. I reciprocated. She gave me a wide smile, a rare commodity here especially when she wasn't even standing behind a counter trying to sell stuff to me.

I was going to the Changi jetty and a lady came and at next to me on the bus. There was a pamphlet on the seat next to me, she asked me if it was mine, i said no, she smiled, pushed it under the seat and sat down. Something about her smile told me I could talk to her. I casually asked her which stop was the Changi Village Bus Interchange. She said it was probably the last. She told me about the village as the bus moved through it. How it was a british stronghold when they were here. She pointed out the prison, the sailing club, the factories around. She also told me that some people say that Changi is haunted. While leaving, she said, "Ther's the Jetty. You take care now, okay" She smiled and left.

Other things- the driver who gave me a free bus ride, the man at Popular book-store who translated the chinese stickers for me, he lady at the research office who got me into the visa hassle- so many of them.

I remember a particular conversation with Suresh uncle at Starbucks after I got my pass. He said through those sunken, dark circle lined eyes, "You must never worry. You know what's the worst that can happen. because it can't get worse than that. Leave it. Don't worry. Just be careful."