Happen today at MacPherson - lunch time

I was walking towards the bus stop with Bubbly-Girl during lunch time...me going to post office and Bubbly-Girl is off to chocolate land. At the bus stop there is one M lady wearing the traditional clothes and semi-covering her head using the traditional head-dress.

She approaches me and asked if I'm M or I. I said that I am an I (well technically speaking, I am an I as dad is pure North I and mum is a mixture of M and I...so I'm an I) She said that she had gone to the mosque and was asking for help. She said that her mum had passed away. (Going thru my mind....so her mum died and why did she go to mosque? The place where she is staying have their own people who takes care of the dead....back to reality) She had asked for $10 to see her mum (in my mind = how can you bury the dead with just $10?) I said they have their reason...must be the office policy. (what else do I say??)

She said that the people there is not friendly and don't want to help her. (here I'm thanking myself that I did not say I'm M) She said that if she asked from people (at this moment a huge cement mixer dash across us follow by a bus....the noise is so deafening that I can hear what she was saying) Lucky enough her bus is here and she board it.

Interesting experience....so your mum died (she looks 50yrs old) must be very old mum that passes away. She looked very calm standing at the bus stop before she approaches me. She does not look sad, or crying or really traumatise by the news. She said the people in the mosque refuse to help her with $10 to see her mum. I am sorry but I don't buy into that kind of story anymore.

I have had many people approaching me asking for money with different kind of stories that you stopped believing into them.

Imagine one day at the library itself in Sembawang and very far away from the MRT or bus station, an old M man approached me at 8:30pm. Saying that, he had brought his 2 kids out (which by the way, the 2 kids were running around in the library) and had no money to go home. I turned him down nicely as I did not carry any cash on me then. Then he can asked me how do I travel then. I said using the farecard (stored value card). He just walked off.

2 days later, at the SAM machine outside of Woodlands MRT station, the very same guy approached me asking for money. I said that the 1st time, you asked me and I could believe you....2nd time is not true. Went on further to tell him that if I saw him again the 3rd time asking for money, I would call the police. He quickly walks away.

See in SG, there are no beggars and begging for money is not allowed. The government or other bodies is providing for the lesser people. If you have a problem, no work, no money to send children to school, no food...all is being provided if you just asked....and work. You don't go around asking money from people.