Morning Drama (True Story)
A life in need of intervention flashes right before me in more ways than anyone could perceive when an event unfolds right before my very eyes. It was an innocent Tuesday, first day of this particular work week. Relieve of feeling the Monday blues, a day after a welcomed long weekend break extended by Vesak Day. I awoke to the tune of "4 Minutes" by Madonna as my alarm clock, feeling tired and yearning for more sleep. The routine of a quick bathe, change of clothes and sculpting my hair went without much fuss. Jackie, the family Jack Russell Terrier looks at me and prepares his morning ritual of stopping me at the door. He always barks and tries to get a grip of my jeans when I leave for work.
The time was 7:45am when I left home with the mandarin (Ch 8) version of "Good Morning, Singapore" playing on the TV in the background. Plugged into Class 95FM and off I go, in the direction of Clementi MRT for my 50 minutes ride to Expo station. The rush hour traffic was at its usual squeeze-ness. Head on to my favoured entry points on the second carriage from the head of the train and waited patiently. It duly arrived in a minute’s time. Got on the train with someone backing into my bum and I returned a bump of my own. Sardines are never packed so tightly like this, bumper to bumper, good thing I got my head above most people and a gush of air conditioned breeze engulfed my face. Dover station was a welcome sight as streams of Singapore Polytechnic students started to alight and I tussle through to the crowd for a prized piece of real estate near the train doors, big enough for me to be hang loose. There was this woman (I shall name her Miss X), who was in a white shirt with coloured strips and wearing a tight (So tight, it was virtually sprayed on) above knee length skirt, scuttle across me, beating me to the corner void beside the train door. She was on talking on the mobile phone. Little do she, I and everyone else know of the drama that was to play out before us?
In my ears was the Flying Dutchman talking about a disco place in Singapore where he can go to regularly and have his dancing fix in the disco era. Miss X, next to me, proceeded to whip out the newspaper and read it. Soon, we went underground after Redhill onwards to Tiong Bahru, I changed my phone settings to walkman and Chris Brown’s "With You" was playing. Before I know, it was Outram Park and it was then a spiral turn of events lay bare. Miss X slump her back onto train’s shiny interior and a small ‘bump’ caught my attention. My eyes met the commuter who was seated in the corner seat with a glass separator, we looked at each other for 3 seconds as if to say "What’s wrong with her?" Then it was all a blur, Miss X fell sideways, right in front of me from 12 o’clock position to 3 o’clock. A thud reverberates through my earphones while her body shaken and her hands were trembling. There were some screams, some ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhhs’. A petite lady standing next to her let out a shriek like a falling tree was collapsing on her. I stood shocked for 2 seconds before kneeling down to held her head up with the rest of her body and said "Are you ok?" She said "Did I just fainted?" The knock to her head was more devastating than earlier thought, I didn’t want to laugh, so I kept quiet.
All this commotion has brought the attention of everyone in the train carriage, it was like the National Day parade, a lot of jaw-dropping and silence. A dude behind me was the parade commander shouted for every person to move back and give her some room to breathe. Its was sigh to behold, Singaporeans so obediently taking a few steps back, only if the train was so spacious everyday. It was a defining moment when I uttered these words "Is there a doctor or a nurse here?" Never had so many fellow travellers listened so intently to me and the dude behind me, clasp his hands into a cone and repeated my exact words. It resonated throughout the train like an echo through the mountains of the Alps. Sadly there was no response from the stunned crowd. (I swear everyone had a "What the F**k" look on them)
Another one of the passenger passed me some medicated oil but I don’t really think she needs it. So I passed it on to the petite lady next to me. During these tense moments, someone had the presence of mind to hit the ‘emergency’ button and the train came to an absolute halt. I took her by the armpits and wrestled her up to her feet. Holding onto her arm, brought her out of the train and onto a seat. I wanted to add at this point, two uniformed SMRT staff, a male and female went by me in search of the depressed emergency button but failed to notice Miss X and me, in need of help. I asked her again if she is alright, she nodded and asked me go on and continue my ride. She looked absolutely embarrassed and almost red-faced by my loving attention.
The SMRT staff finally came to her aid and I stroll on back to the scene of the drama and carry on like nothing has happened. Some of the other passengers took a glance at me but alas, no applause…… I felt great, for I had done something good and now, a firm believer of Ah Juan (I am a convert!), who had a similar experience. It really DOES bloody happen!
A life in need of intervention flashes right before me in more ways than anyone could perceive when an event unfolds right before my very eyes. It was an innocent Tuesday, first day of this particular work week. Relieve of feeling the Monday blues, a day after a welcomed long weekend break extended by Vesak Day. I awoke to the tune of "4 Minutes" by Madonna as my alarm clock, feeling tired and yearning for more sleep. The routine of a quick bathe, change of clothes and sculpting my hair went without much fuss. Jackie, the family Jack Russell Terrier looks at me and prepares his morning ritual of stopping me at the door. He always barks and tries to get a grip of my jeans when I leave for work.
The time was 7:45am when I left home with the mandarin (Ch 8) version of "Good Morning, Singapore" playing on the TV in the background. Plugged into Class 95FM and off I go, in the direction of Clementi MRT for my 50 minutes ride to Expo station. The rush hour traffic was at its usual squeeze-ness. Head on to my favoured entry points on the second carriage from the head of the train and waited patiently. It duly arrived in a minute’s time. Got on the train with someone backing into my bum and I returned a bump of my own. Sardines are never packed so tightly like this, bumper to bumper, good thing I got my head above most people and a gush of air conditioned breeze engulfed my face. Dover station was a welcome sight as streams of Singapore Polytechnic students started to alight and I tussle through to the crowd for a prized piece of real estate near the train doors, big enough for me to be hang loose. There was this woman (I shall name her Miss X), who was in a white shirt with coloured strips and wearing a tight (So tight, it was virtually sprayed on) above knee length skirt, scuttle across me, beating me to the corner void beside the train door. She was on talking on the mobile phone. Little do she, I and everyone else know of the drama that was to play out before us?
In my ears was the Flying Dutchman talking about a disco place in Singapore where he can go to regularly and have his dancing fix in the disco era. Miss X, next to me, proceeded to whip out the newspaper and read it. Soon, we went underground after Redhill onwards to Tiong Bahru, I changed my phone settings to walkman and Chris Brown’s "With You" was playing. Before I know, it was Outram Park and it was then a spiral turn of events lay bare. Miss X slump her back onto train’s shiny interior and a small ‘bump’ caught my attention. My eyes met the commuter who was seated in the corner seat with a glass separator, we looked at each other for 3 seconds as if to say "What’s wrong with her?" Then it was all a blur, Miss X fell sideways, right in front of me from 12 o’clock position to 3 o’clock. A thud reverberates through my earphones while her body shaken and her hands were trembling. There were some screams, some ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhhs’. A petite lady standing next to her let out a shriek like a falling tree was collapsing on her. I stood shocked for 2 seconds before kneeling down to held her head up with the rest of her body and said "Are you ok?" She said "Did I just fainted?" The knock to her head was more devastating than earlier thought, I didn’t want to laugh, so I kept quiet.
All this commotion has brought the attention of everyone in the train carriage, it was like the National Day parade, a lot of jaw-dropping and silence. A dude behind me was the parade commander shouted for every person to move back and give her some room to breathe. Its was sigh to behold, Singaporeans so obediently taking a few steps back, only if the train was so spacious everyday. It was a defining moment when I uttered these words "Is there a doctor or a nurse here?" Never had so many fellow travellers listened so intently to me and the dude behind me, clasp his hands into a cone and repeated my exact words. It resonated throughout the train like an echo through the mountains of the Alps. Sadly there was no response from the stunned crowd. (I swear everyone had a "What the F**k" look on them)
Another one of the passenger passed me some medicated oil but I don’t really think she needs it. So I passed it on to the petite lady next to me. During these tense moments, someone had the presence of mind to hit the ‘emergency’ button and the train came to an absolute halt. I took her by the armpits and wrestled her up to her feet. Holding onto her arm, brought her out of the train and onto a seat. I wanted to add at this point, two uniformed SMRT staff, a male and female went by me in search of the depressed emergency button but failed to notice Miss X and me, in need of help. I asked her again if she is alright, she nodded and asked me go on and continue my ride. She looked absolutely embarrassed and almost red-faced by my loving attention.
The SMRT staff finally came to her aid and I stroll on back to the scene of the drama and carry on like nothing has happened. Some of the other passengers took a glance at me but alas, no applause…… I felt great, for I had done something good and now, a firm believer of Ah Juan (I am a convert!), who had a similar experience. It really DOES bloody happen!
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