Good Deed, Good Feeling

Happiness comes from helping people. It just makes me feel good.

I had to take a train to Novena today. At 9am, the usual peak hour rush is over and I could easily find a seat, and was seated beside an old auntie, probably of 60 years age. By the time the train got to Sembawang, the seats are full and I stood up to offer to an elderly woman.

Well, this is Good Deed No. 1. I is happy already.

Later, I realized the 60+ year old aunty is kinda lost. She keeps asking the passenger next to her what station is this, where is this train going, etc. She turned around and waved at me and asked me the same questions – in Hokkien.

Aunty: What is the next station?

Beerkaki: Next station is Ang Mo Kio. Where are you going?

Aunty: I want to sit until it ends (literally translated from Hokkien)

Beerkaki: Sit until it ends will bring you to Marina Bay. You wanna go Marina Bay? Bing Hai Wan?

Aunty: I want to sit until it ends.

She repeated this several times until I can no longer help her in anyway. Then, she pulled out a little blue booklet from her bag and pointed the address on the book. I looked at it. Seriously, I don’t know where it is. But I know what place it is.

I asked the Aunty to alight on the next station with me while I call to find out where is the place. The operator directed to alight at either Woodlands or Yishun, then take a feeder bus. The aunty says she will take a taxi from the MRT station, so Yishun will be nearer.

Apparently, we have passed Yishun and now need to cross the platform to take it the opposite direction. I keep telling her she must alight at Yishun but she kinda don’t know, or even heard of Yishun. So, I brought her to the opposite platform, seek help from a lady who is going that direction and instructed her to tell the aunty when it reached Yishun. Before I left, she keep telling me Thank You, numerous times.

Well. This is the end of my Good Deed No. 2

I had been thinking, while in the train on my way to my destination which I’m going to be utterly late, I should be the one to say THANK YOU to the aunty. For giving me a chance to help her, for making me feel good, for making me happy.

AUNTY, YOU MAKE MY DAY. THANK YOU!!

I continued to think and start to emphathise the aunty. She is helpless and quite poor (cos' I asked her to take a taxi from Ang Mo Kio and she was afraid the taxi fare will be too expensive), but for the love she has, she was determined to make the trip. She was holding a plastic bag, within it a small packet of beehoon (I guess) and a pair of wooden chopsticks.

I hoped she found her way to Khalsa Crescent Prison.