Sunday, May 02, 2004
I’ve been seeing mishaps throughout this weekend that I wonder if my luck is really on the tough side.
First a fire broke out at the Haig Road market. On book-out day it was still alive, teeming with people, shops doing business as usual. That evening when I arrive home by cab after a night out with some army friends, there was a fire engine parked along Haig Road opposite the Lion City Hotel. The next afternoon when I head for the MRT station, I see curious onlookers, orange tape and a charred structure.
It is hard to believe such a horrific disfigurement can occur overnight.
This morning, I was again walking to the MRT station to go to the gym with BW. I go past the bus stop outside the hawker centre as part of my usual route. Parked by the kerb is an SBS Transit service number 7 double-decker bus, letting passengers board and alight. I think nothing of it and continue on my way without paying any attention to the vehicle, until I hear someone pounding the window. Curious as I am, I turn back, and there is an old man beating his fist upon the glass of the exit door. The door flew open again, and an old lady next to the man thrust her arms forward. I cannot see the scene clearly, but my guess is that her handbag or some thing that she is carrying became trapped in the closing door. The couple stagger to the front door and begin to scold the bus driver. Several other people also crowded at the entrance and reprimanded the bus driver for not being careful. And as usual, the kaypoh Singaporeans who cannot seem to mind their own business huddle about the bus stop to watch the drama.
While working out at the gym with BW, we hear a sudden exclamation. The next thing we know, we see Peter, one of the gym instructors, dashing out of the gym and down the stairs. Other patrons mill around the counter and at the atrium outside the gym looking on at the commotion.
Peter returns not long after. I overhear him telling his colleague that a theft had taken place on Monday and the same suspect had returned today. The staff knows it is the same person, but they have no proof to show the police. The camera did not catch his face. Peter makes an announcement over the PA system, instructing everyone to go to the locker area to check their belongings. BW’s and my things are fine; our possessions have been untouched. However we hear mutterings of “shit” - these people have been robbed. Peter instructs the victims to go to the counter to report their losses and to remain in the gym until the police arrive.
At the end of our gym session we go and talk to Peter, whom we know fairly well, being frequent gym users. He said that he chased the man downstairs, but lost sight of him at the ground floor. Then he saw the thief running across the road. He could have given chase and easily catch up with him, but circumstances forbid him to do so. Being an instructor, he is not supposed to be seen going after a thief. His job is to man the counter and the gym, not chase after criminals. I don’t know why things have to be so inflexible, otherwise the thief could have been caught; the victims can recoup their losses and the man will never commit another crime again. Now that he is scot-free, he will not return to the gym at Tampines because he has been recorded on camera, but he will still proceed to other gyms to steal valuables. I ask, is it possible that his picture be printed out and sent to the other gyms so that they can watch out for this fellow? No, Peter tells me. They’ve tried printing before, but the result is very blurred. He feels very guilty about not being able to capture the thief, who has cunningly and bravely sneaked into the crowded gym to make off with people’s things. ¶ 5/02/2004 04:59:00 pm
First a fire broke out at the Haig Road market. On book-out day it was still alive, teeming with people, shops doing business as usual. That evening when I arrive home by cab after a night out with some army friends, there was a fire engine parked along Haig Road opposite the Lion City Hotel. The next afternoon when I head for the MRT station, I see curious onlookers, orange tape and a charred structure.
It is hard to believe such a horrific disfigurement can occur overnight.
This morning, I was again walking to the MRT station to go to the gym with BW. I go past the bus stop outside the hawker centre as part of my usual route. Parked by the kerb is an SBS Transit service number 7 double-decker bus, letting passengers board and alight. I think nothing of it and continue on my way without paying any attention to the vehicle, until I hear someone pounding the window. Curious as I am, I turn back, and there is an old man beating his fist upon the glass of the exit door. The door flew open again, and an old lady next to the man thrust her arms forward. I cannot see the scene clearly, but my guess is that her handbag or some thing that she is carrying became trapped in the closing door. The couple stagger to the front door and begin to scold the bus driver. Several other people also crowded at the entrance and reprimanded the bus driver for not being careful. And as usual, the kaypoh Singaporeans who cannot seem to mind their own business huddle about the bus stop to watch the drama.
While working out at the gym with BW, we hear a sudden exclamation. The next thing we know, we see Peter, one of the gym instructors, dashing out of the gym and down the stairs. Other patrons mill around the counter and at the atrium outside the gym looking on at the commotion.
Peter returns not long after. I overhear him telling his colleague that a theft had taken place on Monday and the same suspect had returned today. The staff knows it is the same person, but they have no proof to show the police. The camera did not catch his face. Peter makes an announcement over the PA system, instructing everyone to go to the locker area to check their belongings. BW’s and my things are fine; our possessions have been untouched. However we hear mutterings of “shit” - these people have been robbed. Peter instructs the victims to go to the counter to report their losses and to remain in the gym until the police arrive.
At the end of our gym session we go and talk to Peter, whom we know fairly well, being frequent gym users. He said that he chased the man downstairs, but lost sight of him at the ground floor. Then he saw the thief running across the road. He could have given chase and easily catch up with him, but circumstances forbid him to do so. Being an instructor, he is not supposed to be seen going after a thief. His job is to man the counter and the gym, not chase after criminals. I don’t know why things have to be so inflexible, otherwise the thief could have been caught; the victims can recoup their losses and the man will never commit another crime again. Now that he is scot-free, he will not return to the gym at Tampines because he has been recorded on camera, but he will still proceed to other gyms to steal valuables. I ask, is it possible that his picture be printed out and sent to the other gyms so that they can watch out for this fellow? No, Peter tells me. They’ve tried printing before, but the result is very blurred. He feels very guilty about not being able to capture the thief, who has cunningly and bravely sneaked into the crowded gym to make off with people’s things. ¶ 5/02/2004 04:59:00 pm
