very humbling experience today ...
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got off work early this evening and hurried to have my dinner at market behind keong saik road. I went to order from the famous "wu tao koh" stall then found a table all to myself and started to eat.
Shortly as I was eating I saw this old man carrying an big plastic bag, as he came closer to my table he hesitated a bit then settled down at my table and helped himself to the leftover food that was not yet cleared from the table.
it happened so suddenly that I couldn't help feeling stunned and stared on speechless ... He knew I was staring and momentarily glanced my direction then looked back down into the leftover food, I think he was too hungry to worry abt feeling embarassed.
Here I was abt to tuck in to this nice food and sharing this same table with me was what I think to be a homeless old man who was so poor he had nothing to eat but leftover scraps. At that moment I felt so ashamed of myself for feeling awkward and gawking at him, I reached into my pocket gave him whatever was in my hand. He looked at me, waved a thanks took the money and left.
After that I just couldn't eat anymore but the thought of wasting the food on my plate and imagining that he would come back and eat it again forced me to gulp it down.
Friends next time if you see such a person at hawker center pls dun avoid them or hesitate to give them something. -
U mean the chinatown market huh? See many times liao loh.
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i've bought someone a meal before, and i've ignored another...
a homeless dude, i bought for...
the other was insane and was a "resident" of the market...
i wonder sometimes if MCYS can help them... -
for insane homeless people, even IMH also dare not take them in. Don't know the reason why also!Originally posted by the Bear:i've bought someone a meal before, and i've ignored another...
a homeless dude, i bought for...
the other was insane and was a "resident" of the market...
i wonder sometimes if MCYS can help them... -
cos medical fees no one pay mahOriginally posted by Manager433:for insane homeless people, even IMH also dare not take them in. Don't know the reason why also! -
It's not just that... there are limited beds in IMH and you'll be amazed at how many locals with mental afflictions there are!Originally posted by Steph84:cos medical fees no one pay mah
If they take in such folks, they'll end up staying there for their entire lives, till death. IMH is not a nursing home, so they really don't have the facility to take in such people, unfortunately.
The bed situation in IMH can sometimes be quite tight.
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Hey, KumSioJui, good thing you gave the poor man some money.
Well done! 
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I see,so looks like only Changi is left for them..
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You have no idea how bad the bed situation at our nursing homes and hospitals can get!
I'm glad they're building more nursing homes because looking at the average lifespan and the greying population, we had better be ready, man!