Yum to Glum

I have always been tolerant with hawkers who are rude or if their service is bad, but yesterday I had an experience that I’ll never forget.

There was this zhichar stall owned by an uncle and aunty at a kopitiam just across our company, which serves excellent HKM. Since Mum wasn’t cooking, I decided to settle my dinner there after work. As usual, I ordered one plate without the sotongs and then plunked myself onto my favorite seat near the stall.

There wasn’t much of a crowd yesterday. As I could see the HKM stall from where I’m situated, there were some factory workers tapao’ing from them. I sort of waited for around 10 mins but seems like all these workers got what they wanted, but I am not being served! It was until when there’s no customers when I saw the uncle starting to fry something, presumably my HKM. True enough, it was ready. And you know what?

The aunty beckoned me to walk over to collect my food!

Well I didn’t see a ‘Self Service’ sign hanging from the stall’s front, and what pissed me was that I’m already settled down on my seat, hungry and grumpy, and she wants me to pick up my bag and then get my dinner from her? Walau. Feeling damn irritated, I slung my bag and walked over with a face so frumpy that nearly looked distorted. There were no customers there lor!

At least the uncle apologised when I collected my food. I really don’t know what they were thinking. After gobbling up my dinner in gusto, I didn’t walk away immediately, but stayed awhile to see if the Aunty serves other customers.

To my anticipation, she did! Two uncles order something from her and then within minutes, she brought their food right up to them. And they were sitting outside, at a very far end of the kopitiam ! I swore I could have walked up to Aunty and dunk a bowl of noodles onto her head!

Controlling my temper, I grabbed my bag and while I was making my exit, I walked past her and I asked her:

“Aunty, 你们是 Self Service 的吗？”

“ 对啊！”

I was like, you just served someone in front of me and you are telling me that your stall is self service one? KNNBCCBBBB. (that’s not a swear word I swear it just means (Kind N Naïve Boy Come Chinatown Buy Bread Butter Bolster Boliao).

I just glanced at the table, gave her an 'Oh! Really' look and just walked off. I’ll never buy from her stall ever again! What luck sia.