It was a warm, quiet-peaceful evening. The sun just set, allowing the moon to shine even brighter. Office workers were almost seen everywhere; either alone or with their colleagues. The train commuters were all generally seemed relaxed, not as tensed as what they looked like on every morning; regardless what day of the week. Out of the decentness, there I was to be seen hustling my way from the Bukit Batok MRT Station to the nearest bus stop. With me, I was carrying a couple of packed food for my love-Chipmunk. I need to rush because I was chasing for time as i was working later in that evening.
"Hmm . . Which bus heads to my destination. ." I asked myself as beads of perspiration rolled through my whole body. My heart beats hard & fast like the african musicians playing their drums. As my eyes wandering around looking at the bus destination information board, bus 188 came to alight. I rushed to the bus captain to put at end to my doubtness. Here's how our conversation went. .
"Uncle, does this bus takes me to Fire Station?" I asked.
"Err . . Fi-re Sta-tion . ."He muttered as if he's trying to recall the bus route.
"Ya, Fire Station." I repeat patiently.
"Err . . " He began to tilt his head to the right a little bit & his eyes shrinked as he frowned.
"Ya, the fire station. The one located near Chua Chu Kang." I began to panicked.
The middle-age man was still clueless. This went for around 3 minutes. I then began to realized there were at least more than 30 passengers in the bus staring at me as if i'm haulting the bus for no good reason. His next sentence not only made my head glowed red, but it made my heart almost explode. Illiterally.
"Me . . no-english" He said politely at the same time looking embrassed.
I was stunned. This statement is such a cliche in my full-time work place. At the same time i was like, What the heck? Our fellow Bus Captain couldnt communicate Singapore's National Language. Oh, what a shame. To be frank that was not my only encounter. I had another two occasions where bus captains just doesnt know to speak simple english.
At the end of the day, i'm facing cultural shock in my own country. I guess gone by the days where we could find friendly local bus captains that not only would inform us the route of destination when we are in doubt, but also would alert us when the bus stop that we wanted to alight has come near. Poor Singaporeans, at least for the minorities. Where has the effort in Speaking Good english campaign has flushed to?
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