Dry Eyes

I was sitting alone in Long John Silvers at a table for 8 tonight.

I had just eaten with my friends and they had rushed off for a movie.

8 trays left behind enough food to feed 2, and I scavenged for scraps.

Old lady came to clear up the mess. I helped her stack the empty trays.

"Thank you," I said.

She smiled and asked me to take my time to finish my food.

-

Outside at Bugis there were thousands of people, all young and fast moving.

By the road was an old lady trying to sell 3 packets of tissue for a dollar.

I just walked past as I always do.

But this time I stopped and looking back, noticed her salience.

The Bugis crowd was young and well dressed.

This old woman was old and covered in sweat, trying desperately to sell her tissues.

The young man in front of me turned back to buy a set from her.

I followed suit.

As I rummaged through my wallet, she still continued to stick her hands out to other people just trying so hard to make a sale. I pulled out 2 dollars and she gave me more tissue than I would need. Or so I thought.

I walked off, visibly shaken.

-

I searched through the whole Raffles City area for a quiet place just to cry, but I found none.

Music and pictures and colours and noise. No room for anyone to think.

As I boarded a train homeward bound, one random girl laughing with her friends noticed my downcast face, and I don't think she smiled for a while.