Today, by tradition or fancy or a mix of both, I was spurred to find myself some form of entertainment, and perhaps splurge a bit on luxuries, so I blocked off all programmes in advance to free myself of the probability of having to attend anything at all.
It was only after I set foot into the city, did I realise there was really nothing, NOTHING that could breathe a breath of life into my face. I wandered through the numerous alleys and the mushroom of cosmopolitan frenzy, and found every face not so different from the next.
The people wear a look, one of worry and haste. Their eyes are hollow, as if they have been dug dry by the flurry of propaganda and social stigmata that they had to face since birth. They footsteps echo in a monotone... mechanical... grinding... groaning...
The shops are the same everywhere. same brands selling same things is accetable, but different brands selling the same thing is absurd. There is absolutely no brand distinction whatsoever. I walk from one food court to the next and the same variation of wanton mee, beef noodles, chicken rice and the other standard dishes greet me indifferently. In a way I come to realise that the food court is really nothing more than a dining supermart. Very soon we will find our dining otiont slim down to food courts, serving the same 20 dishes, and restuarants, whose food is generally priced beyond the commoner's affordability.
What happened the the Singapore I used to know? What happened to all the good food and fun hangouts? Talking of hangouts, it seems we now have nothing more than the 4 regular options - Movie, KTV, Club and Pub (Oh, have to add Dancing, the next in thing that basically doubles up as the second SDU. Afterall we do need more Chinese to maintain population equilibrium and the everlasting Dynasty of the Iron Fist).
Very soon, we should be able to see ourselves in the toilet mirror, looking very much the same as the guy / gal beside. The same expression, same thought, same posture, same options...
My my, just the thought of that is scary enough.
