I Love You Beary Much

There is a story to this. And yes, I am a man with a stuff toy teddy bear. Why not? I think it is cute. Not that it was meant to be mine. Not that it was meant to be for the one I had bought for.

So, this is not a funny story. But I got the chance to tell it, so why not?

It was close to Valentine. Some 5 or 6 years ago. I met someone whom I did wish to have a relationship with. It was new. I was given mixed signals. I was not sure. So, there I was in Gurney Plaza Parkson and I saw this teddy bear among all the stuff toys there. This one was catching my attention. It has the pitiful face looking back at me, like those little puppies in the animal shelters crying 'Pick me! Pick me!'. I could not resist myself. After thinking for a while, I bought it. As a present to that someone for Valentine.

Ok, the tricky part here was that I was not even sure if that someone liked stuff toy. Or if so, should it be a teddy bear? One thing for sure, I bought it because I liked it and hoped that someone liked it too. So, it is true. Sometimes, when we choose a present, we choose it because we like it, and not because we know the other person likes it. We buy it because no one buys it for us. Bad bad us.

So, I bought it. I was almost broke, but I bought it half-hoping it would be rejected so that the teddy bear would stay with me. I did also hoped it would be not, so that the teddy bear would be shared.

And... it was rejected. So, it was a heart-breaking Valentine for me. I left the teddy bear in the box I had wrapped for months, before I decided to forgive it and took it of the box, and earned a place beside my single pillow on my single-occupied bed.

And years from then, it looked dirty. I was worried about washing it. I did not want it to be damaged. So, I Wikihow it. Someone instructed.

Does it look fierce. Someone commented that. Only then I did realize that I have an angry teddy bear.

Into the pillow case, it went.

Guilt was building in. What if it failed? Would I be killing my teddy bear?

Anxiety built up. I was a little worried.

The teddy bear survived. I had never seen my teddy bear with a wet look. :p

And there I have it. My teddy bear is all bright and cheery.
: D

Singapore!

Well, there are several reasons for me to admire Singapore. Compared to Malaysia -

1. Singapore is clean. C.L.E.A.N. It is so clean that even Malaysians are scared of littering when they are there. Not that they are worried when they throw plastic wrappers on the street, or out of their moving cars. I have seen that. I had imagined before chasing those cars, and throw the plastic back into the cars, but one, I was worried that bully drivers, and two, my bike could not move that fast. And three, I was lazy. But Singapore! Phew! You have to admire the fear instilled in the early Singaporeans which eventually becomes a discipline that makes Singapore clean. Well, in the city area. No one really counts areas further away. For example, Golden Complex (??) near Bras Basah is a disgrace. But still.. I admire Singapore's cleanliness.
2. MRT! Without it, I won't know where to go. Not that it helps I get lost often inside the station. But at least I know where to go with MRT. Don't even tell me about the bus, which is efficiently on time. In Malaysia, I dare not to depend on public transportation if it comes to important appointment. Like hell I would let my life be screwed up by buses that never show. Still, MRT is reliable, although I have to admit that it is getting more crowded now.
   
3. Metro Men. You can see them. Muscle men. Hunky men. Men with good arms parading down the streets like having arms like that all God's gift to them since birth. They are more health-concious of their body appearance. Given another ten years, I bet it is the city of metrosexual men who are easily understood as vain gays.
4. Sexual Display. I have been to Vietnam. Thailand. Cambodia. And it is only in Singapore, you will see the young boys hanging on to the girls like they are going to escape anytime when they let the girls go. They are glued. I admire them for their comfort for public display. Really.
5. Everchanging. I was in Singapore a year ago. There were drillings, and buildings. I was there last week. There were drillings, and buildings. It was like a non-stop city metamorphosising into something grander. There is an excitement - like what is going to come next in Singapore!

So, I must be really happy to be in Singapore? Not really. I am happy for a few reasons. My relatives are there. I am happy to be there to see them. But the currency conversion kills.


But that is not as bad as what I dislike most. The Singapore custom. There is something about that does not please me at all. Maybe it is just me. Maybe it is not. But I hate seeing them, although I am one who carries nothing illegal. They are disturbing.

You will notice the sign - No photos to be taken in the building. No doubt about that. The working people there are the unhappiest people in the world. Really. They have sour faces that kill blooming sunflowers within 3 seconds. I don't know if they are trained to look like that, or they are just pissed off with the thousands over visitors who are walking through their paths each day. Which interestingly, someone should remind them that it is the Tourism Ministry who is persuading many to go over, to spend our monies in Singapore, and make Singapore richer than it already is.

But someone obviously fails to tell these working people in uniform behind the counter.

It is like being sent to detention, once I walk into the custom. The working people are like tormentors. They suck your happiness away once they open their mouths. I said good morning. I wonder now why bother. It was not like I got a smile. I got the interogation. Which was entirely stupid. I have been a visitor to Singapore for 18 years, and I was taught to leave the address blank. I never had any problem before. And this time, she questioned me. Like I had stepped on her cat's tail. I was made to call my relatives to ask for the address. What was with the inconsistency? 18 years, and now they want that?

Just like two years ago, where a working person behind the counter looked like he was so pissed off when I wrote 'city after' - as Tanjung Pagar. Anyone could have mistaken it as the city I am heading to, after the custom building? He looked so miserable in correcting my mistake, like he had already told me 10 times, and yet I wrote it again. 16 years, and no one commented, and suddenly a newer generation of working people in Singapore custom who may be wearing too-tight g-strings got upset.

If they are so upset with Malaysians, why invite us over? Go and find some white asses to kiss. I bet if I am Caucasian, they would have bowed down and kissed my shoes and lick my toes.