Fluffy Furballs and The Death Of Hope

Okies, I took photos of these really darn cute kittens at a Toa Payoh void deck today while I was passing. With my phone's camera, sad to say. I never do have my camera when I really need it. There was this lady who came to feed them later on and stared at me taking photos of them. She looked like she was wondering if I was going to report her to the NEA or something, so I went away till she was done.

I got a lift home with my uncle and auntie. I don't really like that auntie, but well, anything to save an hour's journey. She was telling me with all seriousness about how the people working in the airline industry need to drink green tea to counter all the radiation they get. (I know the WTFs are popping up all over your thought-bubbles now.)

Fighting for the sake of logic, I mentioned that I thought air crew that have to take flights are exposed to more radiation than ground staff, and she enthusiastically enforced her point with a "Ya, they drink lots and lots of green tea." Then she told me how some of her airline friends knew how to protect themselves. They would cover themselves with newspapers during flights.

I think I sniggered, then turned it into a big mucosy sniffle, and agreed heartily. Well, like I said, anything to save an hour's MRT ride. Hah. I got out of their vehicle rather hurriedly though, to laugh myself sick in the elevator.

Have you ever wondered about how people get to become the way they are?

I was thinking about the auntie at the childcare centre that I did CIP at, and how she gets along scolding the little kids day-in, day-out. Or the arrjay noodle-uncle who sits gloomily on a little stool behind his counter wondering why no one ever comes to his stall.

I'm really really curious to know how they morphed into their present form, because I can't see even the most bo-chap of ah lians wanting to be a child-care centre auntie. They seem like they were born for such a role their whole life. Surely they must have had their own hopes and aspirations once? What made them the way they are now? A string of failures, of people telling them that they would never achieve what they wanted, and they had better settle for what they could get? Or did they really want to be what they are now?

Will I become the image defined by others or by myself?

I like to set my own rules. You?