Stray Bolts

Storms rock. There's the sunshine afterward to look forward to.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Weirdness

I was in Cineleisure today for a movie. And before that Dicky convinced me to try and smuggle outside food into the theatre. Ok, I admit it, I agreed.

But get this: I walked up to the service dude.

"Good afternoon, ma'am, may I help you?"

Granted, I could have taken it somewhat as a compliment, since I'm the one who's always been ranting on and on about how girls are way superior to guys. But still, some remnant pride inbred into the members of my kind rendered me indignant. I was just called "Ma'am" !!! Yeesh. Is my voice that squeaky? Am I that bimbotic?

But that's not all. There's more.

"So, what veg would you like with your sandwich?"
"Um... Chili, onions and olives, please."
"Ok, so that's all veg except chili, onions and olives?"
"Er... No, I said only chili, onions and olives."
"Ok, everything except chili, onions and olives."
And the dude started spamming the veg.
"Sorry, I said only chili, onions and olives."
"But the veg is free!"
"I know! But I only want the chili, onions and olives!"
" (disbelieving tone) Ok, then... What sauce would you like?"
"Southwest."
"Er... only southwest, nothing else?"
"Yup. Only the southwest."
"Are you sure? The sauces are also free, you know."
"Please, just give me the southwest sauce and give me my sandwich."

Is kiasuism so inbred into Singaporean society that people just cannot understand it when someone DOESN'T want one of everything? For Subway, Singapore must be the ideal market, then. The Singaporeans get lured to the fact that you can order ALL the veg on your sandwich (for free, too...) when actually, it's all already covered in the price of the sandwich, anyway. People might say, making full use of what we paid for it, but that's another issue and besides the point.

One last observation. The person who ordered after me asked for all the veg available to be put on his sandwich. He brought his meal to his table with his two friends, unwrapped the sandwich, and painstakingly removed all the chili.

"Hey, you don't like chili?" enquired his friend.
"Nope, hate the stuff." came the reply.
"Then why'd you ask for it, man?"
"Wanted my money's worth."
As if that didn't sound stupid enough, his friend actually accepted that! I almost dropped the drink cup I was filling.

I've been in Singapore for almost 5 years now, but every now and then, I walk along the streets, and am totally amazed...