fellow commuter

Was in the packed train yesterday heading home after work. As usual, I minded my own business but was looking at other people and stuffs. However, when you're about 5 inches away from another person's back/face.. there's not much to see anyway.

Anyhow, while we were still at Tanjong Pagar or so, heard this booming voice that sounded very 'ang moh'. Slang and all. So I thought, well... probably some expat in the train. So Ade got a seat after a while, and she was reading her Harry Potter book, so I'm left with my own thoughts. There was this huge Chinese guy sitting next to Ade and he was also people watching, just like me. Haha.

By the time we reached Redhill or so, the train was less crowded. Noticed this long haired guy (like those 'mat rocker' but Chinese). He has this backpack and was carrying a bike helmet and was trying to inch closer to the center of the train to get a glimpse of the train route. He was like squinting and trying to figure something. I was tempted to ask if he needed help but then, never mind.. decided not to be so kaypoh.

So after like 2 minutes or so, he decided to seek help. He turned to the nearest person (and that happened to be yours truly) and asked in heavily accented, "Sorry, do you know how to get to Mar-see-ling?" Then I pointed to the route map and said, "You'd have to change train at Jurong East and go towards the red line, up north". I told him it'd take probably 18 minutes or so to reach Marsiling from JE. "I'm going towards the same direction too, so I'd let you know when we reach Jurong East." Unknowingly, I think I'd slang abit when I talk to people with heavy accents. Haha!

Then the big Chinese man who was sitting suddenly asked that chap, "Are you from London?" That guy looked surprised and said, "Yeah, how did you know?" The sitting Chinese man chuckled and said, "From your accent". So the sitting Chinese man continued to ask questions and that chap responded. After a while, he said, "Boy, isn't it hot in here..." Haha, I think he was beginning to get a little bit uncomfortable from all the questionings from a stranger.

So as I was standing beside them when all these took place, from their conversations I know that the long haired guy came to Singapore from London, and will be going to Malaysia and thereafter, Shanghai. While the seated man has been to London, Southampton and Brighton before. (and I was thinking... I haven't even been on a plane before, much less all these places..)

So, when the conversation topic came to Malaysia (got to know that the long haired guy is a Malaysian actually) so I couldn't resist and said, "Which part of Malaysia were you from?" He said, "KL" so I said, "I'm from Selangor". I think in general, it is always nice to meet your own countrymen while you're overseas.

Just before parting, we managed to introduce ourselves. He said his name, and it sounded like Markel (or was it Marcus? sorry if I got it wrong, but the accent was kinda heavy and I had to get off the train before the door closes.. ya, it was like kinda rush, you know? :P ) and so we bid our goodbyes... and I wish him, a safe journey.