A senior citizen recently set up his stall at the coffee shop at Blk 769 in Yishun. His slow and hobbling gait has me worried for a bit. Given that rental fees are astronomically high these days, how is he gonna survive the onslaught of myriad pressures? What’s more, he defiantly swims against conventional practices, offering additional noodles and takeaway services for FREE.

(The stalls at this coffee shop change hands quite frequently, so I have cause for concern.)

So, I made it a point to buy laksa chicken noodles from him this morning. On his counter laid a newspaper article about his past as a hawker. Apparently, he had set up a stall in Bukit Merah before. The sight of a family splitting a bowl of laksa into five portions made him realise the destitute situation some of his customers were in. This led him to focus on wanting to satisfy their hunger pangs. (Hence, the free additional noodles.)

I thought it was amazing of him to prioritise humanity over profit maximising. And I’m a beneficiary of his radical business philosophy. He gave me extra chicken slices because I had ordered the last bowl of laksa.

(I gave him an extra 50 cents as a show of support for his generosity.)

I hoped this uncle would be able to sustain his business.