Have you ever encountered these kinda situations before?

Last week, I was running late to meet a friend and wanted to buy tissue.

I ran from my home to Toa Payoh Central and saw a woman sitting at a small table which was laden with newspapers and magazines. I also noticed a small basket containing packets of tissue displayed in front of the newspapers.

Phew, I thought. Finally 1 tissue seller right in front of me!

So I reached for my purse and walked towards the newspaper stand. I fumbled around my coin compartment, desperately trying to find a 2o cent coin quickly.

The woman looked at me in such a grateful way like I was her first customer that day.

She got ready to pick up a newspaper to pass to me.

"1 tissue please," I said instead.
"Oh..." she laughed, and handed me the tissue packet instead.

She actually thought I was going to buy a newspaper or magazine.
Instead of earning 80 cents, she only earned 20 cents.

Counting off the cost price, of course she wouldn't earn much.

I felt kinda bad and wanted to buy a newspaper as well but of course I did not, because it would be inconvenient to carry the newspaper to meet my friend.

"Thank you," I said and paid her.

Then I walked away as I was in a hurry.

Just as I walked off, a frail voice cried out to me.

"Girl, buy tissue from me please?" An older Indian woman asked meekly. I looked at her.

She was kneeling down on the cold concrete floor with nothing in front of her but a few measly packets of tissue paper. There was no chair for her to sit on. She wasn't even kneeling down on a mat.

Then, I looked closer. I noticed that BOTH of her legs had been amputated.

'Oh shit,' I thought.

You know this feeling you get? You could have helped someone in greater need but you chose to buy from someone else.

Just when I finished buying the tissue packet from the newspaper stand, I came across this very disabled old woman who looked so miserable and lonely.

You feel damn bad, when you walk past the disabled woman who obviously needs more help than the newspaper vendor.

And obviously, you can't just walk past her holding a tissue packet in your hand which you JUST bought from the newspaper vendor behind her.

LIKE, WTH.

So, I did something.

I went up to the disabled woman and bought another packet from her.

"Kam siah," she said and thanked me profusely.
"Bu yong jing, bu yong," was all I could say.

I felt so bad. Buy 1 packet of tissue and still have to thank me so much.

It's the least I could do, you know.

So in the end, I walked away with 2 packets of tissue which actually I don't need cos I don't use tissue that often.

Geez. Maybe it'll start off a tissue habit of mine.

So I don't need to ask for tissues from my friends anymore.
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