Changi Road Beggar Once More

Zainuddin learned his homeopathy and Ayurveda chiefly from his mother. After suffering early stage diabetes Zainuddin studied further and soon improved his health. In recent months he has shared the dialogue of one of his on-line groups which during Ramadan has turned to matters of health and well-being. The modern Malay diet is heavy in sugars and fats: Zainuddin has addressed the problem on many occasions. Smoking itself is haram in Zainuddin's book, on the basis that whatever is bad for a person comes under proscription. Recently various exercises were listed by Zainuddin as beneficial. As the years passed suppleness and elasticity were important; there were various simple exercises available to even the busiest person, among a number of others the practice of standing and balancing on one foot, suggested Zainuddin. When this was trialled inevitably it brought back the Changi Road Beggar. 
         The last few weeks of this third Ramadan here a remove in the mornings to the less public Har Yassin on Changi Road has bought the beggar close again. In the mornings the man no longer stakes out the entry to the SevenEleven beside the bus-stop; the driveway to the Pasar across the road is now preferred, in front of the fish stalls. Morning greetings regularly exchanged there after picking up the newspaper and fruit. Around noon the man comes over to Har Yassin for late breakfast, or early lunch perhaps. The Changi Road Beggar’s loud voice makes the waiters hop and the prata-maker look lively. At Yar Yassin he is clearly a fixture. Often after his brief meal he hails a taxi out front; occasionally he will bound back to his place again. 
         Returning across the road one morning recently the Beggar's stride struck afresh. How many times had he been observed bounding one way or the other across that busy section of road? So many times without seeing clearly. The Changi Road Beggar has had his left leg amputated high, well above the knee; there would be little of his femur remaining. Months ago the thought had arrived that a longer stump would only cause nuisance; this must have been the logic of the surgeon. What was apparent now was the closely tucked left arm of the man in stride. While this was crooked and held close like that the other arm was extended straight at his side soldier-wise, as if at attention. No doubt the most efficient posture in motion. In so many previous sightings the flapping of the empty cut-offs had never been apparent; and then once collapsed in his usual way at his spot the exertion, chest heaving. Oddly, this was one beggar never to be given alms all this while.