Dear sir/madam
I would like to voice my concern at the reported move and possible disbanding of the Sungei Road Second-hand Market.
As a regular visitor here over the last number of years I have often gravitated to this market in order to seek out what is difficult to come-by in this rapidly transforming country. It seems to me such seemingly negligible quarters of cities could in fact constitute jewels of their own kind that weigh more precious than generic big budget tourist draws and entertainments.
The vivid display of history, culture, enterprise, spirit of endurance and community offered by such locales as the Sungei Road Market should not be casually under-estimated.
A plea for the voice of the traders to be heard and respected for the sake of the city itself.
Sincerely yours
I would like to voice my concern at the reported move and possible disbanding of the Sungei Road Second-hand Market.
As a regular visitor here over the last number of years I have often gravitated to this market in order to seek out what is difficult to come-by in this rapidly transforming country. It seems to me such seemingly negligible quarters of cities could in fact constitute jewels of their own kind that weigh more precious than generic big budget tourist draws and entertainments.
The vivid display of history, culture, enterprise, spirit of endurance and community offered by such locales as the Sungei Road Market should not be casually under-estimated.
A plea for the voice of the traders to be heard and respected for the sake of the city itself.
Sincerely yours
PR
Thursday 31 July 2014 Straits Times letter to
the editor in response to a news item of the day before. Judged not palatable
enough at the editorial desk. Some oddness in viewpoint possibly, a note of irascibility.
Hard on the heels of the penning this afternoon another captivating royal performance at the Thieves. Again a sense of having stumbled onto a stage-set beyond the looking-glass. Here is an old thin ancient child-size on her haunches trading from a piece of fabric opposite the two sisters on the corner of the main thoroughfares. (How did these sisters own that prime location? By what arcane right?) Before the woman on their own haunches two sisters of the younger generation, lovely middle-upper Primary twins from a Normal stream. They were twins alright; no mistake. Appeared; perhaps the first pair in the three years in the small gene pool in this oddly composed city-state. Loose strands of hair pulled behind an ear, bare crooked knees, fledgling bird-like features in fine plumage as if on a branch. The pair were apprising a couple of bright toys the old woman had among her spread These white uniforms had not been freshly laundered; the pair lived in either the Rochor block behind, or else the similar at the end of the row in front. First a coloured tin car that might have been a secret money-box, splitting down the centre so that a thief would never know. To close you needed to bang on your knee. Neat. One tried and then the other's turn, all shared and in consultation. Good too was a small ten inch red periscope: look in the bottom to spy over the top of a hedge; around the corner of a balcony. Third was some kind of red miniature on wheels. It was the last two they were particularly fixed upon. (Money-box too rich.) A brief to-and-fro with the old vendor, in size and proportion a perfectly fitting third party. The woman had cut her queue long ago; not yet the girls. Wrinkles didn't stop the old lady smiling: the urchins here assuming the closed, expressionless visage…. Where were they making off with the goods like that!?
— ….You gave it to them Auntie.
— They no money have, the woman defended herself.
Ooooh, gee. Shucks....
Woman wouldn’t take the two dollars compensation.
— You buy. I no take your money, indicating the choice array spread before her.
Woman traded in fifty cent and one dollar items, she was giving it away; selling herself short. Twice refused the offering.
— Very kind auntie.
— You very kind too, a chap down on his haunches beside suddenly inserting himself. Where did he come from just then?...
Auntie couldn't be moved, shifting her attention to a Bangla man crouching over her wares. The woman was a trader not a beggar. This was her treat.
NB. The Sungei Road second-hand market is also known as the Thieves Market, the term proudly claimed by the vendors themselves.
Hard on the heels of the penning this afternoon another captivating royal performance at the Thieves. Again a sense of having stumbled onto a stage-set beyond the looking-glass. Here is an old thin ancient child-size on her haunches trading from a piece of fabric opposite the two sisters on the corner of the main thoroughfares. (How did these sisters own that prime location? By what arcane right?) Before the woman on their own haunches two sisters of the younger generation, lovely middle-upper Primary twins from a Normal stream. They were twins alright; no mistake. Appeared; perhaps the first pair in the three years in the small gene pool in this oddly composed city-state. Loose strands of hair pulled behind an ear, bare crooked knees, fledgling bird-like features in fine plumage as if on a branch. The pair were apprising a couple of bright toys the old woman had among her spread These white uniforms had not been freshly laundered; the pair lived in either the Rochor block behind, or else the similar at the end of the row in front. First a coloured tin car that might have been a secret money-box, splitting down the centre so that a thief would never know. To close you needed to bang on your knee. Neat. One tried and then the other's turn, all shared and in consultation. Good too was a small ten inch red periscope: look in the bottom to spy over the top of a hedge; around the corner of a balcony. Third was some kind of red miniature on wheels. It was the last two they were particularly fixed upon. (Money-box too rich.) A brief to-and-fro with the old vendor, in size and proportion a perfectly fitting third party. The woman had cut her queue long ago; not yet the girls. Wrinkles didn't stop the old lady smiling: the urchins here assuming the closed, expressionless visage…. Where were they making off with the goods like that!?
— ….You gave it to them Auntie.
— They no money have, the woman defended herself.
Ooooh, gee. Shucks....
Woman wouldn’t take the two dollars compensation.
— You buy. I no take your money, indicating the choice array spread before her.
Woman traded in fifty cent and one dollar items, she was giving it away; selling herself short. Twice refused the offering.
— Very kind auntie.
— You very kind too, a chap down on his haunches beside suddenly inserting himself. Where did he come from just then?...
Auntie couldn't be moved, shifting her attention to a Bangla man crouching over her wares. The woman was a trader not a beggar. This was her treat.
NB. The Sungei Road second-hand market is also known as the Thieves Market, the term proudly claimed by the vendors themselves.
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