A New Perception of the Wet Market
Sunday, October 26th, 2008, I'm back! Within the same weekend, I'm back in the wet market to shop or rather, to "do the marketing" for dinner.
Just the day before, my toddler nephew had accompanied us to buy the ingredient. However, he was busy kicking and picking up his new football from the floor and I had to ask my husband to send him to the playground. Today, my niece, a 16 month girl, tugged my fingers and walked me through the front of the vegetable stall instead. I was really intending to quickly pick what I needed and leave. However, her sudden gesture, is almost like a red traffic light, that makes me slow down and look where I was heading.
As the tiny fingers grabbed my hand, a surge of warmth fills me. I slowed myself to meet her pace, while feeling a strong sense of pride that my niece is finally opening up to me. She was really so "gluey" to her mum, my second sister since birth.
I looked at her, while feeling a sense of pride as my brother in law mentioned that she is now getting used to me. Her big eyes eluding a strong sense of curiosity, looking on intently with her head slightly tilted forward, while swiftly checking out the 2 feet tall wire baskets that were probably giant balls to her. :P. Gracia had a pair of big round eyes, soft and luscious hair with curls at the ends. She is so pretty and adorable that it's hard not to like or love her.
With hyper or supermart like NTUC, Carrefour, Shop and Save, Seng Siong and the likes, one wonders if wet market is a dying trade. I can't imagine anyone from the same generation, or any generation after me, enjoying a marketing trip at the wet market. No air-conditioning, damp or even wet floorings, the smell, etc...
As one moves through the hussle and bustle of the city, we get used to the liberty of being able to shop in comfort, shop with the ability to add points to your cards, and soon, probably even more will get used to shopping online.
At that moment, looking at Gracia's wobbling steps, her innocence and especially adorable and pretty face ",) , I stopped, to reminisce the good old days of shopping with my mum. Though gruesome, to watch the chickens being slaughtered live, but, it's the moments of memories which you can't bring back or relive. I still chuckled as I thought of how my mum would bribe us into marketing with her. And, only me, would greedily agree to forsake my sleep to earn a fifty cent for the trip.
Oh, and this reminds me! Once, through the sleepy eyes of mine, a green (I think it should be green at that time) note caught my eye! My heart skipped and my hand spontaneously stretched to grab hold of the five dollar note.
Since then, I always kept my eyes on the floor, hopping for another chance where more money will fall from somewhere. Nonetheless, I would habitually check to see if anyone would return for the money. I'm sure, if I were to lose the money, I would be grieving over the loss.
Maybe, this could be the reason why I used to have dreams of finding loads of money on the road! =D
Back to reality! Would trades like the wet market soon be lost. If youngsters today, youngsters from the next generation would enjoy the beautiful experiences that technology cannot offer.
Just the day before, my toddler nephew had accompanied us to buy the ingredient. However, he was busy kicking and picking up his new football from the floor and I had to ask my husband to send him to the playground. Today, my niece, a 16 month girl, tugged my fingers and walked me through the front of the vegetable stall instead. I was really intending to quickly pick what I needed and leave. However, her sudden gesture, is almost like a red traffic light, that makes me slow down and look where I was heading.
As the tiny fingers grabbed my hand, a surge of warmth fills me. I slowed myself to meet her pace, while feeling a strong sense of pride that my niece is finally opening up to me. She was really so "gluey" to her mum, my second sister since birth.
I looked at her, while feeling a sense of pride as my brother in law mentioned that she is now getting used to me. Her big eyes eluding a strong sense of curiosity, looking on intently with her head slightly tilted forward, while swiftly checking out the 2 feet tall wire baskets that were probably giant balls to her. :P. Gracia had a pair of big round eyes, soft and luscious hair with curls at the ends. She is so pretty and adorable that it's hard not to like or love her.
With hyper or supermart like NTUC, Carrefour, Shop and Save, Seng Siong and the likes, one wonders if wet market is a dying trade. I can't imagine anyone from the same generation, or any generation after me, enjoying a marketing trip at the wet market. No air-conditioning, damp or even wet floorings, the smell, etc...
As one moves through the hussle and bustle of the city, we get used to the liberty of being able to shop in comfort, shop with the ability to add points to your cards, and soon, probably even more will get used to shopping online.
At that moment, looking at Gracia's wobbling steps, her innocence and especially adorable and pretty face ",) , I stopped, to reminisce the good old days of shopping with my mum. Though gruesome, to watch the chickens being slaughtered live, but, it's the moments of memories which you can't bring back or relive. I still chuckled as I thought of how my mum would bribe us into marketing with her. And, only me, would greedily agree to forsake my sleep to earn a fifty cent for the trip.
Oh, and this reminds me! Once, through the sleepy eyes of mine, a green (I think it should be green at that time) note caught my eye! My heart skipped and my hand spontaneously stretched to grab hold of the five dollar note.
Since then, I always kept my eyes on the floor, hopping for another chance where more money will fall from somewhere. Nonetheless, I would habitually check to see if anyone would return for the money. I'm sure, if I were to lose the money, I would be grieving over the loss.
Maybe, this could be the reason why I used to have dreams of finding loads of money on the road! =D
Back to reality! Would trades like the wet market soon be lost. If youngsters today, youngsters from the next generation would enjoy the beautiful experiences that technology cannot offer.
Comments
Anyway, it was a good efford and we enjoyed the rice alot. Thanks.