I was in the same lift as the Yakult lady.
You know, the ladies who peddles Yakult door-to-door weekly with their bicycles
and a little ice box for the tiny bottles of Lactobacillus casei.
and a little ice box for the tiny bottles of Lactobacillus casei.
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| Source: yakult.com.sg |
The Yakult lady looked just like one of them.
I was fascinated.
All these years, these ladies strike me as very hardworking and efficient people.
All these years, these ladies strike me as very hardworking and efficient people.
I always like Yakult over Vitagen.
The Meji cultured milk drink just doesn't hit the right spot.
I remembered visiting the Yakult plant at Senoko when I was a kid.
It was so awesome-ly bewildering!
Though I can't recall if it was a school excursion or a Community Centre educational trip.
Did you know touring the Yakult factory is free??
Mondays to Fridays : 10.00am – 11.30am
2.00pm – 3.30pmT: 67561033 ext 77 / 79
Each tour takes about 1.5 hour and you will be escorted by their PR staff.
Plus you get a free bottle of Yakult to drink!!
#gianpengSingaporean
I wonder if we get to choose flavour.
I only like Ace Light.
#gianpeng&mahuanSingaporean
I wonder if we get to choose flavour.
I only like Ace Light.
#gianpeng&mahuanSingaporean
Remember to call and check for slot availablilty before heading down to the Wonderland of Lactobacillus casei!
I think it's a such fun thing to do with your friends or kids!
Anyway, back to my first point, yes, I was intrigued by the Yakult auntie and sensing my interest, she started asking me if I drink Yakult.
See! I told you they are hardworking!
Working even in an elevator ride!
The conversation eventually morphed into me asking her how long she had been selling Yakult.
She said ever since she moved into the estate, which was 3 years ago.
“負擔重，沒辦法！”
In her words.
She offered me her name card to call if I wanted to buy Yakult and told me she delivers every Wednesday.
And sometimes, if most of her customers were not at home, she would come again on Thursday.
很賣命hor?
What I bought from the Yakult auntie.
It's the same price as buying from supermarkets. =)
And then another day, this teenager boy came up to me when I was about to unlock my house door.
There was another chubby boy with him.
They didn't look Ah Bengs.
They WERE Ah Bengs.
Turned out that they were from some Boys' Home (having committed some petty crime) and peddling Magnolia ice-cream in boxes
That kind that the ice-cream uncle cut out rectangles of it and sandwich it between 2 slices of wafer biscuits.
The boy showed a letter to prove that they were authentic and not some con men.
Selling ice-cream was part of their reform or something.
These 2 boys were really eloquent!
The chubby boy launched his sale pitch when my neighbour came to answer his door and was saying something like:
“先生，希望你不要看不起我們因爲我們曾經犯過法！”
Wah, 打同情牌！
While the teenager boy was pitching his sales talk, all I was thinking was:
This young chap might make a good Postboy. He looks strong.
Like an experienced street fighter.
Sure can carry the endless bags of parcels.
Woah, check out the big tattoo on his calf.
Can talk so well, pity mine is an online shop and not a physical shop.
If I can employ him, this reminds me of the Yellow Ribbon project.
Kinda great how Yellow Ribbon project has helped so many ex-inmates.
Wonder if he's going to impress me with his vocabulary of expletives if I don't buy.
At least, he's earning money the legitimate way.
That's something worth encouraging him.
Anyway, back to my first point, yes, I was intrigued by the Yakult auntie and sensing my interest, she started asking me if I drink Yakult.
See! I told you they are hardworking!
Working even in an elevator ride!
The conversation eventually morphed into me asking her how long she had been selling Yakult.
She said ever since she moved into the estate, which was 3 years ago.
“負擔重，沒辦法！”
In her words.
She offered me her name card to call if I wanted to buy Yakult and told me she delivers every Wednesday.
And sometimes, if most of her customers were not at home, she would come again on Thursday.
很賣命hor?
What I bought from the Yakult auntie.
It's the same price as buying from supermarkets. =)
And then another day, this teenager boy came up to me when I was about to unlock my house door.
There was another chubby boy with him.
They didn't look Ah Bengs.
They WERE Ah Bengs.
Turned out that they were from some Boys' Home (having committed some petty crime) and peddling Magnolia ice-cream in boxes
That kind that the ice-cream uncle cut out rectangles of it and sandwich it between 2 slices of wafer biscuits.
The boy showed a letter to prove that they were authentic and not some con men.
Selling ice-cream was part of their reform or something.
These 2 boys were really eloquent!
The chubby boy launched his sale pitch when my neighbour came to answer his door and was saying something like:
“先生，希望你不要看不起我們因爲我們曾經犯過法！”
Wah, 打同情牌！
While the teenager boy was pitching his sales talk, all I was thinking was:
This young chap might make a good Postboy. He looks strong.
Like an experienced street fighter.
Sure can carry the endless bags of parcels.
Woah, check out the big tattoo on his calf.
Can talk so well, pity mine is an online shop and not a physical shop.
If I can employ him, this reminds me of the Yellow Ribbon project.
Kinda great how Yellow Ribbon project has helped so many ex-inmates.
Wonder if he's going to impress me with his vocabulary of expletives if I don't buy.
At least, he's earning money the legitimate way.
That's something worth encouraging him.
One box of chocolate chip ice-cream at S$20.
I bought.
Though I know it's crap that a A5-sized box of Magnolia ice-cream is selling for that price.
No lah, not under threat.
Honestly, I couldn't be sure if their cause was authentic.
But selling ice-cream wasn't that illegal anyway.
Honestly, I couldn't be sure if their cause was authentic.
But selling ice-cream wasn't that illegal anyway.
I wonder how much he actually earn from it.
My rule of thumb in life is no saleman will be turned away from my doorstep, if I can determine that he/she is not a conman.
I know first hand how tough it is to be doing door-to-door sale.
And of course, must be something I generally can use/eat.
就當是結個善緣！
Afer he left, I had a nagging feeling that I should have said something motivating to him.
Like:
I think it's great that you are earning money legally now and not being a loanshark runner.
Amazing that you are willing to and can turn over a new leaf!
You're still so young & can talk so well! No fear of no proper job next time!
You're still so young & can talk so well! No fear of no proper job next time!
By the way, you wanna work for TFL when you are, erm, released?
Alright, I made up the loanshark runner part.
Neither am I that sure he will make a good candidate for TFL work.
I don't know if saying something encouraging will make any difference to him.
He might just retort me with a "You think you're my mother ah? Pui! $#*#%$@!"
Then what do I say?
But as long as someone, be it the Yakult auntie or this teenage boy, is putting in the effort to make money the right way and not just sit there, complaining about life, the government and every other teeny-weeny thing, don't they all deserve a pat on the back, in one way or another?
I convince myself that everyone likes to hear good things about themselves.
Next time, I will pluck up the courage and say something nice.
If the teenage boy's cause is a hoax, he might just feel guilty and give me a discount.
欣雨 Xinyu
