A finger reached out to touch my right forearm. I quickly responded to the signaling of the "auntie" (a term we lovingly use in Singapore) to sit on the empty seat beside her on the two-seater right beside the train exit.
I sat down beside her. She look to be in her 70s. Her hair is fully white. She held on to a couple of recyclable bags on her lap.
"I asked you to sit since there are seats available. Sometimes there are none. But at this station usually many people leave, and seats become available".
I acknowledged and responded with a brief "thank you".
While catching up on work emails on my mobile phone, she started to strike a conversation with me.
As the train whizzed pass Bishan station she would comment that at this station onwards there will be some seats available. Especially at Newton MRT there will be even more seats because people change to the Blue line.
She said she preferred taking the MRT when going to work, but the Bus instead when leaving work for home.
"Going home you are not in a rush, so you can take the bus and slowly get home. If going to work I prefer taking the MRT."
We sat in short silence, before she would break the silence once in a while like a traveling veteran to comment on which station would have free seats, at times pointing her fingers towards the few unoccupied seats.
"Old people shouldn't stand in the train for too long. Their knees are weak. But sometimes people don't give up their seats. Old people should stay at home during peak hours." She commented.
"You are still willing to talk to me. Many young people don't chat with me. They find me repetitive, long-winded. They are more interested in making money and those money topics..."
I nodded my head in acknowledgement of how she felt and replied in a comforting way. "The world has evolved over time; the young may have different priorities and challenges in life."
A sense of curiosity and remembrance of the stories my grandmother used to tell me when I was little arose in me, and I replied to her other point about chatting with strangers.
"Sometimes it's nice to hear people's stories. Everyone has their interesting stories to share".
I asked her about the nature of her work, whether it's done standing up or seated down. She shared with me that it's done standing up. She washes the dishes. And she is used to standing up so it's not a big issue for her.
She then told me that at her workplace, it's hard to find dishwashers these days. She mentioned that the food stall selling vegetarian food has been asking her if she has friends who can come and work for them. She told me it wasn't that she is unwilling to help find people for the stall owner. Her friends are all aged 70 to 80.
"Many of them are not up to doing dishwashing jobs. It's not just about being able to stand for long hours."
"Washing dishes in the commercial setting is different from washing a sink full of cutleries at home for the family."
She seem to feel competent in her role and yet being able to empathize with people of her age.
I commented that she looks fit and healthy for her age.
She said "not really". She told me that she catches the cold and flu bug easily from others. She then shifted her body slightly away from me and signaling her hand and body gestures in an animated way before continuing "like, if I sit beside a person who is coughing and sneezing, the next day I will surely have the same symptoms. That's why I wear a mask." She pointing to her mask that I've noticed had slipped down from her nose many times.
The train announced we were at Novena station, a station before the next one that I would be getting off. I looked at her caringly like I would to my grandma and said "maybe try to take more fruits. It has vitamin C and can help in our immune system."
She shared that she has always dislike vegetables and fruits since young. "I usually eat meat - chicken, pork, duck" to which I responded in a slightly faster pace knowing that I had to get off soon.
"Eating too much meat is not good for the body, the body also needs more vegetables and fruits to keep it healthy...."
As the train starts to slow down on approaching the station, I told her that I'm getting off here. She nodded and said gently "ok, ok".
I stood up. I turn my head one last time and repeated with a warm, cheeky smile
"Remember to eat more fruits and vegetables, ok, auntie?"
And she repeated her reply "I'm used to eating meat...". The same response but by this time is of a softer, lighter and open tone.
I wade my way out of the train door through the crowds. Feeling my foot stepping on the stairs and marble ground. A warm sensation flowed through my body as I wished Auntie well in my mind, amid a flash of longing followed by grief and then ease, as the images of grandma came into my mind.
Moments like this are precious. The opportunity to connect with a stranger, being listened to and listening to others is becoming increasingly rare in this modern, fast-paced society.