On Sunday, I went to buy lunch for my family at the coffeeshop near my parents' place. We all wanted chicken rice, so when I reached the coffeeshop, I headed straight for the chicken rice stall, which was quite empty. The sales guy motioned to me and I proceeded to give my orders: "5 packets of roast chicken rice, 1 packet...." I couldn't finish my order as an auntie in her 50s interrupted to order her 1 packet of chicken rice to the same sales guy. I looked at her, while she repeat her orders to the sales guy, who by this time, told her that she should wait since I am ordering. She had ignored me till then, and when the sale guy asked her to wait, she turned to me to say " can I order first? It's only 1 packet of chicken rice? Can I order first?"
I looked at her increduiously and asked her why I should let her go first? She said,"my car is waiting and it's only 1 packet of rice." I told her no, and proceeded to complete my orders to the sales guy. Then I moved to the back, sat down and wait for my chicken rice.
The auntie continued to stand in front of the stall and now repeat her orders 3 times to the guy preparing the food.
At least the chicken rice stall guys were fair enough to prepare my orders and I left the stall while she was still waiting there.
It's not a matter of whether I should let her go first or not, as if she had asked properly, I would certainly have allowed her to go first. But the audacity of her to demand and ignore me while jumping queue and to be expected to be first is really unfair and unjust practice. That she would expect to go first cause her car was illegally parked in a ERP car park (which is free parking anyway on Sunday) and to assume that her needs are more important than mine.( How does she know that I am taking my lunch to feed mystarving kids?)
It's not about an eye for an eye, or a ear for a ear, or about revenge. It's about justice. I am Catholic, but I am not stupid to be taken advantage by rude, unjust & self righteous people.
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