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[h=2]Introducing PRC bus driver Mr Yu Gui Zhong[/h]
April 30th, 2014 |
Author: Contributions
Mr Yu Gui Zhong
So, here’s introducing Mr Yu Gui Zhong (yes he’s from China). You see, he was
the driver (司机） of the 960 which brought me home tonight, which in and of itself
is nothing very special (else I’d have lotsa bus driver pictures on here every
day).
By nature I’m a very timid person (I AM!!!1 oops caps). Countless times when
I see opportunities to be a positive influence, I pass them up with a
gazibillion excuses. After deliberating, debating, sweating, pretending to look
at the night scenery, and fighting my inner demons for 20 minutes (super extra
dei, what would people think? wah lao REALLY super extra dude all eyes on you
already 0_0, alamak bus stop approaching, what if no time to take proper picture
exposure poor his face blur how??? ARGH DO SOMETHING, GO HARD OR GO HOME– oh
wait I am going home), I plucked up the courage to ask if I could snap a picture
of him. After a simple explanation in mandarin (I am capable of that, thank you
very much), he delightedly agreed.
You see, 20 minutes earlier, while we were in the heart of Bugis and Lil
India, Mr Yu’s tiny, new-gen TIBS 20-seater non-bendy bus (exactly what you
expect of TIBS during peak period?) was of course packed chock-full of people.
Every evening around 9-10pm, you can expect there to be a mass of Indian migrant
workers to be heading back to their quarters from that area, and it ain’t easy
to even get on a 960. Once we hit Sim Lim, it was a foregone conclusion. Nobody
was getting on.
Except, people did.
At the back of my mind I wondered if he would do what most drivers do, stop
just before or after the bus stop and open rear doors for passengers alighting.
However, Mr Yu decided to open the front doors and allow people in. I’m happy
for that… I mean we’re all sardines already, so what’s a few more fish in the
can right? However, as sardine-y as humans can humanly get, there does come a
tipping point, beyond which I’m afraid we inadvertently start disrespecting each
other. Mr Yu then stood up in his seat and glanced to the rear. I expected the
usual “HALLO, AH MOVE BACK, 退后!” plea/demand/threat.
Instead what does he do but direct the Indians getting on board, in super
simple English, to tap their cards in front and hop on at the rear doors. “Ah…
*motions to ezlink reader then rear door*, go….back” They get the drift very
quickly and happily do so. Few stops down, there was this one Indian guy
boarding who didn’t understand Mr Yu, so an Indian passenger who’d been helping
tap wallets for a while now explained the SOP to him. This took place for a few
stops, until we were really unable to take on anyone else. All the while he
spoke with a slight, almost apologetic smile. His tone was friendly, warm,
gentle. I could see that he was trying his utmost to get as many people on his
bus as possible, and almost seemed to enjoy doing it (by that I DO mean he was).
It was nothing heroic, in fact quite a simple thing he did, but it touched my
heart for some reason, and that’s when the gut-wrenching battle began
internally. So many people STOMP Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans alike doing
nasty things to themselves, or each other. Since hooking up with The Hidden Good cause, this
anti-STOMP thing has resonated a little stronger within me. Thank God I saw
beyond my awkwardness.
My pick-up line with him was “你在新加坡驾了多久？(How long have you been driving in
Singapore?” He replied, “Oh not that long, about 6 years.” Wut??! 6 years is a
lifetime, especially with some of the stuff that has been going on with our
apparent perennial tussle with the two F and T alphabets. I don’t know how I’d
survive 6 years in a country that doesn’t really like me and lets me know as
such. I explained that I wanted to take his picture because I thought he was a
good driver, helping as many people to get on as he could, and I wanted people
to know. I didn’t really understand exactly what he was saying (I blame it on
his accent, not my lack of Chinese literacy, let’s just be clear) but his reply
was something along the lines of just trying to help get people back home
peacefully and avoid any trouble in this area, in light of the recent incidents
in the area. Wow. Amazing. In the midst of adversity and hatin’ haters, you can
choose to respond two ways. I’ve met Chinese drivers who obviously don’t give
two hoots whether you survive the ride or not, and then, I also meet people like
Mr Yu Gui Zhong. Thank you for showing us how to live life a little more,
instead of letting it pass us by. If we could all share a little something
beautiful that we see happening each day, we can transform our nation, one
facebook like and share at a time.
SMRT, if you’re reading this, give that man a Tiger (..maybe when he’s
off-duty). He deserves it. If your bus drivers are Captains, this guy confirm
Major already la. For everyone else, if you happen to board Mr Yu’s bus, just
give the man a high-five and walk to the back without explaining yourself.
Christopher Yong
* The writer blogs at Fackbook.
Mr Yu Gui Zhong
So, here’s introducing Mr Yu Gui Zhong (yes he’s from China). You see, he was
the driver (司机） of the 960 which brought me home tonight, which in and of itself
is nothing very special (else I’d have lotsa bus driver pictures on here every
day).
By nature I’m a very timid person (I AM!!!1 oops caps). Countless times when
I see opportunities to be a positive influence, I pass them up with a
gazibillion excuses. After deliberating, debating, sweating, pretending to look
at the night scenery, and fighting my inner demons for 20 minutes (super extra
dei, what would people think? wah lao REALLY super extra dude all eyes on you
already 0_0, alamak bus stop approaching, what if no time to take proper picture
exposure poor his face blur how??? ARGH DO SOMETHING, GO HARD OR GO HOME– oh
wait I am going home), I plucked up the courage to ask if I could snap a picture
of him. After a simple explanation in mandarin (I am capable of that, thank you
very much), he delightedly agreed.
You see, 20 minutes earlier, while we were in the heart of Bugis and Lil
India, Mr Yu’s tiny, new-gen TIBS 20-seater non-bendy bus (exactly what you
expect of TIBS during peak period?) was of course packed chock-full of people.
Every evening around 9-10pm, you can expect there to be a mass of Indian migrant
workers to be heading back to their quarters from that area, and it ain’t easy
to even get on a 960. Once we hit Sim Lim, it was a foregone conclusion. Nobody
was getting on.
Except, people did.
At the back of my mind I wondered if he would do what most drivers do, stop
just before or after the bus stop and open rear doors for passengers alighting.
However, Mr Yu decided to open the front doors and allow people in. I’m happy
for that… I mean we’re all sardines already, so what’s a few more fish in the
can right? However, as sardine-y as humans can humanly get, there does come a
tipping point, beyond which I’m afraid we inadvertently start disrespecting each
other. Mr Yu then stood up in his seat and glanced to the rear. I expected the
usual “HALLO, AH MOVE BACK, 退后!” plea/demand/threat.
Instead what does he do but direct the Indians getting on board, in super
simple English, to tap their cards in front and hop on at the rear doors. “Ah…
*motions to ezlink reader then rear door*, go….back” They get the drift very
quickly and happily do so. Few stops down, there was this one Indian guy
boarding who didn’t understand Mr Yu, so an Indian passenger who’d been helping
tap wallets for a while now explained the SOP to him. This took place for a few
stops, until we were really unable to take on anyone else. All the while he
spoke with a slight, almost apologetic smile. His tone was friendly, warm,
gentle. I could see that he was trying his utmost to get as many people on his
bus as possible, and almost seemed to enjoy doing it (by that I DO mean he was).
It was nothing heroic, in fact quite a simple thing he did, but it touched my
heart for some reason, and that’s when the gut-wrenching battle began
internally. So many people STOMP Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans alike doing
nasty things to themselves, or each other. Since hooking up with The Hidden Good cause, this
anti-STOMP thing has resonated a little stronger within me. Thank God I saw
beyond my awkwardness.
My pick-up line with him was “你在新加坡驾了多久？(How long have you been driving in
Singapore?” He replied, “Oh not that long, about 6 years.” Wut??! 6 years is a
lifetime, especially with some of the stuff that has been going on with our
apparent perennial tussle with the two F and T alphabets. I don’t know how I’d
survive 6 years in a country that doesn’t really like me and lets me know as
such. I explained that I wanted to take his picture because I thought he was a
good driver, helping as many people to get on as he could, and I wanted people
to know. I didn’t really understand exactly what he was saying (I blame it on
his accent, not my lack of Chinese literacy, let’s just be clear) but his reply
was something along the lines of just trying to help get people back home
peacefully and avoid any trouble in this area, in light of the recent incidents
in the area. Wow. Amazing. In the midst of adversity and hatin’ haters, you can
choose to respond two ways. I’ve met Chinese drivers who obviously don’t give
two hoots whether you survive the ride or not, and then, I also meet people like
Mr Yu Gui Zhong. Thank you for showing us how to live life a little more,
instead of letting it pass us by. If we could all share a little something
beautiful that we see happening each day, we can transform our nation, one
facebook like and share at a time.
SMRT, if you’re reading this, give that man a Tiger (..maybe when he’s
off-duty). He deserves it. If your bus drivers are Captains, this guy confirm
Major already la. For everyone else, if you happen to board Mr Yu’s bus, just
give the man a high-five and walk to the back without explaining yourself.
Christopher Yong
* The writer blogs at Fackbook.
