For the Underdogs

Dear Chicken Rice man,

First, the words of praise...I appreciate that you have yet to raise the price of your goods, it still remains at RM3.50, since the first day I came, which was 9 months ago...week after week, I have been coming to your shop, in hope to take back with me a packet of chicken rice for lunch...though it ain't the cleanest shop in town, I did appreciate the fact that you allowed me to enjoy the 'extras' without extra charge...The extra veg (cucumbers), extra chili sauce, extra soup...thank you...there are even times, I am willing to pay a little extra, or refuse the change...as a thank you gesture for your generosity...

Now, comes the not-so-nice part...

So your Indonesian maid may be slow...she may not be able to understand you fully...yea, so you could say she is stupid...but ever toyed with the possibility that she may not understand you because you speak horrible Malay??...you tend to throw in some Cantonese words...and your Malay speaking, is just merely a direct translation from your mother tongue, Cantonese...and you expect her to understand you fully?...That is a bit too much to ask, isn't it?...

But that isn't the chicken bone that I wanna pick on...

I just wonder, what the other customers think of you...when you complaint aloud to them, in front of your poor maid about her...so she may not understand a word you say, since you are babbling so fast in Cantonese...but I am sure she is not as stupid as to not suspect, especially when you are hitting her head half the time...and calling her a retard in Cantonese...I am not sure if you will agree with me...but I honestly believe that you complaining and telling me how stupid your Indonesian maid is...tells me that you have no respect for your co-workers at all...no respect for her feelings...no respect for who she is...plus, I hate all the shouting...and your constant barking at her...it hurts my ear so...and it is difficult to enjoy the food placed before me...

Is it because she is of a 'lower class' than you?...Is it because she is of a darker skin than yours?...is it because she is helpless and limited by her vocabulary to converse with you?...

I gave your Indonesian maid a smile...and thanked her for bringing my plate of rice over...and I saw her smile for the very first time...that really is a positive change from what I usually see...a sad face, totally void of emotions...and I am encouraged....she brightened up my day, as I have hers, for that day...I am just sorry I am not able to do so on an hourly basis...and that she will have to bear with a loser like you till her contract is over...

I am in a dilemma now...I look forward to see her smile again...somehow, my heart goes out to her...but yet, every time I come, I am filled with rage, observing the way you mistreat her...and frustrated that I can't help beyond an occasional smile or two...and slipping in a word of thanks...

I feel tempted into boycotting your food stall...and I think I will...I no longer find contentment in purchasing your goods anymore...hence I am informing you that I will never put my foot into your food stall ever again...so, starting today, tell your accounts manager, that there will be an RM7 (I come twice a week) decline in weekly profits...for I have chosen to take my food business elsewhere...and you're very welcome...

I just hope that as I walk pass your food stall to another, I will be able to meet your Indonesian maid again...to hand her a familiar smile...and pray hard, that she will find happiness elsewhere...as she can never find with you...