Retrospective

Back in the days before MacDonalds became a Corporate Giant.

When "Fusion" was associated with nuclear science instead of food.

Back to the time when Coca Cola was not readily affordable to the masses on this Sunny little Island called Singapore.....

There was Huang Li Suai (AKA "Pineapple Water").

The preparation of this beverage is simple. Cut a full pineapple, add lots of water, add some sugar for taste, then leave to simmer on a stove; after boiling, leave to cool. Serve with crushed ice, spoon and straw in cup. Perfect for hot days, this simple beverage quenched the thirst of the locals during those pioneering years of Modernization in Singapore.

The drink sold well. Back in my mother's days, it costs but a few cents; in my childhood (1980s) years I remember paying 40 to 50 cents for a cup. Hell!! Was it delicious!! The cut pineapples were thickly sliced. Juicy. Bursting with sweetness flavoured by the sugar water it was boiled in. I recall the fun "fishing" the chunks of pineapple resting below the floating crushed ice-cubes.

This morning as I had Brunch, I chanced across a stall still selling this little item.

The stall was laid out like a page from my memory - somehow they almost always seem the same.

There were a few big transparent containers holding different home made drinks. A crushing machine was in the background whirling to crush Sugar Canes. And holding an extended scoop at the end of its handle was an elderly lady scooping the beverage into a cup.

I had Pineapple Water with Brunch.

In fact - I ordered another 5 more packets for my family of 7 (4 adults, 3 kids) and paid for before I sat down to eat.

Polishing off my food, I sat there and lit up my cigarette. Fishing up the pineapple chunks with my oily spoon (they don't provide spoons these days due to cost), puffing away under the umbrella shielding the sun above me. For a while, the world stood still as I took in the moment - contemplating the days long past. Reminiscing how different it felt 20years ago.

Tossing my cigarette butt and getting up, I moved over to collect the remaining 5 packets from the elderly matron.

There she was, busily scooping and serving other customers while I waited. I didn't have the heart to impose as she was (what should we call it) "Under-staffed". After a good 5 mins, she noticed that I was waiting, she spoke to me and pointed over to the table.

Picking up the pack, I smiled and thanked her politely before moving on.

It was not until I was moving down the steps of the staircase that I really registered what she said. She had given me an extra packet of drink free-of-charge.

Flash back to when I was ordering the drinks, the elderly lady and I started a conversation. It happened when I made my order and was proceeding to pay her in advance; she told me it was $3.60.

At $3.60 for 6 drinks, each would cost a minuscule $0.60 - compare that to my childhood days of $0.50. Her profit margin is seriously questionable.

I casually conversed on how cost of things had gone up, and marvelled at how she had maintained such a low prices. I noticed that she was nearly out of Pineapple water and told her if she didn't have enough, she could substitute my order with something else. She responded with a smile and told me that profits are low and she needed the big volume of customers to keep up her business.

"Come earlier to book next time, if not I might be sold out!" she mentioned with a laugh.

Looking down to the pack of drinks while I continued walking, my face kept its expressionless gaze despite the bombardment of feelings assaulting my conscious mind. Out of the many thoughts pulsing through my head, one thought would be relevant to this audience:

"My nieces will have Pineapple Water, bought by their uncle, tonight.....
But can they buy Pineapple Water for their uncle (even if they want to) 20 years later?"

In a world where things grow obsolete faster than the people can adapt - how gracefully will you go, when you your turn is up?