A soya bean cafe. Cool, rainy weather.
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap, queuing absentmindedly. His turn next to be served by the soya bean lady at the serving counter.
A petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans walks in. A toddler trails behind her. She turns around and picks up the toddler. She joins queue.
I look away to take a bite at the peanut rice ball in my soya bean curd. Yes, the scene developing is not from television or film or romance novel. It’s right here at a famous soya beancurd stall.
I look up again.
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap makes his order. While the soya bean lady prepares his order, big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap looks to his side.
The world freezes for 5 seconds. Petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans smiles. First.
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap smiles. Unsure.
Another 5 seconds.
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap: ...oh... hey..!
A petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans: ... heyyy....!
The world transforms into beautiful, soft bokeh.
A petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans: ...fancy meeting you... here.. it’s been ages.
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap seems not able to sink into the moment.
A petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans: ...what are you doing.... erm... here..?
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap: ....errrm.... just happened to be here. How about you..?
A petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans: Oh I was just sending... (toddler’s name) for his checkup.
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap acknowledges. But his eyes still transfixed to petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans.
A petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans: (toddler’s name) say “hi uncle..!”
Soya bean lady at counter: $8.60 PLEASE...!
Big dude with oversized love handles and Beats headphones over a black cap pays for his soya bean. He takes a moment to look at toddler. His eyes strays to petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans carrying toddler. He smiles at toddler’s mother. There are 1001 things running in his head, under the Beats headphone over the black cap. He leaves but smiles at petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans carrying toddler.
A petite lady in black tudung and tight jeans carrying toddler also has 1001 things running in her head, inside the black tudung, as big dude walks away.
Her gaze strays away. She sees me watching her. I look down at my warm bowl of soya beancurd with peanut rice balls.
I dig into the bowl to take another mouthful of the rice ball in soya beancurd. Nice peanut rice balls in warm soya beancurd in nice cool rainy weather.
