An Unforgettable Incident

Some years back, when my eldest brother was taking a group of his little students to Penang, he asked me to accompany them. I did not mind for it meant I could have the chance to also visit my relatives in my hometown. It also meant I would have a lot of fun with the little children who already displayed such great musical talent at so tender an age. The People's Association under the baton of my eldest brother, Kee Yong, was going to stage an orchestral concert in Penang.

In the plane, I was seated next to an elderly lady who was the grandmother of one of the children. Mrs. Lee kept talking to me in Mandarin and I was hoping to get a little nap during the short journey. Despite my sleepy eyes, I could not believe what I saw. She took the forks, spoons, plates and glass and put them in her tote bag. I told her that the items belonged to Singapore Airlines and they were not souvenirs. Later, she asked me about a piece of board showing instructional safety. She too put that into her tote bag, leaving the pocket behind the front seat completly bare! Horror upon horror! She cooly folded the blanket and also put it in her bag!

Just then, I realised Mrs. Lee's complexion and skin were quite smooth and fair, which could suggest a constant diet of birds' nest, ginseng, etc. She was apparently very well off. Though a grandmother, Mrs. Lee looked quite young and energetic. She was heavily laden with jewellery .... thick gold necklaces, jade ring and bangles, ruby earrings and diamond bracelet. "Gosh! Why would someone so rich bother with taking stuff from the plane?" I thought to myself as I turned over to the right for my nap.

The following evening in Penang, Mrs. Lee was robbed of her handbag and jewellery. She was waylaid by two knife-wielding robbers just as she was walking back to the hotel. It was very bad of me, but I had to confess I was very happy when I heard that she was the only one in the group who had been robbed. My usually soft heart was bereft of compassion.! Obviously the two robbers could not stand the glare from her shining jewellery or the pomp and display of wealth. Their eyes had turned green. Or was it an uncanny demonstration of the maxim, "What goes around, comes around!"?

Gan Chau