The Blind Busker is a Champion !

 

Mr. Soh Chuan Guan often plays the keyboard and sometimes sings as well.

 

Though blind, he is also a champion blood donor!

I always enjoy listening to street buskers, especially when they play and sing well.

One of them is my favourite - Mr. Soh Chuan Guan who has been blind from birth. He plays the keyboard and of late is also singing along with the cd player. You can find him stationed near the entrance of the Outram MRT Station.

Mr.Soh is quite obliging. He would often play the songs I requested him to play, and I admire his huge repertoire of songs in English, Chinese and Malay.

Mr. Soh is also a champion blood donor as can be seen from the photo which he proudly displays infront of his keyboard. I feel an affinity with him because I am also a champion blood donor, except that I have my eyesight. I am touched that Mr. Soh would take the trouble to go to the blood bank every three months, and
being blind, has to reach there by taxi. Yet, so many people with good health and no handicap have not even bothered to donate blood.

I am also quite touched by Mr. Soh's good friend, who prefers to remain anonymous. He would take Mr. Soh to the Outram MRT station and would stay with him the whole day. He would sit a few metres away from the busker and quietly watch over him probably to see that no one robs his blind friend. He sometimes would read the newspapers to while his time, and sometimes he would talk to the storekeeper from whom he buys drinks for himself and Mr. Soh. Mr. Soh told me that he is his neighbour and is a retired bachelor. What a faithful friend. To me, he is also
a champion - many of these people are like unsung heroes in our nation. They do so much for others but always remain anonymous.

I hope that when my readers pass by Outram MRT station, they will take a few minutes to listen to Mr. Soh's rendition on the keyboard. He is very amiable and will cheer up when you talk to him. You can also request him to play your favourite piece.

"What is this life, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare."

I guess if Joshua Bell, the world famous violinist, were to ever busk in our little island, I would definitely stand and listen to his violin performance, and save myself a few hundred dollars for a seat in the Concert Hall at the Esplanade! :-) Of late, I have learnt that no matter how busy I am, I must always find time to stand and stare.


Gan Cao