Much Ado About Mani....

 

 

 

Despite having lived in Little India for the past four years, I first noticed Mani, the parakeet, some three months ago when I was waiting at the bus stop at Tekka Market. His owner, had put two parakeets in a cage which I felt was too small for the birds' comfort. As an animal lover, I like to see fishes in bigger tanks and birds in bigger cages. Mani's owner saw me looking at the parakeets, and beckoned me. I shook my head. Oh No! I was not going to let my fortune be dictated by the prediction of a creature no matter how accurate it was famed to be!! As a Christian, my trust and hope is in my wonderful Creator.

Hence, I was surprised by all the excitement that was going on when I came back from my two weeks vacation in London and Barcelona. Suddenly Mani has become a sensation and all because of the creativity of some journalists in Singapore. Mani has become the rival of Paul, the octopus!! And suddenly, Mani's owner, Mr. Muniyappan, became richer by some extra takings a day. Indeed Mani has endorsed his name of Manikam!
(Money come).

When I read that Mani had chosen Holland to win, I had no choice but to take sides with the little parakeet. I had not followed any match since the beginning and it only mattered to me that as a Singaporean I should give Mani my support. Frankly I would have preferred to support Spain, having just established some friendship with some Spaniards in Barcelona.

I woke up in time to watch the final between Spain and Holland. Gosh! From the way the game was played, I knew that Spain would win. The footballers were great in passing the ball to one another. Kudos to Holland too! It was a tough game, and I felt tired from watching the tedious match.

The articles in the New Paper on Monday caught my attention. As Singaporeans we learn to laugh and be stoical, and we, like Mr. Muniyappan, also resign ourselves to whatever outcome life has to offer us. Now our Mani-Kam has become Mani-No-Kam. (Money no come). Now Mr. Muniyappan has reverted to earning his usual takings of about $50 a day, instead of the $600 or more when Mani became a sensation for his earlier accurate prediction.

I hope that the small cage is only a working cage for Mani, and that when the parakeet is home, his owner would put it and the other parakeet, Munis, into bigger cages. Better still, to have a free run and flight of the apartment. After all the parakeets deserve royal treatment for all the money they have brought in for their owner all these years.

Gan Cao