小猫跳跳跳，小狗叫叫叫，小弟哈哈笑！
Guess who we learnt this from?


None other than ....


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*drumrolls*



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MR TAY! 
我们学会liao! :D

That's one of the cute songs he learnt in his school long ago, the next time one of you could surprise him by reciting this! 



Yes, it was my turn to visit Uncle Tay with Shengxian and Jeraldine, and witness the legendary Kopi with Butter (x3) for myself. Noteworthy is the amazing speed of the Kopi aunty in bringing his special drink to him before we had even sat down. And another aunty who delivered herbal tea to him and offered to get food for him.
Wah this Uncle Tay, popular guy leh.... ;)

But firstly, for those who are new to Uncle Tay, I dug up this post from the blog (credits to Kaihim)
Uncle Tay's "standard moves" as quoted:

1. Ask if we have eaten.
2. Offer us can drinks.
3. Repeat 1 and 2 indefinitely.
4. Ask if we brought him newspapers.
5. Go drink kopi!

 IT'S ALL TRUE!!!!
 And all these involved him standing and walking about despite his body pains, wanting to make us feel comfortable in his house.

1.5 hours of kopi and chatting (which seemed too fast btw), and there're so many things I'd hold close to my heart and never forget. 

The way Uncle Tay's face lit up (yes, really it's true!) when he suggested that we go drink kopi with him.
How he thanked us many many many times (that's an understatement) throughout the 1.5 hours for bringing him down and accompanying him.
The many things he remember from his childhood! Wartime, what he learnt in school, things he did.
Telling us that he will play the harmonica for us if we get one for him.
Laughing when we asked him to teach us Teochew cos we are noobs at it. 
Saying he is really happy whenever we are there on Saturdays, and that his pains magically disappear LOL.  The big smile when he said that was priceless.
Sharing with us about his sister who can't really visit him anymore because of her legs. There was this sadness and helplessness as he shared this.
His independent demeanour - making sure he has his keys with him at all times, telling us to open his letterbox, and paying for his drink.
Repeatedly rejecting the aunty's offers to help him get his food (hahaha the aunty was so exasperated by that) because he didn't want to trouble her.

And the way he tried to hide his disappointment when it was time for us to leave and he had to go home. Telling us that we must visit him next Saturday. And thanking us profusely again.

We will Because we know how important these Saturdays are to him. 



After a month with THES, I saw the reason that gets each of us up early on Saturday mornings all the way to Geylang Bahru.
Each visit gives us so many lessons that cannot be learnt elsewhere. Uncle Tay's independence despite the many difficulties he faces, his generosity towards us, sincerity, and his easy contentment. I guess we see all these in all the elderly there.

We return week after week not because it's an obligation, but because we really want to.
But why? Why do we want to?
Because They're the ones who've been touching our hearts, over and over again.
And what's the least we could do? Housework for them, listening to them - both sad and happy stories they have, giving our time to them.
That's the least we could do. :)



- LIJIA