When the old Chinese man came up to the dustbin in front of the bus-stop, I thought he would, like many other old folk I had previously seen do, stretch his hands into it to look for used aluminium cans so that he could exchange them later for hard cash.

But, this man picked up a used bubble tea cup which he placed on the top of the dustbin. Then, he reached into the bin again and, this time, I saw in his hands a plastic bag - the kind used for storing take-away drinks. He proceeded to sip the remnants of the black liquid from the plastic bag after which he threw the bag back into the bin. The man continued on his way after picking up the bubble tea cup which still had some tea left. As he walked along the pavement outside Hougang Plaza, he sipped the tea, oblivious to the curious looks of those at the bus-stop.

That happened last Saturday. I recall witnessing a similar incident long ago as a 10-year-old boy in North Bridge Road where I spent my childhood. Then, I had seen an old Chinese man picking up leftover pig trotters from a swill bin and eating them there and then. But, that happened in the late 1960’s - more than 30 years ago.

I told myself it couldn’t be happening in Singapore now. But, I wasn’t seeing things last weekend. There were several other people waiting for the bus too. They saw what happened. The old man outside Hougang Plaza didn’t look like a vagabond. He was dressed just like any other grandfather one would meet in the streets. And he wasn’t untidy.

Perhaps, this man was senile. But, he didn’t look it. Today, as I read The Straits Times, my attention focussed on an article on parental maintenance. Among other things, it said that 105 cases were heard in the parental maintenance tribunal in 2004, up from 88 in 20031.

Apparently, siblings were quarrelling over financial maintenance of their parents. Ms Penny Tham, spokesman for the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents, was quoted in the article as saying, “Long-standing bitterness between siblings spawn such cases.”
I cannot say for certain that the old man I saw drinking from the used bubble tea cup is a victim of similar circumstances. But, in my estate alone, I often see old people going around picking up used aluminium cans, and then flattening them with their feet before placing them in a bag they carried with them. They are a common sight nowadays in Singapore. Perhaps their children are not giving them any allowances. Perhaps, they need to feed a smoking habit for which their pocket money was insufficient. Whatever the reasons, I don’t think it’s fair for their children to be calculating towards them or neglect them in their old age.

I despair to think of my old age. If I get to live to a ripe old age, will my compulsory CPF savings be enough to last me through my twilight years. Will my children - that is, if I can persuade my wife to have children - be kind enough to support my wife and me when we are no longer productive and have to depend on them for maintenance.

I see many youngsters engaged in animated conversation over who has the latest mobile phone and I think, at this age, they have yet to earn money and they are already bowing to peer pressure and thinking of spending more than pocket change. When they come into the mainstream of society, will they wise up and live prudently or will their parents still have to support them then?

Yesterday, I was having lunch with my wife in a foodcourt in Hougang Mall. Seated at another table next to us was a family of four - father, mother, and two pre-teen boys. Forgive me for being nosey, but, I couldn’t help noticing that both parents shared a bowl of Yong Tau Hoo while the two boys each had a western meal, complete with can drinks. It wasn’t the first time I had witnessed such things happening.

My point is this - as parents we do our part, but can we count on our children to do theirs and take care of us when we grow old? I despair to think of the answer.
I need to find good reasons to give my wife to convince her to have children. Providing descendants to carry on my family name isn’t a good enough reason for her.

1 The Straits Times 28 Mar 2005 (H3)

In the first nine months of last year - 2002 - robbery cases involving elderly victims increased by 16 per cent, from 61 to 71 cases, compared to the same period in 2001.

As the economy struggles to get back to its feet, criminals are likely to continue targetting the elderly, for they appear to be easier prey than, say younger adults. The reason for this is clear - the elderly are not as mobile or as agile as those younger. Therefore, they can’t put up much of a defence when accosted by criminals lurking in the vicinity, looking for easy prey.

There have been news reports on such crimes. In fact, one or two victims have appeared on television during the evening news recently. 

Just two days ago, on Saturday, I was a witness to what would have been another robbery case involving an elderly victim. I had just bought breakfast and was about to turn into the stairs in the void deck of my block of flats in Hougang when I noticed a man dismounting from his bicycle and approaching an old woman who was sitting alone in her wheelchair next to the staircase.

The man, who apparently had thought the coast was clear, was taken aback when I appeared out of nowhere. He stopped in front of his parked bicycle. When I laid eyes on him, I was just next to the old woman and about to make my way up the stairs so I didn’t make much of the chance meeting. However, as I climbed the stairs, my sixth sense was aroused. So were my suspicions! I paused on the staircase landing.

I tried to look downwards into the staircase entrance and could make out the man was standing next to the old lady. He was obviously doing something but I just couldn’t see the two of them from where I was. I heard the woman shouting loudly a name which I learnt later was the maid’s name.

One half of me was telling me to stay put and not poke my nose into other’s affairs and the other was exhorting me to go to the old lady’s assistance. I admit I am not brave but the thought of a harmless old lady being abused somehow rang alarm bells in me and I found myself rushing down the stairs.
 
The man, on seeing me, rushed to his bicycle. When I took out my handphone and started punching some numbers, he got onto his bicycle and fled. I looked around. The old lady was unharmed, although she was quite frightened. Fortunately, nothing was taken from her - she was wearing a thick gold bracelet on one wrist and some rings.

It was 10 am at the time and I had just got through to 999. I told the officer on the line the whole happening and gave a brief description of the man, together with the direction he had fled towards. At about 10.45 am, an officer rang me to tell me a suspect fitting the description I had given had been found.
 
The police’s speed in attending to the case simply amazed me! I am glad the policemen charged with protecting the neighbourhood were very effective in carrying out their duties.

I was also glad that I had somehow found the courage to knock myself out of nonchalance to help the old lady. We never know how we would come out of a situation like this until it happens to us. I am no hero, really, just someone who has discovered that he can conquer the weaker half of himself if the need arises.

The old lady was lucky this time round. I figure she will not let her maid leave her alone again in the void deck. It pays to be vigilant. Just keep an alert eye when moving around in the neighbourhood. Report suspicious characters to the police. Be on the lookout, especially for suspicious-looking people on bicycles. I have since learnt that these criminal elements tend to prefer using bicycles. The reason is clear - someone running away will attract lots of attention, but someone fleeing on bicycle won’t attract much attention. 

It’s that time of the year when we reflect on what we have done for the whole year and then contemplate our resolutions for the coming new year.

Yes, tomorrow’s New Year’s Eve! Before we are even finished with the twelve days of Christmas and the new English year, we are bombarded with reminders out there in the neighbourhood shops and shopping centres that Chinese New Year is also just round the corner, for the Year of the Goat new year greeting cards and decorations have come out in full force in these places.

As a Late Baby Boomer*, I have been privileged to witness and to experience what Chinese New Year has been like through the years - from the 60s to the 70s, then the 80s and 90s and in the debuting years of the new millennium. I particularly relish the fact that I was able to play with firecrackers in the 60s right through to 1972 when the ban came into effect.

Now that’s a privilege youngsters nowadays are not privy to. But, as I begin to feel sorry for these youngsters, I suddenly remember that in my time as a youngster, I didn’t quite have the trappings that modern-day lifestyle has provided for youngsters of today - things like, jeans, T-shirts, PCs, handphones, McDonald’s, Play Station, etc. The list goes on and on.

Yes! Indeed, I should envy these youngsters, for they are born in the right time - of peace, prosperity and progress here in Singapore - and need not see or experience the sufferings of those born in an earlier timespace - people who had to live life in a different world - of world wars, and civil unrest.

Do the youngsters think they are pretty lucky, then? I doubt so. Many of them do not have time for such thoughts. They are caught up in the struggle for ownership of handphones and other whatnots. They are busy comparing what others have that they do not have and yearn for more buying power, much to the chagrin of their parents.
 
So what’s the future for Singapore when our young are more interested in their own gains than pondering about our island’s future? Is the competition for material benefits just a passing fad in that tumultuous teenage period or is it a symptom of a disease that will plague our youngsters of today in Singapore when they come of age?

Only time will tell, but we simply do not have that privilege of waiting, for statistics are against us. In the 1970s, when I was a teenager, for every one (1)** old person over 60 years old in Singapore, there were more than eight (8) economically active people - thanks to the post-war baby boom from 1947 to 1964.
 
And in 2030, when I will be in my 70s, for every one (1)** old person over 60 years old, there will only be 2 economically active persons supporting that person. Now that’s a heavy burden for the youngsters of today to shoulder when they join the employment market.
We certainly can’t stop time. But, we can change the perceptions of our young - before it’s too late. Already, the Government is making it compulsory for those at school to do project work. Now, that spells good news for the Baby Boomers. With exposure to the community, these young minds stand a chance of being broadened. Think of it not as a brainwashing of their minds, but rather, as a nurturing of the correct attitudes so that they will more than spare a thought for others, especially the elderly.

That’s certainly a step in the right direction. But, we, as parents, need to let go of our instinctive urge (yes, we do want them to have what we didn’t have before) to spoil our kids. We should not give in to their every whim and fancy but stand firm. This way, we will not do harm to the Government’s efforts at imbuing our young with the correct mindset to take care of us when we grow old - for we will grow old.

So my new year resolution is pretty straightforward. I hope to see our young thinking of others first before they think of themselves. It’s another 30 years or so before the 2030s; I believe our young can come around.

Have a wonderful end of the year!

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*Pre-War/War-time cohort: 1935 - 1946
*Early baby boom cohort: 1947 - 1954
*Late baby boom cohort: 1955 - 1964
*Statistics quoted from The Baby Boomers in Singapore (June 2000)
**Statistics quoted from The Elderly in Singapore (June 1988)