i think i am not made to work, my delicate, peeling blistered eczema-ed fingers chaffing at the thought of effort. what a relief it was to be relieved from promoting (vainly) expensive services just opposite bugis street! yes, bugis street, which was just CALLING out to us "come, come into my embrace, and empty your pockets into my waiting arms!" while sm and i stood tantalising near (but ohsofar) making absolutely no money from our 3hour endeavour. haha.
1. The Nodders
These are the ones who literally serve themselves to the doorstep, pressing their noses to the posters with their arms crossed. So we approach them enthusiastically and tell them about the services and the promotions. Then they'll nod, nod and say is it? what else? i see.
us: "so this one you get free gifts a+b+c"
"is it? what else?"
us: "ah, if you don't want free gifts can get discount; 20% off subscription!"
"is it? i see."
then they go nod-nodding off into the sunset, leaving us waving brochures at them in farewell, which they might or might not turn back to take.
2. The Freaked
They generally walk past and stare out of curiosity, but with a wary cannot-stare-too-long-in- case-they-talk-to-me vibe. So they end up darting quick glances at your posters furtively.
us: "mister, missus, would you like to take a look?"
interior monologue: "eee, bugs!!"
and scuttles away.
i mean, you Looked our way, right?
3. The Storytellers
In an ironic reversal of roles, these people, generally more, hmm, chronologically enhanced, walk up to us and regale, not joking, REGALE us with their lifestories and grievances about ahLee and co. Sm got caught by one who kept going on about his inexplicably expensive phone bills.
"do you believe, i have THREE phones, and i use them all myself! dunno what's going on, they charge me so much even when i don't use my phone AT ALL! (brandishes bill: ~$100!) now i want to cancel, but CANNOT. contract haven't expire!"
sm: "er uncle just pay them la, not worth it, pay so much every month."
"i also say! i'm going now, to ask them how much is it they want, i give! so expensive, cheat my money. (shows the bill again) now i use prepaid card better, so much cheaper!"
me: "wa, like that arh? then you should just go now and cancel!" (like, NOW!)
"yes, yes i'm going now..."
we make to turn.
"aiya! they sent me some voucher, for free phone. (whips it out) see, what are they saying, i don't read english! then still got some letter..."
at this, sm looks at the sky.
me: "ok uncle let me see..."
and so it goes on while the sky gets visibly darker... we take more steps backwards and our supervisor takes over the nodding so we can accost more unsuspecting passers-by.
afterwards...
me: "wa, his phone bills really very ex leh"
sm: "maybe huh, he thinks he's just talking a WHILE on the phone, like how he was talking a WHILE to us..."
so we fervently hoped that we wouldn't unwittingly morph into Story-regalers, and agreed to knock each other soundly on the head if we catch the other repeating something. or something like that.
well i guess it was really quite an experience, but you know, experiences should be of the once-in-a-lifetime sort.
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