Chinese only, please

Sad to say that many people live in their own world where self-prioritisation takes precedence over humanity.

COMMENT

An acquaintance called me a few weeks ago, seeking my help to find her a room to rent around my neighbourhood. Recently divorced, she was looking for a fresh start.

I made a few calls to friends living around the same neighbourhood, visited apartment managements and checked out notice boards for available rooms up for rental. Disappointingly, although there were plenty available, my acquaintance did not meet the criteria of the homeowners.

She is not Chinese.

I remember encountering the same problem six years ago when I left my marital home, seeking shelter with my two kids. Everywhere I went, I saw ‘Chinese Only’ notices.

Devastated, I had to stay with a good friend while desperately seeking a place of my own.

One day, I heard about an available unit in the same apartment. I invited myself there, in my full headscarf and baju kurung, hoping I wouldn’t be snubbed once again for not being the right race.

The apartment unit was undergoing massive renovation – toilet tiles, parquet flooring, window grills, water heater, the works. I thought I could never afford the unit with the breadcrumbs I had left in my savings account (also because I was too proud to seek financial assistance from my family).

Reluctantly, I almost left when an elderly man asked me if I needed help with anything. It took me awhile to put my pride aside and tell him that I had two kids with me and no place to stay.

He took a long look at me and asked, “Would you like to stay here?”

“Can I? Please?”

“But you have to wait until the renovation is over,” he said.

“I have nowhere to go. I am staying with a friend but I have troubled her for far too long.”

For some reason, he agreed.

I was allowed to stay in one room while renovation continued. And since I was jobless at the time, my landlord allowed me to rent the place for only a fraction of the market rate.

I still remember the first night my kids and I spent at our new home – my ten-year-old son said, “This doesn’t feel like home. Why can’t we go to our other home? There’s Astro, my bedroom and my PS2.”

I cried the whole night.

The next day, my landlord brought his wife to my place, to introduce us. The 60-something-year-old woman unexpectedly held my hand and said, “You are like a daughter to us. We hope you will have a good life in this house. Remember, if you need anything at all, just call us.”

A stranger, someone who had no need to shower us with kindness, decided to embrace us with a little generosity and much love.

And that was the turning point for me. Bit by bit, little by little, we rebuilt our lives. From one garage sale to another, we filled our home with furniture. Family and friends gave us things we could reuse – television, kitchen supplies and frequent home-cooked meals.

For six long years, my landlord never once increased my rental until quite recently, and even so, it was still way below the market rate. Once in a while, I would receive a phone call saying “hi”, sometimes a gift of candies and chocolates, and sometimes invitations for coffee at their place.

Thanks to Dr Charanpal Singh, my kids and I are doing so well today – I have a career which I am passionate about, my daughter is doing her foundation in law and my son now takes pride in being the man of the family.

The three of us have come a long way since that first day I walked into the renovation zone.

All my successes, and my children’s happiness and our second take in life was made possible because there was someone who gave us a hand when we needed it. For Dr Singh, our differences in faith, beliefs and culture did not matter much. All that mattered was the fact that I needed help and he was in a position to offer it.

What many people fail to realise is that God places people in certain places at certain times for a purpose. Everyone we meet in our path has been placed there for a reason. It is an opportunity given to us by God to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Sadly, there are not many people like Dr Singh around. Many live in their own world, where self-prioritisation takes precedence over humanity. Reminiscing the past, I feel sad for my acquaintance for she is not as blessed as I was. While the most challenging phase of my life has passed, hers has just begun.

I can only hope there will be no more “Chinese Only” signboards shooing her away from a chance to start her life anew.