Singa the Lion was a good lion...

• and was a very courteous lion, but I think he's by himself for now. A large part of the Singapore population have forsaken Singa as they move on rapidly with their own lives. My point here? Singaporeans have not learnt a single thing from Mr Singa and courtesy is not a word in the Singaporean dictionary.
• Ranked 30th of 35 countries surveyed for courtesy, Singapore definitely did not perform very well. This, despite being preparing for the IMF meeting with 4 millions smiles. What 4 million smiles, all I see are frowns on our cramp little island.
• I got onto the train this afternoon, from choa chu kang to lavender coz I needed to get my passport extended. It was a long journey. And I tell you what, commuters are probably the most ill-mannered people you can find. It starts with boarding the train.
• Yellow lines marked with arrows as to where the people should stand while waiting to board, and instructions to let the passengers alight 1st. Anyone could understand this. Why did SMRT put this instructions? Not so that you will lose that precious sit of yours when you get onto the train, but so that there will be space as you board the train. No, people don't believe that. So when the doors open, the door bargers who are standing directly in front of the door would slam themselves into the people who are alighting. Its like war, with 2 sides slamming into each other. They push and nudge, the people alighting will also push and nudge, the doorway become very cramped, people can't move, time is wasted. The worse thing is, the door-bargers barge into the train with a look as if it is their right of way. When people push them trying to get out of the train, they would give the look as if you have killed their entire family line. And who are these door-bargers? Not just aunties and uncles who don't know what manners mean, but working professionals who know full well that courtesy is very important.
• Then well, you are finally in the train. Packed like a sardine tin. No space to sit, so you will have to stand. Guess who's standing with you. Mr old man who is probably into his 80s. And guess who's sitting on that chair in front of the old man. Mr young adult who is plugged into his earphones pretending the old man did not exist or pretending to be asleep. The old man could only watch as the young adult sits directly below the sign that reads "Please give this seat to people who needs it more than you". Ya, I am suuuuuure that guy can't read.
• Dum dee dum, so the journey goes on. Throughout the ride, I could hear "For the convenience of other passengers, please move to the centre of the car". And I only see myself and a few other people at the centre, a bulk of humans are cramped at the door area. Hey hey, don't worry, theres a reason for this. They are afraid they can't get out of the train! So they want to be as near to the door as possible, making other passengers impossible to get on, or get out of the train. Oh, now we know why they are afraid they can't get out of the train, it is because of people like themselves!
• And its Lavender, I need to get out. I had to say like 10 "excuse me" and pushing around the crowd, pushing against the impatient incoming traffic flow, before I can step onto the platform. And the people I push through to get out, they got very irritated because of my actions, making it seem it is their right to block my way. And I can only wonder.
• So I kept walking, and took the escalator. Then, I saw it. I saw Singa the Lion. He was a small picture on the sign that reads "Please keep left". I thought, "So thats where you had gone!" I look up the escalator, people are on the right side of the escalator.