Sad

I was settling into my table at KFC during lunchtime, when I noticed a very flustered old man in a cleaner's uniform plonking himself at the uncleared table next to mine.  I sensed something really strange, so I kept looking at him.  He was eating the leftovers that the previous customer left behind.  And he ate really quickly, with trembling hands.  It looked like he had been hungry for very long.  One of the aunties working there asked him if he had any money to buy food.  He shook his head.

Next thing I knew, the manager of the restaurant called in the security and the two security guys told him to get out of the restaurant.  He didn't leave immediately because he was still eating from the third table.  It was like, he had to stuff as much in as he could before he went out.

The security guys held him outside the restaurant, called and waited for his supervisor to arrive.  I saw them talking to him and the supervisor and soon, they left.  The supervisor took the old man to somewhere I didn't know.

I was at the brink of tears.  I'd never seen anyone eating like he did. He must have been very very hungry.  And to brave all the stares and the humiliation of being escorted out by security, I bet he must have been very desperate.  I just could not eat anymore.  I packed my uneaten piece of chicken, coleslaw and mash and went out of KFC looking for him. 

Very sad that I could not find him after walking around the mall for 20minutes.  I threw away the packed food and regretted not passing the food to him sooner.

This is Singapore; not some slum in a third-world country.  Why should any man at his ripe old age go hungry to this extent of desperation?

So heartbreaking.