At the mamak yesterday evening. A scraggy woman was asking the waiter about the price of each item.
After digging out the coins from her pocket, she started to count them. The waiter told her it was only enough for a curry puff but she wanted more. They haggled.
“Bagi apa dia mau. Saya bayar,” a patron who was nearby interjected.
The waiter asked her what she wanted and then said, “Dia mau nasi putih, nasi ayam dan…”
“Ok,” the patron nodded. His companion asked for the bill to be included in theirs.
The waiter acknowledged and went to pack the food. The woman gave a weak bow and clasped her hand in appreciation.
When the waiter came back with the food, she again bowed and left.
No words were exchanged, but what a sight it was.
A simple gesture that added a few extra ringgits in the bill wouldn’t put a dent in the patron’s wallet but it was a situation between the woman who will hardly be full with just one curry puff for dinner or retiring for the night without hunger pangs.