woshiyiduoyun's thoughts

Thursday, January 22, 2009

treasure is subjective


Abalone is something of a delicacy during CNY, and almost every Reunion dinner has this on the table. This seafood delicacy is also not cheap, a can costs almost $30 on average, even for those brands that u never heard befer, so imagine if it is a well known brand and how much it would cost. And if u visit any restaurent, the prices are usually quite expensive if you want to have this on your plate also.

The reason why it's so popular it's because the name of this seafood delicacy, abalone=bao yu, meaning confirm win. so when u eat this during CNY, u will have a winning year ahead of you.

Almost all chinese ppl treat this like bao or treasure, but apparently there are ppl who do not know what this is or do not how to eat it.

There is this certain NETS roadshow going on at the Tampines central, all you need to do is to have any nets receipt and you can take part in their instant spin and wheel. The thing is done on a computer and you can see what prizes u can get instantly, there are watson vouchers, new moon abalone and if you dun win anything, they give you a big sweep ticket for luck also.

okay, since this is like a freebie giveaway, so there will be Singaporeans in the queue.

(maybe Mr J was also in the queue....)

The thing is there was this guy, who is confirm not a Singaporean because he does not want a can of abalone, or maybe he does not know how to eat it. This guy whom i guess is a foreigner, possibly filipino was in the queue for this instant spin and win. and when it was his turn to do so, he won a can of abalone. Yeah. then the most amazing thing happened. this is what he said to the staff there

guy:" oh, this can? i dun want this. I already have one. can i exchange it for something else?"

he shows the counter staff that he already has a can of abalone won earlier.

Staff at the counter(with stunned expression) : "you dun want this? this is abalone, you know, very good"

Guy:" I dun want this, as i already have it, what else do you have?"

Staff:" are you sure you dun want? okay, you can have this instead"

Staff shows guy the big sweep ticket.

Guy:" okay, i will take this"

Guy points to big sweep ticket, Staff remains stunned.

Staff: " or why not u exchange it with the lady behind u?"

Guy:" no thanks , I will just take this"

Guy takes big sweep ticket and leaves the counter....

(then somewhere behind , Mr J is thinking: "how can like that? give u abalone u also dun want, give me lar." and it so happens that Mr J won a big sweep ticket, sianz. And the person behind Mr J won a can of abalone, double sianz)

The Adventures of Mr J Part 2

Mr J has been tasked with running some chores for the family. His dad asked him to buy some rice, and it has to be of a certain brand some more.

So Mr J went to the neighbuorhood minimart so as to purchase what he needed.

Then the following is a sample conversation between Mr J and the Store keeper.

J: I'm looking for this XXX brand of "fan", do u sell it?

Storekeeper: "fan"?

with blur look in the face.....

(pause 5 seconds....)

Storekeeper: oh u mean "mi" ah? got got...

J: Oh yes, XXX brand mi

Storekeeper: okay u walk straight and later turn left then can find already.

(reason for confusion, "fan" = cooked rice, which u cannot find in a minimart/supermarket. "mi" is the uncooked rice that Mr J is supposed to buy. It is not Mr J's fault wor, he does not go grocery shopping so often de)

sidestory: when Mr J went home, and his mother saw the packet of rice, she started asking questions like

"where did you buy from? which shop ah?"

then she started commenting like a typical auntie that

" wah so expensive ah, last time it costs only $8++"