if i were katherine mansfield

20080712

a makeover for one of my favourite spaces

And so Chartwell Centre is undergoing renovation! The new floor plan promises wider walkways and more tables at the food court. As I walk in today, the place in the “original” form that I have come to feel so attached to is already changing: All the floor tiles and some dry walls have been removed. The signs that displayed the names of the shops and food court stalls have been replaced by makeshift printed words on stretched canvas pieces. Where the florist used to be is covered by boards with the name of the flower shop and an arrow spray-painted on, pointing toward its temporary location a few units down the walkway. The teashop where I buy my bubble tea stays put for now. I get my tea, settle at a table, and rejoice upon this makeover.

This is so exciting.

Moments later:

An old lady drops her coins on the floor. Coins scatter all over. She steps on one to keep it from rolling. “I dare you to go pick up some coins and run!” is the suggestion that comes to me. A terrible suggestion. Not that I want to steal money from the old lady, but I am curious, just plain curious about what her reaction would be!

With her feet, she pushes all the coins to one spot. An efficient method. This way, she could pick up all the coins by crouching only once. A young person like me would bend over here and there and skip around to pick up the coins one by one by one, cashing in like Super Mario, my back and my legs full of elasticity.

Once the lady has rounded her coins to one spot, she crouches awkwardly. Just then, a young man passes by, turns around and picks up all the coins for her and puts them all back into her purse.

Because I sit and watch, I can record all of it in words.

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