Nanyang Butterflies - Chapter 2
Taylor Swift's Love Story Cover by PixieTea
Su Zhen worked up and looked at the clock. It was 8 o'clock.
"Ma! Why didn't you wake me up? I'm late!" She shouted.
"You don't know how to set an alarm clock meh? In the old days, girls your age are already mothers."
"Aiyo, I'm so late, I don't have time to argue with you."
She ran down the stairs to save time as the lift didn't stop at her floor. She was on the fourth while the lift only stopped at the first, fifth and ninth. Also, the lift moved at a glacial pace. If she missed it, she might as well walk back to her flat and sat down, drank a cup of tea and ate a bun and would still be in time for its next stop at the fifth floor.
Usually she would have taken the company transport. She hopped on the first cab that came her way.
"Uncle, South Ocean Textile factory please... Roughly how much ah?" She asked, slightly worried about the fare she had to pay.
The taxi driver scratched his head and said, "Err.. now peak hour right? So got peak surcharge, then we pass through CBD so ganna city area surcharge. If we pass any gantry, then there's gantry surcharge. Where's the factory ah? Might also got location surcharge, I think. So peak hour surcharge plus city surcharge plus gantry surcharge plus location surcharge and maybe I forgot one or two more surcharge. All these plus the basic fare lor. But don't worry lah, I discount to the nearest dollar for you."
"Wah... how come so many surcharges?" Su Zhen protested.
"You ask me I also dunno ask who... But I can tell you ah, they surcharge here and there, now Singapore become the Number One most complicated taxi fare system, but then they raise our daily cab rental fee, in the end we drivers also don't see the money one..."
Su Zhen nodded in sympathy. She seldom took cabs. But today, she couldn't afford to be late. "Anyway, Uncle, please try to rush a bit, I'm late..."
The world's Number One Most Complicated Taxi Fare System
The taxi sped off.
Today was an important day. The day of the Final Examination. Su Zhen needed to show she could deliver that many uniforms in a stipulated time frame. Ms Lim had taught her how. She practised. But she didn't expect her alarm to mess up.
Su Zhen was late by 10 minutes. Ms Lim had already setup the sewing machine. She was not happy to see Su Zhen in a rather hectic demeanour on such an important occasion.
"Su Zhen, why are you late? Do you know today is a very important day?"
"Sorry Ms Lim, my alarm clock messed up..."
"What? Don't give excuses! You must be responsible for yourself!" Ms Lim was especially harsh, partly because she didn't want to be too emotionally attached, like she did with Mei. It was a way to protect herself.
Su Zhen's eyes were turning red and she was about to cry.
"Aiyo, don't be a baby! I will give you another 3 minutes to get ready."
"Sorry Ms Lim, my alarm clock messed up..."
"What? Don't give excuses! You must be responsible for yourself!" Ms Lim was especially harsh, partly because she didn't want to be too emotionally attached, like she did with Mei. It was a way to protect herself.
Su Zhen's eyes were turning red and she was about to cry.
"Aiyo, don't be a baby! I will give you another 3 minutes to get ready."
"Yes, Ms Lim."
She sat down at the machine and Ms Lim started the stopwatch. Su Zhen fumbled a little at the start but soon got into the rhythm. At the end of the test, she needed to orally explained what she did. Most new seamstresses found this difficult. Su Zhen did okay, she liked talking. Her timing was above average for a Line EM Three, in fact she could join EM Two, but there was still a gap to EM One. Ms Lim announced sternly to Su Zhen her results.
"You barely made it, you can start work at EM Two today. Your pay will be $20 per day."
"Oh… but I thought I was in Line One?"
"Well, what do you expect? You will need a lot more training for EM One."
"What is the pay for Line One?"
"It's just slightly higher."
"But actually, all these lines are quite confusing to me."
"Yes, they are."
Ms Lim was somewhat in relief that Su Zhen didn’t ask about EM Three.
Su Zhen was not very happy with Ms Lim. She came here to work, not to get scolded. She was never told about the strict requirement for EM One. Now that she couldn't get in, she knew her pay would be lower. She glared at Ms Lim for a split second. Luckily Ms Lim didn't seem to notice. She appeared to be deep in thought.
Su Zhen was not very happy with Ms Lim. She came here to work, not to get scolded. She was never told about the strict requirement for EM One. Now that she couldn't get in, she knew her pay would be lower. She glared at Ms Lim for a split second. Luckily Ms Lim didn't seem to notice. She appeared to be deep in thought.
Ms Lim recalled that Mei worked on the worst line - EM Three. That was after she got transferred from EM One. Mei while careless and coarse, showed potential as a seamstress. When she sat down to work, she would transform. Her back straightened and her head held up high. Her eyes focused and her hands and legs moved to the rhythm of the sewing machine. She could work the cloth deftly, like an artist. Su Zhen was like Mei. Ms Lim saw the similarities in both girls. They just needed some coaching and time to flourish. They could be so much more.
But something happened to Mei not long after she joined. Her work faltered. She was transferred from EM One to EM Three. She never recovered from that blow. Ms Lim heard that there was some trouble in Mei's family. Her parents fell out or something. Originally, it was Mei's mother who started work in Ocean. Her mother got the job when the factory started. But a few months into the job, she asked for her daughter to replace her...
But something happened to Mei not long after she joined. Her work faltered. She was transferred from EM One to EM Three. She never recovered from that blow. Ms Lim heard that there was some trouble in Mei's family. Her parents fell out or something. Originally, it was Mei's mother who started work in Ocean. Her mother got the job when the factory started. But a few months into the job, she asked for her daughter to replace her...
* * * *
Su Zhen completed 39 uniforms on her first day. A formidable number for a new seamstress. The boy helper, Ibrahim, who helped carry baskets of uniforms to the various locations was amazed.
"Wah so many uniforms..." Ibrahim shouted. "Aye, you think you super girl ah?"
"No lah... It's not difficult to make... you need help?"
"It's ok, I also got super power one"
"Really?"
"Yah lah! You make me angry, I become green and grow big big, my shirt will break but my trousers won't break. Then I become very strong and I can jump very far one."
"Hahaha"
"You don't believe?"
"I believe, I believe" Su Zhen was laughing but trying to look serious.
Ibrahim was quite a happy-go-lucky chap. He was just two years younger than Su Zhen but had to work to supplement the family income. He started working at Ocean during the early days. He was actually assigned to EM Three. But due to the shortage of manpower, he helped new seamstresses as well.
Su Zhen didn't wait for Ms Lim to come by and rushed off. Her date was waiting.
She arrived just in time to see him finishing his last song. He was playing at the campus open air theatrette. Brian was a year older than Su Zhen. A student who enjoyed playing the guitar. He always had a natural inclination in music. He started playing when he was seven and had gotten quite good at it. So much so that now the whole school noticed and he became somewhat a celebrity in his school, Nanyang Polytechnic.
They met each other a year earlier at Orchard when Brian was playing his guitar by the street. She walked past with her friends and was immediately mesmerised in his music. But Su Zhen was too shy to just stand and listen with her friends around. So they continued shopping until it was time to go home, when she quietly slipped back to Brian. She stood far enough not be noticed but close enough to hear him play.
Sam Driscoll performing Oasis' Wonderwall
Of course, Brian did notice. So he walked straight up to her.
"Miss, you have been standing here for an hour?"
"No, no, I'm… I'm waiting for a friend."
"Ok, I am done playing for the day, do you intend to stay for your friend who made you wait like forever, or can I buy you a drink?"
Su Zhen covered her mouth to contain her chuckle, knowing that her lie was seen through instantly.
That's how they hit it off. Brian was every girl's dream. He was charming and witty, played the guitar and was the perfect gentleman. He was also very different from the normal Singaporean guys. In fact he didn’t quite fit in Singapore. Not just his appearance but also his character. He was a non-conformist. That was why he didn’t want to go to National Junior College like all his friends who did.
Brian's British father decided to stay in Singapore after independence and started a successful business venture. His mother was a Chinese Singaporean who worked for his father but later decided to marry her boss. Brian grew up learning both cultures, inheriting the best of both worlds. He learned to be different but better. It was no good just being different and poorer than average. Of course, he had his secret weapon: his guitar.
Su Zhen parents were middle class Singaporeans, very traditional and typical Chinese parents. Sometimes Su Zhen felt they were too kiasu or afraid of losing. They were always competing with neighbours on this and that. She hated it. They also believed that their kids should just follow the road well travelled: work, make money and get married. They noticed her artistic talent but didn’t give it too much thought. Being an artist had no future in Singapore. They knew Mr Moe and were able to get her a job at his textile company. They saw this as fulfilling their duties as parents by providing for Su Zhen, who now had a job and hopefully learned a good life skill as a seamstress.
To be able to be with Brian meant a great deal to Su Zhen. He represented everything that she was not but what she could be if she dared to be different. She could draw and create art. There might be a more beautiful path. A better tomorrow. A future with Brian. He represented her dream. But she also felt unworthy of Brian, which was why she thought her art skills and her work at Ocean would help her fulfill aspiration to be a fashion designer.
However, Su Zhen feared the day her parents found out that she was dating an angmoh. They would probably go crazy.
"Brian, do you think I can become a fashion designer?" She asked.
"Is that why you are taking up the seamstress job?"
"Well… Yes… Partly"
"What's the other part?"
"So that I can be with you."
"Hmmm, how does that work out?"
"You are good at music, so I have to be good at something to match you right?"
"You complete me as you are now, my dear."
Su Zhen felt emotions flooding her chest. She blushed and cuddled up to Brian a little more.
"Actually I was quite good at drawing when I was young. My mum and relatives kept saying I drew well."
"You never showed me any!" Brian exclaimed.
"Ok I will draw you something some day."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Well, I will write you a song too." Brian smiled.
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