January 18, 2011

The Art of Waiting in Bekenu

At the beginning of the year many folks from the rural areas would appear in towns and cities to enjoy some of their children's annual bonuses.Some people would be going home for the Chinese New Year while some would just be enjoying a short holiday with families and friends.

One fantastic way of capturing some of these images is to wait and see if they are "waiting" for some one or something. I was once told by a civil servant that there is an art in waiting. I must say I have definitely learnt how to wait in my years of serving the government!! There are indeed many different styles of waiting.

Here are some images for you to study......

Waiting - a cigarette helps.

Waiting for customers - goods display help to pass the day.




Waiting - please don't take my picture. Bench helps to ease the boredom of waiting...shifting sands of time - shifting bottom.....I love the way Bekenu towkays put a bench out for customers to sit. This shop bench is disappearing fast.




Two friends waiting - companionship is important



Waiting for a friend to turn up for a game of snooker? - very empty coffee shop-cum-snooker centre. May be playing some snooker is a good way to kill time while waiting for friends who might have no sense of time.


6 comments:

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

You were very brave to take his photo without permission.

Ensurai said...

Ann
I did ask him...he laughed but he put his hand up as to wave me away or he did so in embarrassment..after the photo he asked me to sit if I liked!! That's the nice bit about visiting Bekenu. I think he must be very lonely.

Or shy about his face. Some older folks even ask me to send their photos to them!!

Lee said...

Hi Sarawakania, nice pics.
I have perfected the art of waiting past 3 decades! Waiting for my wife.
I never knew I will be waiting for a woman till I got married.

When she goes shopping. She doesn't drive, so I drive her, follow her on mall walkabouts. When she screeches to a halt outside a shoe store or handbags. I quick look for a coffee shop or bench...
And enjoy watching the SYTs go by. What else to do?

My record for waiting was for her niece and SIl on a visit here.
3 hours! Me sitting at a bench till the security guard asked me whether I was okay?
Told him about women's shopping habits, pointing to my SIl and daughter in the store, La Vie En Rose. He laughed, I went back to my half asleep waiting. 3 hours!
Lee.

Bengbeng said...

marriage has also made me a very much more patient person. there simply isnt any other choice

Ensurai said...

Dear uncle Lee
Thanks for writing in...yes you must be one of those gentlemen husbands who wait graciously for their loved ones!! I think you should be given a special prize.Asian men are not well known for their patience in waiting ....I wonder how many men do think seriously about "waiting"....and relfect on the topic humourously like you.

Ensurai said...

Dear Bengbeng
It touches me when I see indigenous men carrying their wives' handbags and taking their little children shopping in the big supermarkets. I can understand why they feel so protective of their family. They get verbally abused by the shop assistants most of the time. It is a pity that many owners of supermarkets do not train their assistants to speak nicely to their customers.
And it is a pity that the abused customer come back againa nd again to give them their money!
Are they "being served" while waiting? Such a sad situation in a country which prides itself in diversity of culture.

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