A Sibu Tale : Popiah Skin Story

There are several remarkable stories related to popiah skins in my life.

At Tai Lung Corner in Sibu was a Hokkien man who set up his stall every festival to make and sell his hot popiah skins, His business was cash and carry and probably he enjoyed having a large crowd of women in front of him, exchanging stories and gossiping.

He was not exactly a gentleman. Or rather he was a man who sold, received money and that was it. He did not have to polite or accomodating as every one needed popiah skins for their spring rolls. He held a sort of monopoly then. There was no need for him to do marketing or any PR. He had enough customers.

He came early to set up his stall with two stools in the front, his own stool  on which he sat and a small table with a flat metal pan on a charcoal stove. When he finished making one , he would put one on one stool to let the skins accumulate, on another stool, he placed batches of 12, the two piles of popiah skins are covered by a piece of white flour sack cotton each. The frugal people in Sibu used a lot of the recycled flour sack cotton to cover food. In those days no one had thought of cling film yet.

Most ladies would stand around him and call out how many they wanted. There was no queuing system in those days. It was every woman for herself and quite unruly. It was also the fiercest woman got her goods first.

So a timid grand aunt of mine, who never raised her voice, just stood around, got pushed around and waited for her turn, which of course never came.

The Hokkien man never looked up. he just made 10, and wrap them up for the woman who had shouted "Ten" at him and she would take away the wrapped parcel, paid and not even said a thank you. Probably he knew her well. Another woman would call "20" and he would make another 2o. etc

After quite a long wait, the not so amused towkay of the Tai Lung shop, came out and said loudly in Foochow, "20".

The Popiah skin man was a little disconcerted and so he counted and made 20 for the towkay.

The Popiah man said,roughly and loudly, " Shoo, shoo...these 20 are for the towkay..don't take.."

My grand aunt got her 20 popiah skins after a long wait because a towkay could not stand the unruly crowd of women any more.

Today probably a Numbering System would be best for a man making popiah skins. He might need an assistant to help wrap the skins.

In those days it was not easy to be a customer in Sibu without a queuing system. I cannot remember when people started to learn how to queue.