THE old man who guards our building is finally retiring. I heard it form the horse's mouth yesterday when I left home for work. I was pleasantly surprised when he greeted me with a 'good morning' - and it was not even close to Lunar New Year yet. (Throughout the years he would only become friendly in the week before New Year - for the lai see.) He told me a new piece of legislation had forced him to retire because of his age, and next month would be his last.
I have mixed feelings about his departure. On one hand, I will probably miss the face of a grumpy old man perched behind the booth facing the entrance to the building; on the other hand, he is not very good at his job. He cannot possibly be good, because he sleeps through most of it.
Sometimes I feel like playing a trick on him by igniting a firecracker and throwing it his way, but instead my wife makes me tiptoe while passing his booth for fear of waking him up.
Besides, he has been abusing his position by using that booth as his apartment where he stores all his worldly possessions. He also cooks all three meals, and of course, sleeps there. The public toilet not far from our building serves him more than it does anyone else in the neighbourhood. Among other things, he does his laundry there.
On his days off, he becomes more energetic. He is a regular among the chess players in the park next to the public toilet. You should have seen him arguing with his opponent and all the onlookers when he reneged on a move he had just made.
His only function is being an information exchange centre for the tenants.