The imperfect fit

It was an evening like many others - I finished my day's work at school, headed towards the BTS station and hopped on the skytrain.

Shortly after having taken an available seat, which was quite a treat at that time of the day, I realised, quite randomly, that some of the women surrounding me were wearing shoes, which were way too small for their feet; so much so, that some toes were practically touching the ground - seriously!

How could I not ask myself the reasons why these women decided to buy such small shoes? I mean, aren't there enough shoes in the world?

My search for meaning took me back to Singapore - a place I've always been very fond of. It felt good to be back in a country where everybody speaks English, there's law and order and everything looks nice, neat and, ultimately, safe. But then again, does the fact that everybody speaks English mean that there's no space for misunderstandings? Does the fact that there's law and order mean that there's justice? And don't the highly impressive manifestations of cleanliness walk hand in hand with some kind of rampant eagerness to judge, condemn and, ultimately, repress?

I'm far and away from saying that I didn't enjoy having a couple of drinks overlooking a golf course, a lake and then a river, splurging on different kinds of foods, walking around in the Gardens by the Bay, sharing a pool with a couple of loud but polite kids; I'm just saying that I haven't yet found the right shoes for me. And there's really no need to settle for the wrong ones...