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Excuse me, am I dead?
From the list of 36 signs that show you've been in Singapore too long, number 4: You wait for instructions from people in authority before doing anything. Always.
And then, from today's Today:
Set for drill, commuters waited for instructions
Ansley Ng (ansley@newstoday.com.sg)
THERE were several chances for them to escape the "Toa Payoh blast" (1).
First, SMRT warned commuters over the public address system at stations that an emergency exercise was about to begin (2a). When the train stopped at Braddell station, many commuters - not wanting to get caught in the mock attack - got out.
Weeks of media coverage had let Singaporeans off easy, and as I got into the third carriage, a uniformed man in a bright green vest spoiled any last bit of surprise (2b).
"There is going to be a loud explosion later. Please cover your ears with your palms," he told the people in the carriage (3), demonstrating by pressing the sides of his head.
Almost immediately, a middle-aged man talking on his mobile phone translated the warning to someone he was talking to. "Very suay (unlucky), they said there would be an explosion on the train," he said in Mandarin. But it was too late for him to leave - the train doors had closed.
Many of those left in my carriage were excited and chatty volunteers wearing yellow stickers on their shirts.
But a woman in her 30s standing by the door did not share their enthusiasm. She looked at her watch and pouted when the train stopped for civil defence personnel - playing the role of blast victims - to take up positions in the train. A young nurse looked bemused as volunteers carried life-sized dummies past her to other parts of the train.
For three minutes, exercise controllers moved commuters out of the front carriages where the thunder flash would be ignited.
As the train moved away from Braddell, a volunteer reminded people: "Cover your ears, it might be loud." (4)
When it pulled to a stop at Toa Payoh station, commuters, including myself, pressed their ears obediently.
But the blast was anti-climactic. With a muted bang, the "bomb" went off and the train doors opened. (5)
On the platform, exercise personnel and the media waited for commuters to rush out. But no one did.
They waited for instructions. (6) Finally, a volunteer told people near him: "Okay, exercise begins. Let's get out of the train now." As he and his friends moved, other commuters got up from their seats and followed, leaving behind them the shouts and sounds of running footsteps of actors in the carriages.
At the turnstile, I stopped, turned around and walked slowly back to the platform. I re-entered the train and retrieved an umbrella that I had left behind on the train. SMRT staff and exercise controllers saw me but did not say a word. In two minutes, I was out of the station.
(1) The go-vermin! started announcing mock drills last year to spoil the "surprise".
(2) The auto-righties spoil the surprise even more on the day itself.
(3) The please-man spoils the surprise somemore and then tells people what is going to happen, and what to do.
(4) To increase fear, more warnings.
(5) Final proof that you really can't take anything that the go-vermin! says for truth. First, they say "there WILL be a loud explosion." Then they change the party line, suggesting "it might be loud". The final explosion: a wet squib.
(6) Does this need to be explained? I am so ashamed. No, I'm sorry, I have to ask permission to see if I can be that first.
Excuse me.
[Excuse me, am I dead?]
Sngs Alumni @ 9.1.06 { 0 comments }
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