I always pay my bills at the Rejang Park Post Office because of its location. It is very convenient for me to stop by on the way home from my parents’ house to my own, but since they started paying the RM600 rebate to motorists, the place has been very crowded and I am sure things are not easy for the personnel there and more often than not, tempers are wearing thin. In fact, the situation got even worse when they started renovating the Sibu General Office in the town recently. The place became very much more congested than what you can see in this photograph taken sometime in June 2008…
Well, sometime ago, I went to pay some bills as usual and when my turn came, I found the Malay lady at the counter very moody and sulking away. Probably she did not have a very good day or it might have been the fasting as it was still a puasa month, a couple of days before Hari Raya Aidlifitri. I handed over the bills and the money and after she had finished processing everything and was returning the bills to me, I smiled at her and said, “Thank you very much. Selamat Hari Raya!” Instantly, a radiant smile flashed across her face and she replied, “Thank you!”
Then, the other day, I went to the post office again. Well, it certainly seems that that is all I do most of time – paying bills, and the terrible weather these days is not helping very much in bringing a bit of cheer into one’s life! They have made some improvements to the place now – there are seats provided and it is now airconditioned. I took my number and waited and when my turn came, I approached the counter. It was the same Malay lady and the moment she saw me, she smiled ever so sweetly and greeted, “Happy New Year!”
Somehow, the dark, cloudy and very gloomy weather did not seem so bad after all. That is all it takes to brighten up someone’s day – a friendly greeting and one warm smile…..
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
good morning my dear STP π
this one got brighten up your day or not π
Keep smiling, keep shining….no rain for more than two days already, so let’s hope – no more floods! That will brighten up everybody’s day! π
It’s because “”…a smile will bring you close to me..”” bah! Wah..was in ChiuLengChee blog..must get yesterday’s BP liau..Did you see Hee there. I understand that a miracle has happened in Perak..you got the Pope’s email kah??? Apparently one polio stricken individual who cannot walk has now managed to JUMP already.
Don’t listen to rumours…;nothing in BP! Hahahahaha!!! Anyway, I’ve told them – can take anything they want but must be anonymous – no name, no url…and of course, no photo!!! Rainy days mah…a lot of katak and kodok! LOL!!!
Sory it’s ‘near’ la not ‘close’..ampun ampun..long time no kok Bee gees
I was wondering what song it was…but then, of course, I’m so young – dunno oldies! Hahahahahaha!!!!
I have similar experience like you. I agree all it takes to brightens someone’s day is a smile and a nice greeting.
But there were also some people who were not so easily brightened up. I once walked into a lift and said good morning to the person inside the lift. To my amazement and horror, he replied, “What’s so good about the morning?” I was speechless!
Never mind…at least, we try!!! LOL!! I used to go to school early morning – raining heavily and I would sing,”Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day…!” and my colleagues would scream, “Awww….shaddap!!!” I loved rainy days as not so hot in the classroom! Hahahahaha!!!
eh .. u also blog on weekends ah? I tot u weekends cuti leh .. ha ha ha
Me…not like some people, tangkap ular, blog on office time and using office internet!!!…Ouch! How many people just got pinched? Hahahahaha!!!
LOL at your reply to fongpc! I remember seeing you climbing what seems like a thousand flights of stairs. You’d wipe your face with a hanky after each flight. So kesian! But that time I was scared of you because I heard a lot of horror stories from your good-for-nothing students π
Mdm Lai said you were always complaining about going against the gravity. LOL!
Haiz…and somebody had this thing against me, always put my classes on the top floors. But actually doing me a great favour – as that was about the only exercise I got!!! Hehehehehehe!!!!
I m trying to recall the last time I saw a ‘bin chow chow’ person,so far everyone I come across seems to have a friendly smile! Anyway smile is free n if smiling can brightened someone up,why not! Unless of course if one is ‘rongark’or ‘chu-ngarng’ but then i still find their smiles more appealing than one who have a charcoal face!LOL!I like to buy from this asian butcher who hired this chinese lady n she has the brightest smile,always greeting u with ‘how ah u’,1 tilo! 5 tollar!LOL! n it must be her cheery attitude that even the meat from that place tastes nicer!P.s.when ur blog is published in BP can u blog abt it!Remember I can’t get BP here unless u want to courier one across.hehehe!
It seems that overseas, they are all so very nice…it’s “good morning”, “how are you” everywhere, especially in the UK…unlike here.
Stella: many prople literally burnt down under ya…. tay khor chow tar…jokes aside may their souls rest in peace
Yeah…bushfires in Sydney area and the drought is terrible in China!!! All those extreme weather conditions…..
Re: K.Penyu,U r right,a lot of bushfire in the countryside due to extreme heat,last count those who didn’t survive is close 30+ but cool change coming thru now,so hopefully the weather will remain cooler. Very heartwrenching to see in the news all the victims who have lost their homes,families….well,let us pray things will get better for them…n more rain in this part of the world.
Just saw on msn…casualty 76 at the moment!!! Take…take as much rain from here as you want!!! We have had enough!
Hey, suituapui, next time u kick her ass and c what’s her reaction… a good pcychological experiment topic @.@
If I’m not happy, I usually go thru the proper channel…like this lady bank teller once. In the end, the manager called to apologise…and I think, no bonus for her that year!!!
Are you still queuing up to pay your water and electricity bills? Use the technology available and start paying online. That’s what I do – haven’ stepped into a Post Office to pay my utilities’ bills for ages. High time you do the same – saves us time and can pay at any time.
I prefer the human touch…don’t trust machines. No online booking for me either – after all the horror stories…and I only have an ATM card for one of my accounts. After some time, you make a lot of friends around (and very often, I’ll bump into my ex-students, anyway)… Not as impersonal as being face to face with a PC monitor! LOL!!!
Been to a few office lately and most have the system where you have to hmmm…looking for the word, oh well retund the number slip to them to stamp their names then you put in the little slots to comment on their service so they would not dare not to smile.
Generally, I find counter service everywhere so much better these days…and at Rejang Park, can stroll round the corner to buy pulut panggang or pillow chang or chai kuih etc for tea…. Hahahahaha!!!!
Guess What….
I also pay the bills…
While ur mum waits in the car? Child exploitation!!! Violation of human rights!!! Ask for 10% for service charge!!! Hahahahahaha!!!!
I really agree with you, a little kindness can go a long way and its not seen very much nowadays.
Ya, sad. isn’t it? People are more selfish and materialistic…or just too busy for these simple graces. Your first time here, I see…so a warm welcome to you and do drop by often.
=.= very hard for me to smile lah, Cikgu…especially when I’m paying bills and stuff… cuz usually those ppl yak and yak, make ppl wait in line for so long. Thank god now I have internet for my bills. If one day internet extinct, please do me a favour and kill me!
Another one who prefers machines to humans. Have you seen the movie “Electric Dreams”? I wonder if it’s available on youtube….a movie about a computer that took control of the owner’s life…or you can read John Wyndham’s “Compassion Circuit” (shorts story).
i’ve only this to say…
Unforgettable, that’s what you are
Unforgettable, though near or far
Like a song of love that clings to me
How the thought of you does things to me
Never before has someone been more
Sigh! I guess so!…Not many people so big, fat and ugly, and just one look…they’ll always remember. Hahahahahaha!!!!
I go to all different Bill counters to pay – nice meeting people n talk to them any topic. . thats life of a retireee.
During my working days I love to meet pleasant people who will brighten your day an unpleasant one can spoil your mood for the whole day n so are the lo-soo ones. So-dont be too LO-SOO .haha.
Yalor…especially retired people like us, got lots of time…ummm to go and mingle around and socialise/interact, I mean…not to be so lor so!!! Hahahahaha!!!!
Kepnyu’s song…. i only know the Boyzone version. hhehehe. Oh… actually seen the Bee Gees version on the karaoke, the video clip looks rather disturbing.
Have to keep up to date with online payments lar. eventually everything will be online. For example, banks now asking its clients to use machines, they dont even want to layan you at the counters… next step would be online transactions and post offices will be filled with machines only. labour expensive ma. machines 24hrs some more.
Went to pay for my internet access at Celcom as the bills never arrived. Forced to use machine! Woman in front made payment…into the wrong account!! Hahahahahaha!!!! If banks switch to machines, I close account and move to one that provides over-the-counter service! Simple! LOL!!!
Ya…the Bee Gees video clip! When it starts, you see Barry Gibb’s face, long hair, beard and all appearing in the sky…like Jesus Christ! LOL!!!
Paying the bills…you exploit me also what….wakakaka
Haiz! Personal assistant not around! Have to get out of the car and walk and queue up to pay and walk back….not so easy for old and fat people! Not that mobile! LOL!!!