Urban Jungle

Some of you may know that I was at the zoo over the weekend. I don't know if it was a case of being unfortunate or not. It was hot and bloody humid as it always is in Singabore. It didn't help that it was extremely crowded - NTUC was having their May Day celebrations there - so free tickets given out, blah blah blah...I leave the rest to your imaginations.

I watched a few performances put up by different embassies to commemorate this NTUC thing. I enjoyed their performances - all were unique in their own ways. I was almost falling out of my chair laughing when I caught the performance by the zoo itself. It featured 5 men and a woman, all dressed in some Tarzan and Jane getups. 2 of the men were beating their drums and the rest of the group were doing various jungle-like-as-depicted-by-them dances and using some long thing to shoot and burst (PINK!!!) balloons. What the hell were they thinking??!! Brings to mind the tagline: "Uniquely Singapore". Oh bloody yawn!

But really, what IS unique about Singabore? I think there's nothing particularly unique about it at all. Everything I see is copied. So selling "Uniquely Singapore" is actually selling lie, a mirage. Or perhaps it does exist - in the minds of it's Creators.

Do you see what I see.....

Smiling faces greet you everywhere

Do you see what I see.....

while They poke and snarl behind your back

"Welcome to..." "Thank you" "Please"

Put on manners ensnare them unawares

Put on Their clothes, shoes, manners, smiles

Ready - Lights! Camera! Action!!!

Petal P. Rose