Saw the man standing by the lorry, as all the vehicles stopped at the traffic junction. He looked unkempted and not entirely lucid. I am not sure if he is indian, malay or perhaps some exotic african who got lost in tropical singapore. He was wearing a tattered red t-shirt and faded jeans, sprouting a thick curly beard. The man stood for a while and for a minute i wondered if he was mad and weighed the likelihood that he may just walked into the traffic as it moved. Instead, he began by walking to the middle of the road, right up to the car which was 2 cars ahead of mine, gesturing to the driver inside that he wanted food to eat. I am not sure how the driver reacted, but the man smiled and walked back towards the lorry. Instantaneously, my initial worry that he may be knocked down and my curiousity of this man was replaced by a more immediate fear, that he may soon approach my car with the same request. It is the fear that i would not know how to react to the man. Would i look embarrass? Smile? Accede to his request by giving him money? Ignore him? Pretend that he never existed? As much as i was concerned initially about this strange man, when the pull comes to the crunch, when i am on the verge of being confronted personally, my immediate reaction was to become fearful.

In the end, the man disappeared behind another bus next to my car and the traffic lights turned green. There was a sense of relief which was followed closely by a sense of shame. I never did have to chance to know what exactly would i do yet, i suspect my potential reaction would not be one that i can be proud of.