Every Thursday morning, Chan Mei Ling, 81, takes a small wheeled shopping trolley to the wet market near her apartment. Her daughter has offered to order groceries online for her, but Chan prefers choosing vegetables herself.
“Online, all the tomatoes look perfect,” she said. “Real tomatoes are not all perfect.”
Chan was a homemaker and raised three children. For many years, shopping was a daily task because the family refrigerator was small and meals were planned one day at a time. She now lives alone and buys much less.
What is always in your trolley?
Leafy vegetables, tofu, eggs, ginger. Usually fish, but only a small piece. If I buy too much, I get tired of eating the same thing.
Do you know the vendors?
I know some faces. We are not close friends. We say hello, they tell me what is fresh, I complain about the price. That is enough.
Has the market changed?
There are fewer stalls than before, and more people pay with phones. I still carry cash. I know how to use electronic payment, but cash is faster for me.
Why Thursday?
No special reason. It became Thursday and stayed Thursday.
After shopping, Chan usually stops for tea and a bun. She said the trip is partly about groceries and partly about having somewhere to go. “At my age, a small reason to leave the apartment is useful,” she said. “You come home with vegetables and a little news.”
By D. Wong
