Introducing… Miss Oblivious

Have you ever experience this thing where you have people talking about you? You have haven’t you? I mean people talk about other people all the time. Everyone! But here is the catch…Try having people talk about you right in front of your face like as if you do not exist! That is really something.

Well it did happen to me the other day.

I was in the elevator with these two other Chinese ladies who are in their late thirties who I presume they are colleagues were sharing the same lift as I am. I know colleagues talk and gossip a lot about other people but it is usually done when that person is not there or at least out of earshot.

But this one is a ‘Classic’.

There were the three of us. I pressed 11th floor while they were on a few floors higher. So you can imagine what can go on the lift whilst you painstakingly wait to reach your floor.

I stood at the corner of the lift facing the panel button while the two Chinese ladies started a conversation. Ok, here is where their name derives. Please meet Miss Oblivious and her friend Miss Equally Oblivious.

The conversation went on in Cantonese like this…

Miss Oblivious: Eh you noticed that gals feet is very small…Take a look…

Miss Equally Oblivious: Eh really meh?
(Turned and discreetly tries to look at my feet)

So you have two Misses scrutinizing my poor feet. If my feet have a life of its own, it would have already screamed for help.

Miss Oblivious: How big do you think her feet are?

From the corner of my eyes, I could see them visually molesting my poor tiny puny feet again. I was then contemplating whether to turn to them and retort in fluent Cantonese “Ngor cheok sei hou ar. PAT POH!” (I wear size 4 you nosy woman-but of course I can use other foul Cantonese words but figured since we’ll be bumping to each other for as long as I decide to work in the same building I better not). Or I’d just walk out like I didn’t even notice they were talking about me.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see them visually molesting my poor tiny puny feet again. I was then contemplating whether to turn to them and retort in fluent Cantonese “Ngor cheok sei hou ar. PAT POH!” (I wear size 4 you nosy woman-but of course I can use other foul Cantonese words but figured since we’ll be bumping to each other for as long as I decide to work in the same building I better not). Or I’d just walk out like I didn’t even notice they were talking about me.

I choose the latter. To my amazement, Miss Oblivious and her other counterpart were still busy inspecting and my feet while I stepped out of the door. The rest of the conversation I didn’t have the chance to hear, but my guess would be where in the world she would be able to find shoes to fit her and so on. Or perhaps they are dying of envy that I have such small feet that they are planning to have their feet bound in Malacca or something.

Gosh, woman… I know work can be boring and monotonous at times but talking about other people’s feet is not exactly what I call exciting and especially when you are talking about them right in front of their face. But on the bright side is at least I know my feet get ample attention whether it’s wanted or unwanted attention. :o