PARKing in the Hawker Center

I have a PARK moment today which I am happy and proud to share. I was having my lunch at one of the hawker center and queuing up to buy food so I get my utensils ready (chopsticks and spoon). I don't usually check my utensils but somehow I did today. I realized there were some stains on the chopsticks and spoon so I took another set, thinking that the first set I took was not properly cleaned. I then realized that the second set also had similar stains and upon closed inspection, I discovered the stains were paints smeared from the markings made on the utensils to identify the ownership of the utensils. The paint marking on the utensil was probably not waterproof and could have smeared into different parts of the chopsticks and spoon through repeated washing. The scary thing is that the paint stains could be easily removed (by rubbing off with my finger), and this means that they could be consumed by customers when the chopsticks or spoon is mixed with food.

I tried to wash away the paint under a running tap but still it was not 100% clean. I started to think that the other customers could be unaware of this and consuming the paint together with their hot soup. I thought I had to inform the stallholder about this, not just because it was a nice thing to do but also it was the right thing to do. This is also being kind to many more customers as the queue for the stall was always there. However, I was hesitant initially because I was afraid of the reaction that I would get if I told the stallholder. Would I be labelled a busybody? How would he react? Would he be defensive? I know deep down inside me, I wanted very much to tell him. If it was because of losing face and keeping the truth to myself where I could help so many others, I would definitely regret my actions after I left the place. I decided I would tell the stallholder about this incident. If they choose to be defensive and do nothing about it, that is their problem and out of my control, I did what I should be doing.

I did not want to affect their business by openly raising this concern in front of all the queuing customers. So, I waited and waited but the queue was still there, even after 20 to 30 mins. As more and more customers bought from this stall, I became more affirmative about my decision because my action would really make a difference to all these customers. If there are 100 customers patronizing the stall each day and the issue had gone unnoticed for 1 month, there is a chance that 3000 customers could be consuming harmful paint as part of the food. Finally, there came a chance where the stall assistant walked over to the neighboring stall to exchange for some small change. I walked near him and waited for him to finish changing money and then told him that the paint marking on his utensil had smeared off. I told him I realized that when I was eating my lunch bought from his stall earlier. His response was very positive and he told me that he would take note and thanked me for informing him on that. I left the place feeling happy and proud because of what I have done; happy because I did something right and what I believe in, an act of random kindness that can make a difference to others, proud because I care more about others than myself.