When I Was Young

An International student says…

Letter from Dayal Prabhhal

I am a 16-year-old in Grade 10 at an international school in Singapore and have been here for two years. I want to say that I really love Singapore. This is what happened to me on March 26.

I was heading towards my friend’s house in a taxi, as her father was driving us to school. I did not realise until I had got out of the taxi that I had left my handphone behind.

Using my friend’s phone, I called my number. On my second try, a lady answered. She gave me an address in Pasir Ris from where I could collect my phone. I got into a taxi but when I got there, I could not find her.

I tried looking for someone who could lend me their phone so I could call her. Two ladies pointed me to a public phone. When I called the lady, she gave me the address again. I had misheard her the first time.

But I had no idea where she actually was. By this time I had hardly any money left to take another taxi but I still flagged a cab.

I asked the driver the way and told him my problem. He asked me to get in and dropped me at the correct block and did not even ask me for the fare.

I found the lady who had my handphone. She had been waiting for more than 30 minutes.

In the train, finally heading to school, I called my friend and told her what had happened. I told her that I didn’t have any money left as I had spent what I had on the first taxi ride to Pasir Ris.

Right after I hung up, I saw a hand with a $10 note in it. It belonged to a middle-aged man who then tucked the money into my shirt pocket. He must have heard me talking to my friend. I was so touched by this that I was almost in tears. I kept trying to give the money back but he refused to take it.

I want to say thank you to the lady who returned my handphone, the taxi uncle and the uncle in the train. It’s been two years since I came to Singapore. After this amazing experience, I want to say I really love Singapore.


From TODAY, Voices – Thursday, 09-April-2009