I had noticed this quiet young boy with a pleasant demeanor on a bicycle before at the construction site on previous occasions; selling food stuff to the workers but in my 'busyness' and rush-rush world, I’d never taken the time or trouble to find out more about him. But I did this morning after a site meeting (the building has been completed and currently being fitted out), which finished earlier than anticipated, when I walked up to talk to him. Ah Ee lives in a ‘resettlement housing scheme’ area about 45 minutes cycling time away. Small size for his age, he is thirteen years old and helps to support the family by dropping out of school after primary 6; by selling kuehs (cakes) and food (noodles, burgers, nasi lemak, etc) to the workers from one construction sit to another on his bicycle. The kuehs were made by his mother and he earns a small margin from the other foodstuff which he buys from others. He manages to sell around twenty to thirty ringgit worth in a day. Coming from a privileged background, I cannot even begin to imagine the material things and comforts he had done without that I had taken for granted at that age.

So I tag you all today – “What Were You Doing When You Were Ah Ee’s Age?”
Food for thought isn’t it.

And while you are feeding on that thought, you may want to have a sneak peek at the building that's been fitted out at the moment.