FARMWAY 1: Part 1 I have funny neighbours. This afternoon, I was on my way to the new shopping centre in Sengkang (Yes! Civilization has arrived!) when I saw Ah Hwa 'sim' ('auntie') sitting downstairs. So I greeted her, and this follows: Ah Hwa sim: Where are you going? Me: Oh, the new shopping centre behind. Ah Hwa sim: You know how to go? You must take bus 371 or 80. Me: Orh, ok. (Ah Ngou auntie walked towards us.) Ah Ngou auntie: (In teochew) Ah mei, going to the new shopping centre? Me: Ah. Ah Hwa sim: (In teochew) I was telling her to take 371 or 80. Don't cross the road. Ah Ngou auntie: No lah, my Nana tell me take 371, take 80 very far! 371 reach straight at the shopping centre doorstep. (2nd Floor auntie pops her head out of the (you got it!) 2nd storey window .) 2nd Floor auntie: Ah mei, you want to go the new shopping centre ah? Me: Ah. Ah Ngou auntie: (Facing up at 2nd Floor auntie) Take 371 hor? 2nd Floor auntie: I've been there twice already! Everytime I take bus to interchange then walk, not very far. Ah Ngou auntie: No lah, take 371 reach doorstep, no need walk. Then what bus you take to come back? ... ... I stood there for about 3 minutes, listening to their teochew discussion on how to go to the new shopping centre. (btw, Teochew's the lingua franca of our neighbourhood) Actually I already knew the bus to take, because I went there last week. But these aunties were so helpful, I just kept nodding and smiled a silly smile. I'm quite sure they were still discussing by the time I reached the bus stop.