Kiamsiap People

It's such a pain in the ass when I meet stingy people. In hokkien, stingy is 'kiamsiap'. In malay, it's 'kedekut'.

Whenever you go for food with someone else, either lunch or dinner, when it comes to paying, it's either you pay, he pays or you go Dutch. But when you initiate or invite the other person, it's always a courtesy to have the bill. I think Malaysian men are most generous or gentlemen when it comes to paying the bill. In other parts of the world, be it women or men, they pay separately. It has always been a known fact that European women would pay for their own food/drinks. And altho the macho hairy guys appreciate the company of the long blonde haired lady, they don't always seem to pay the bill.

When I was young, older people told me that one need to be thrifty to be rich. When I grow up, I believe being thrifty is good, but not stingy. Have you ever been invited to lunch and end up paying for the bill including for the person who invited you? It's not due to courtesy, but it's due to the fact that the inviter pretends not to dig his pocket for his wallet after a long session. Well, I have met these kind of people many times. Sometimes I wonder, how can this person be so thick-skinned? How would you expect others to accompany you for a meal next time? The fact is....these kind of people do exist; and there are many many of them around.

There's another funny thing that I have been observing all these while. Most of us drive to work. And most of use highways of which we have to pay a toll whenever we pass. I've seen many Proton Saga's and Perodua Kancil's with SMART TAG, and I've also come across E-Class' and BMW's that queue at the normal 'pay as u go' booth. It's disgusting, isn't it? How can these miser afford to drive big cars but can't afford to buy a SMART TAG?

It's a strange world we are living in, isn't it? If you'd only stop doing whatever you are doing for a moment, and observe your surrounding, you'd see strange and funny things happening. Sometimes, you wonder why? But it still happens. Maybe God purposely make it happen so that we could at least afford a little smile and laughter, after a long long day at work.

Awwwrrgghhhh.....it's Monday blues again.....Can't wait till it's Friday.....