港•人-即将消失的人情味?/People-Disappearing Spirit?

香港的红的士/Hong Kong Red Taxi. http://travel-on-a-shoe-string.blogspot.sg/2011/10/by-taxi-hongkong-disneyland.html

刚过去的香港之行，有两件事情让我对“东方之珠”有深刻的印象。

之前在香江发生的一些事情，让身为新加坡人的我觉得，要在香港期间全程讲粤语，好让当地人不认为我是中国人，怠慢了一些事。所以呢，一下机场快线，上了“的士”（即计程车）便用那不标准的广东话说出酒店的名字。

后来，司机载我到酒店的时候，我赫然发现他载我到错的地方。这时想，糟啦！如果我跟他讲，他载我到别的地方，会不会恶言出口呢？所以，我就小心翼翼地说，“对不起大哥，我是要去这间酒店。”接着，便掏出酒店的订房确认通知给他看。

当然，司机大哥看了不爽，还开始念起来，nei知啦，独特的港人性格便显现出来。后来，他特地打电话打去酒店确认一下地址。结果，我是在出了机场快线的45分钟后，才抵达正确的酒店。那时的车资已经是港币65元。

当我要掏出钱时，司机大哥说，“我跟你收到第一间酒店的钱，50港币吧。”我说，“不可以呀，要照表走呀。”

最后，他坚持收50港币。那一刻，我觉得港人很有人情味。

隔天晚上，我到铜锣湾逛的时候，看到开益书店，便上去看‘咳神’的“我的港女老婆”是否有得买。

在书店翻了几本之后，便决定买下整套的漫画书籍。我就用那富有“尾音”的粤语，跟店员讲我要买下整套书。她问我从哪里来，我说是新加坡。她就亲切地问我要买其他的书，还推荐‘咳神’的其他书籍。聊了几句后，就了解如果我刚才翻了书不买，便以为我是强国人。店员透露，很多强国人上书店是不买书，翻了就走。而新加坡人给人的印象是有礼貌的。

结果呢，我们在店里亲切地聊了20分钟。

这两件事是否说明，身为海外华侨，如果在香港不讲粤语，所得到的待遇会不一样，人情味是否还在。

这值得令人深思。

Hong Kong Taxis waiting at Russell Street

There are 2 events happened at my past trip that make me wonder.

I got myself a cab after arriving from the Airport Express to the hotel. Due to the recent social events that were connected with Mainland Chinese, I told myself to speak Cantonese whenever I can. So, I told the the name of the hotel to the driver in not-so-perfect Cantonese.

Later, I was driven to the wrong hotel. Expecting to be scolded by the driver, I apologised to him and point to the correct hotel address. He grumbled, called the hotel to make sure the correct address and proceed.

Upon arrival, the fare is 65 Hong Kong Dollars. I tried to pass to him, but he told me to pay him HKD50. I said, "But this is not the meter fare." He said never mind, he was willingly to charge me the fare right up to the first hotel.

His gesture warmed my heart.

 The next thing happened at the Kai Yik Bookstore. I was at their Causeway Bay branch looking for Cuson Lo's books. Flipping many of it and decided after 30minutes, I decided to bring the entire set over and said in not-so-perfect Cantonese to say I want to buy it.

Then, we had a friendly chat on other things as well. From there, it was revealed that the bookstore received some customers who were not nice. To Hong Kongers, Singaporeans are a group of courteous people.

I can say, to be able and make the effort to speak Cantonese does help to travel around in Hong Kong. English and Mandarin will distance oneself from the Hong Kongers.

And this social phenomenon is indeed worth to be take note of.