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Hello!
Can you tell me your Karen Encounter?
Karens, oh my gosh.
Many years ago, I was working in Singapore Powers,
as a customer service officer.
It's a typical day, like late afternoon, the crowd is in.
And then I was like, serving this couple.
As I complete the account procedure for this person right,
then I was like, walking them through,
I said that like, the utilities will be activated the next day.
This is where right, his face changed.
And he was like,
what do you mean it can only be like, turned on tomorrow,
I need it today.
And then he continued shouting at me,
and then like berating me at my counter.
He refused to move from my counter for one hour.
So can you imagine there's like 70 plus people in the queue right,
and then he don't care, he just continue to sit there,
and then like, waste everybody's time.
So I get my manager out.
Then two of us like, we just keep explaining to him like,
we just can't do it,
because there's the limitations.
And then he's like,
no no no,
I don't care,
I want it to be done today.
It was around 4 plus maybe,
because I remember the engineering people,
usually they finish at 5 o'clock one.
So we have this like, poor engineer who has to OT,
past like 5.30pm, just to like, do it for him.
So okay, I go back to the counter,
so I just explain to the guy that like,
okay we managed to, activate like, one engineer to like, help you.
And this...
Instead of being grateful right,
you know what he say?
See I told you, just shout at them,
we can get things our way already.
Wah.
The moment I heard it right,
I was like,
I nearly throw my chair at him,
but then I was like,
you know, take the high road Steph, don't do it.
Last time during my part-time job,
I was a yoghurt swirler.
I remember it was a weekend, and it was very, very busy.
So, there were a lot of people,
coming in and out buying yoghurt, and things like that.
And there was this lady, this middle-aged lady,
with the typical Karen haircut.
So she bought, grape-flavoured yoghurt.
And then she went away, and a few minutes later, she came back.
And then, she stand at the cashier there,
she was like,
erm,
I think your yoghurt spoil.
So I was like, eh, yoghurt spoil really?
But, we just pour a fresh batch, into the machine this morning.
So I said, oh sorry ma'am, what is wrong with like,
what is wrong with the yoghurt?
She said,
it's sour.
Ma'am, yoghurt is sour one. You never eat yoghurt before, is it?
She just stood there,
with her half-eaten cup of yoghurt, that was already melting,
then she just stand at the cashier there.
Then everybody is like, being busy right,
it was just me and another girl, then we were both like,
faster, faster, faster.
She just stand there.
Is your manager around?
Then I was like, oh no, she's not around, but sorry,
can you give us like, five minutes, because there's really a lot of people.
Okay.
Then the best thing is, she continue to eat the yoghurt.
She continue.
Spoil already still continue.
So finally, the crowd cleared.
Then I was like, yeah,
so what can I do, you know like, how may I assist you, right?
Then she was like, yeah,
I think you need to check your whole batch of yoghurt,
because it's all, I think it's probably spoiled.
So I said,
okay, we have other flavours, do you want to try other flavours?
Then she like, a bit,
okay, give me sample of all the flavours you have.
She eat all.
I think this is also spoiled.
Aunty!
You never eat before yoghurt, is it?
It's sour one.
Then we all like, xiao mei mei right,
then we like, oh okay, then we try.
It tastes exactly the same as every single day,
and nobody else complain,
so like, what the hell man.
Then she was like, hmm,
yeah, I think,
you give me the strawberry flavour one.
I think that one not so sour, maybe that one haven’t spoil.
Okay, fine. Give you strawberry one.
She eat, then she eat already, then she, okay,
then she left her,
almost finished grape yoghurt, on the cashier.
My main Karen encounter, which I find highly traumatising,
is a few years back, I was on an escalator,
and then my family were all on the escalator first,
and I joined them after some other people had cut in between.
So I just walked down the steps,
and then slot myself in where there was an empty step.
And then the lady was like,
and then I thought I hear wrongly, you know?
So I just gave her the benefit of the doubt,
I just turned behind, like, what's going on?
And then she was like, are you serious?
Then I was like, oh my god, I'm ready to like...
So I wait until I get down on ground level,
and then I was like, what's the issue?
And then she was like, are you serious or not?
You go and cut in front of me?
I was so baffled, you know?
I feel like the reaction was completely unwarranted.
So I remember this very clearly.
I pointed at the escalator,
and I was like, look at them,
they are all also standing on each step.
It's crowded.
And then you know what she said?
I don't care! They are them! I am me!
Then the husband was like, he walked back,
and he was like, oh, what's the issue?
Then she was like, she cut in front of me!
Then I was like, look at how crowded it is!
Instead of going down the anger route,
he scoffed, he was like...
Then he said, no point arguing with this type of people.
And I was like, I'm not even arguing with you,
look at your wife!
And then they walked away,
and then I was like, so blinded with rage,
that I started following them,
and then my sister had to pull me away and be like,
no, no, it's not worth it!
Not that I was going to beat them.
So I always think about whether she went home
and told her family,
oh my god, I ran into this xiao zha bor (crazy girl) at JEM,
she cut in front of me on the escalator,
I hope she dies!
But I hope many, many people cut in front of her on escalators.
So my friend and I were kind of volunteering,
slash working at this non-profit organisation,
you know, for charity and things like that.
There was this lady,
she didn't look suspicious or anything,
she looked like your typical auntie,
then she was over there packing stuff,
so we were like, okay, cool, very nice.
Then, a while later, out of the corner of my eye,
then I spotted this same lady,
pocketing like six biscuits at a time.
Then I poked my friend, I was like, what's going on?
She's over there taking bottles and bottles of juice, and I'm like,
at this point I think she's taken up half of the tray of things already.
So we go over there,
we're like, what's happening?
Are you alright, ma'am?
So my friend just asked,
how come you're taking so many things?
Like, is it you're taking for the other volunteers?
And like, totally straight face,
she said, I should be getting paid this amount,
so I can take this many biscuits.
And we're like, ma'am, it's not enough for everybody else.
And then she was over there like, but I got here first!
And I was like, ma'am, it's not about who gets here first.
Then she continued talking about how
the biscuits actually only so cheap.
Why she cannot take more?
Why y'all cannot provide more refreshments?
Then she said, next time right, actually y'all should get sandwiches.
Then she complained basically, got no lunch,
the food not good enough, this and that.
It's a non-profit!
For goodness sake!
So my encounter was, where, my crew and I,
we just finished filming at a specific location,
we had a bunch of gear, on a trolley,
we were waiting for a grab,
we were waiting by the sidewalk,
and then there's this dude,
that just comes in,
and then starts shouting at us like,
eh, why you blocking the place, I'm gonna trip and fall.
I'm like.
There was enough room for, at least three people,
to walk side by side.
He starts disturbing us and say like,
oh, blocking the way, I'm gonna call police,
you're causing so much trouble.
We, politely apologised,
but, we, also politely, ignored him.
It's like, oh, sorry, sorry uncle, sorry.
Then we just moved a little bit,
just to make him feel a little bit better.
This customer came in, and then he wanted to buy a cake,
and write a birthday message.
Because, working there right,
we actually provide a message, on a chocolate tag.
So, 10 words in English, and 7 words in Chinese.
Then he wanted to write 10 words, in Chinese.
And then we really tell him say cannot.
Then he's like, but, why cannot,
I want to write.
Then, end up be like, back and forth.
Then he was like, it's okay, you just write, mama happy birthday,
because you also cannot make it.
And not say right the cake he buy like,
$45, it's only like, one small cake, $20.
Then actually right, he live damn near to the mall,
that I was working at.
So, every time I will see him you know,
with the mum, and the child.
Then every time he walk past me, I will just glare at him.
Then he like, embarrased, then he just walk off.
My, to-do list was to, experience the Karen situation.
And I did, a lot of time.
And that was, before I joined TSL,
which is, when I was still a cabin crew.
I had this flight, to a certain country,
and you know, the aisle is so tight, and narrow, and small.
Like, only one person can fit through, one at a time.
So it was so crowded, that's like a human traffic jam.
And then, okay let's say,
this is the front,
this is the back.
I'm at the, nearly to the end,
and this male Karen, is like in the center.
So you can imagine, there's like five people, in between us,
and then he, this male Karen, shout across,
hey! Can you carry my luggage for me?
And not just he shout that is one red flag,
he is like, 30 years old, he's quite fit.
Like, why can't he carry himself?
And then, I choose to ignore, because I was like,
helping another person, who is much more older.
You know what, he said?
Oh it's heavy.
Then I said, okay I will offload,
go to the cargo.
And then he said, oh no, never mind, I carry myself.
It was economy. Oh my god, yeah, how dare you.
Thank you for watching this episode of, Tell Me About It.
If you have any Karen Encounter yourself,
let us know about it, in the comments below.
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Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye Karens, don't come here.
Don't come to TSL, don't come here.
Goodbye.