一生何求

I was in Chinatown near the Chin Swee area for an errand just a few hours ago.

As I walked passed by the old shops in this neighbourhood, I was immediately transported back to older days. A number of elderly men and women were sitting idly in some obscure corner. One talked to himself. Another was staring ahead in a distant somewhat in a daze, lost in his own world. Yet another was waving her hand senselessly in all directions. Then another was walking about slowly with a walking stick, limping. A lady carrying a bag of old cloth, tried to stop people "hello miss, happy new year....", she was ignored by most passer-by. Presumably she was trying to sell her old cloth.

Then I chanced upon a scrawny old lady sitting on the floor near a walkway. She looked probably older than my grandma. Think she is in her late 80s, a full head of white hair, wearing crumpled shorts and Tshirt with no shoes. She was clutching 2 small plastic bags over her shoulder. Her wrinkled face stared at me as I walked passed, her eyes full of sadness.

As I settled down for lunch at People's Park hawker centre, next to it was yet a makeshift pasar malam with stalls selling CNY stuff. Songs of Cantonese oldies were blasting in the background from one of the stalls selling CDs. As I was chomping on my delicious roasted duck, they started playing 一生何求, and it immediately hit me, ithe song brought me back to the images of those elderly people I saw earlier, especially the old lady. Something overwhelmed me and I felt so sad. I didn't finished my lunch.

Here's the song 一生何求 sang by the late Danny Chan 陳百強. Also, must dedicate this song to my buddy Veg, as Danny was Veg's idol. Memories of childhood....

冷暖哪可休

回头多少个秋

寻遍了却偏失去

未盼却在手

我得到没有

没法解释得失错漏

刚刚听到望到便更改

不知哪里追究

一生何求

常判决放弃与拥有

耗尽我这一生

触不到已跑开

一生何求

迷惘里永远看不透

没料到我所失的

竟已是我的所有

一生何求

曾妥协也试过苦斗

梦内每点缤纷

一消散哪可收

一生何求

谁计较赞美与诅咒

没料到我所失的

竟已是我的所有