An uncle complained that while eating at a coffee shop in Choa Chu Kang, he chose an outdoor seat to enjoy the breeze, but was asked by a cleaning lady to change seats. The two ended up in a dispute and even called the police.
The cleaning lady involved said she had only meant well in suggesting that the uncle move to a bigger table, but her intention was misunderstood.
Mr Feng (73, retired) contacted Shin Min Daily News. He said that on August 7, he went to have dinner at a coffee shop at Block 678A Choa Chu Kang Crescent. Because the weather was hot, he deliberately sat at an outdoor seat by the roadside to cool off, but the cleaning lady asked him to change seats.
“The cleaning lady said she wanted to smoke and told me to go indoors, but I refused. She then deliberately sat opposite me, and when she smoked, she blew the smoke in my direction, making me breathe in second-hand smoke.”
Mr Feng said he ignored her at the time, until he returned his bowls and plates. The cleaning lady seemed displeased and shouted at him.
“The top rack was full, so I put my things on the lower rack, and she yelled loudly at me.”
As both sides refused to give in, the situation escalated into a dispute, and the police were called.
When reporters visited the coffee shop, the cleaning lady involved, Zhang Yingyu (62), explained that she had seen the uncle carrying a tray and a big plastic bag, so she had kindly suggested he switch to a bigger table for more comfort.
Zhang said that when the uncle returned the tray, he deliberately placed it on the lower rack. “I wanted him to hand it directly to me, but he said I scolded him,” she said.
As for the smoking allegation, the cleaning lady flatly denied it.
“I was fined once not long ago, and if I do it again, I’ll be fined $500. Why would I do that?”
A male worker who works at one of the stalls said in an interview that the cleaning lady is generally quite clean and treats customers well, often taking the initiative to clear dishes for them. It might have been a matter of tone that caused the misunderstanding.
