Lost in Language Slurs at the Station Kopitiam

I made it a point to be lost and seek out some truths by myself. It's how I found myself trying out local-looking food at the Kedai Mamak, Rasa Sayang or at restaurants like Secret Recipe or Old Town White Coffee.

This morning, I had breakfast in a restaurant that probably catered to my own working-class crowd. It reminded me of how Filipinos spelled Softdrinks as “Sopdrink.”

The menu in this Kopitiam, which boasted of “Western Food” had Sausage as “Sosej.” I ordered it.

I asked the waiter, “Can I order?” He looked more Japanese than Malay, and he obviously couldn’t make out what I was saying. I repeated myself and carefully mouthed the words without being condescending and made a genuine attempt at understanding. He responded to me without being insulting and genuinely wanting to confirm my order he asked, "O-renj-juice?"

Mornings like these, I’m glad I decided to just walk back to the hotel instead of taking the Teksi.