July 20, 2006

Don't put up The Flag

It was a warm humid evening. As I was dozing off on the sofa, there were knockings at the door. A sweet voice came through, “Hello! Hello! Anyone in? Hello!”

I sprang up and went to open the door. A lady stood outside. She had a cheerful disposition.

“Miss, can I help you?”

“Sorry to disturb you; it is like this.…We have put up the national flags at your block. Please do not put up your own flag.”

“Can I put up an extra one?”

“No, we put the flags in a way to form a certain shape. If you put extra one it will be out of place, not nice you see.”

“I see. Thank you for taking the trouble to inform us and putting up the flags, very thoughtful of you all.”

“Thank you, bye.”

She did not introduce herself but I think she is a member of one of the residents’ committees. Since last year the RC has put up flags at our block. Before that I used to put up my own. Then only about one-third of flats in my block did that.

That was yesterday. This afternoon I went to the top level of the opposite block to see what shape it is.

Here is a picture……..click on picture for bigger version.


4 comments:

Victor said...

Very nice meh? Frankly, if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't know that the flags form a triangular pattern. Sigh, no wonder people say we are overly regulated.

Haha, now I know which block you stay in. The world too.

Chris Sim said...

Not only are we over-regulated, we're also over-sheltered. They even have to tell us how the flags should be displaced. Talk about national pride. I remember there was once the RC put up flags in my block. So happened that my block is facing the main road. They just put it up, and we didn't even have to pay for the flag. Those staying in the inner blocks all have to buy their own if they want to display the flags. It's like telling us, the front facade is more important to display our patriotism. It's so skin deep. Sigh.

Victor said...

Chris, very good play of words "flags should be displaced" and "flags should be displayed". Extremely clever.

Lam Chun See said...

Ah ha; Now I know people in HDB heartland not necessarily more 'patriotic' than those in private estates (as one forum writer declared a couple of years ago)

Maybe we are even more 'patriotic'; seeing we have to go to NTUC Fairprice to buy the flag and put up ourselves.