Serangoon Road

I have not walked about Serangoon Road and its surroundings for a long time. One recent Sunday evening I went to a friend's house at Veerasamy Road, off Serangoon Road. When I left, it was already night. I decided to take a stroll.

I walked along Serangoon Road, Rowell Road, Kapor Road, Desker Road, Lembu Road and to Syed Alwi Road where Mustafa Shopping Centre is. Then I walked back along Serangoon Road to the bus stop outside Tekka Centre.

Everywhere there were throngs of people. Probably because Sunday is an off-day for our foreign workers. Most were dark-skinned. I remembered one former MP mentioned that the place was dark. Some people thought it was a racist remark. Maybe he was just being cheeky.

Some were in groups, just standing around talking. Others sat on the ground or pavements drinking tea in paper cups and chit-chatting. Those at the back-lanes in the red-light zone were drinking beer at the stalls.

All were well-behaved. I didn't come across any rowdiness or anyone getting drunk. Perhaps it was still early in the night. One common offence I saw was jaywalking - people dashing across Serangoon Road.

Outside a massage den in Rowell Road, a man was announcing its services "massage, massage". I saw a bored-looking woman inside. Further up there was a woman in a low-cut dress sitting outside a staircase. At the back-lane were the brothels with older women.

In the olden days there were numerous stalls peddling medicinal products, sex toys and drugs, and blue video tapes. That night I saw only one stall open with a man sitting beside it. I don't know what it was selling. At another point I saw a board displacing pictures of drugs but the seller was not around. I guess he was not far away watching.

Along Serangoon Road were shops selling clothing, VCD, gold ornaments, mobile phones .... It was a hive of activities everywhere.

Little India has a buzz that attracts people.