[JacqueMerlin]

As the population grew, I was enrolled into a list by a local club of those who could assist these permanent residents assimilate into our society. The activities usually bordered on organizing outings, barbecues and an occasional trip to nearby countries.

During one of the outings to Malaysia, there was one of these couples that stood out from the rest. Or rather, the male counterpart of this wretched marital union. Not only was he loud mouthed, uncouth and a pain to handle. Repeatedly emphasizsed that Malaysian Chinese used to be from China and that the wealthier Chinese segments of Malaysia to rise up and replace the other inferior races.

As we travelled around, this piece of rubbish refused to stop his contempt and even extended this appalling attitude to condemn the sovereignty of Singapore. He mentioned that Singapore made an uncessary move in declaring independence since China is rising and that Singapore being a Chinese dominated Chinese Colony should simply ditch its identity as a Chinese Colony to become rightfully a part of china. He even went as far as to describe how Singapore can be governed as a wealthy county third to Shanghai and Beijing. Therefore giving rise to this term 坡县 (po Xian '...pore county') which I found later to become a commonly used term in Chinese forums with a derogatory reference to describe Singapore as an overseas Chinese county.

During the journey, his wife was seen to be not keen in engaging his rude and unrealistic rhetorics. Our entire group checked into a hotel and prepared for the free and easy late afternoon activities. Perhaps driven by embarrassment, the wife whom I will name Helen decided to go out on her own rather than to hang around with her deplorable husband. We bumped into each other at the hotel lobby and I politely offered to bring her around the adjacent mall if she was interested with.