The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on multiple groups, especially during ‘Circuit Breaker’ period, be it financially or mentally.
One such group is the elderly. Full-time photographer and videographer Zexun Tan spoke to an elderly customer service attendant who shared about his struggles during the pandemic.
Mr Tan decided to strike up a conversation with Uncle Leong, 70, after he took a photograph of him once in 2017, and another in 2020.
Photographed 3 years apart, Mr Tan realised the little changes in Uncle Leong’s physical appearance, like greyer hair & slightly more wrinkly skin.
Uncle Leong told him he enjoyed speaking to commuters, and felt down when he was forced to stay home during ‘Circuit Breaker’.
In a Facebook post, Mr Tan said he captured Uncle Leong, 70, at Meridian LRT station in Punggol. The customer service assistant would smile at commuters alighting from cabins and talk to those waiting for their LRT.
Uncle Leong took the time to guide commuters who needed to navigate Punggol’s confusing LRT lines, speaking in English, Mandarin, Hokkien and Malay.
Mr Tan photographed Uncle Leong back in Apr 2017 and took another picture in Aug 2020.
He noticed that Uncle Leong’s hair is greyer and his wrinkles have grown deeper. However, his jolly disposition still shone through, even with a mask on.
Sharing his story with Mr Tan, Uncle Leong said he used to be an aviation engineer but was asked to retire without a retrenchment package.
He found 6 months of retirement too boring and decided to be an SBS Transit customer service attendant.
The man did the peak hour shifts 6 days a week and found joy in his work as he could interact with people.
Uncle Leong shared with Mr Tan that he felt down when the Covid-19 pandemic spread and brought about the ‘Circuit Breaker’ as he missed visiting the elderly corner to mingle with his generation.
Most of his time was spent watching TV and browsing the internet.
The man shared that he didn’t know what to do should he lose his current job and said he would settle for a job as a dishwasher or cleaner while spending less on food.
Mr Tan said he doesn’t see Uncle Leong around in recent days and misses the joyful man’s presence on the LRT platform.
The photographer hopes Uncle Leong is well. However, he wonders if the man has taken a break or was transferred to another station, taking into account the unpredictable nature of an elderly worker’s job.
Uncle Leong’s story is one that may resonate with many others, as aged workers might find it a struggle to keep their jobs amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
We wish him all the best and hopes he’s still greeting commuters with a jolly smile, even if it’s not at Meridian LRT station.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and Land Transport Guru.
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