It was a summer day where the skies were overcast and the post-rain air was damp and cold to breathe in. A girl in her late teens and her father stepped out of their van, parked in the shady undercover area of the lot adjointed to the large supermarket.

Tall and robust, the father walked in front, able to cover more distance with each confident stride than his offspring who quickened her pace to catch up. The lot thrummed with activity as more vehicles rolled in from the street. Without slowing down a beat, the father reached back and offered a large, calloused hand to his daughter.

She took it without hesitation in hers; slender, soft, and distinctly scented with the lingering fragrance of baking.

They crossed the lot together, avoiding parking space-seeking cars, side by side.

On the sidewalk, hands still linked, the girl shifted her shoulder bag and matched her pacing with her father's; a gentle smile on her face. The girl struck up light conversation. The older man smiled, laughter bubbling in his throat.

An old woman walking towards them burdened under the weight of two hefty plastic bags looked up at the sight of them.

And stared.

What was it that you saw, madam?

Did you see a weary father, hardened and sunbrowned by years of labourious activities, tug his scruffy, wayward daughter, who resembled him entirely, along with his sagely patience?

Did you see a girl who grew up and will continue to grow up to be her father's daughter for as long as she lives, trusting her father to guide her along a safe path?

Would it matter if the clock was turned back a decade when the girl was small and the father was younger? Would time change the fact that they were family?

Madam, what did you see?

If you saw a father and his daughter sharing unspoken affection and trust in the form of two hands intertwined, then why.

Why do you stare so?

As though it's something worth scrutiny.

As though it's something you've never seen before.




Didn't your parents tell you it was rude to stare, madam? :/.

In other news, there was a Doraemon face cake at the T&T. It looked like someone turned Doraemon into ice cream, chopped off his face, and put it on a styrofoam disc. Frightening.

In other other news, we all know that China pumps out a lot of fake things. Recently, a group of people attempted to kidnap a boy and force-fed him knock-out drugs which turned out to be fake. They fed him four bottles until the boy decided to fake unconsciousness and ran away while the kidnappers were setting up his family for ransom money. It's difficult to know what to think of that.