【給人一條活路】(English writing below)
GIVE OTHERS A WAY OUT
那天，我坐了六個小時為客人們批八字，間中只去了一次洗手間。
我往往都要求客人自己也點些東西。偶爾有些客人說要一杯白開水就好。我會提醒他們，禮儀上我們應該點些什麼，無論價錢多便宜，畢竟我們佔用人家的地方數小時。
有時看到客人彷彿不捨得花錢，我便提出請他們喝個飲料。但至今，沒有一位客人接受我請客。我想他們都明白我的用心良苦。
因為容易胃痛，所以我不喝咖啡、茶和果汁，一般我會點些小吃。
那天很明顯到處都比較少人。我見了三位客人，每當一位客人落座的時候，我就會點一樣食物。
有位客人覺得有點奇怪，問我是否是不停地見客人而肚子餓了。他想給我些時間來吃個正餐。
我笑笑解釋：
這是我回饋的方式。我用人家的地方，辦公六小時。地方裝修得那麼用心，服務生那麼周到（只是笑容少了些），如果我只點一個幾塊錢的蛋糕來「付租金」，然後又受服務生不停地為我添水，那我就是在佔人家的便宜。
等同於 - 偷。
我自己也曾做過幾次生意。我明白開銷不斷地增加，老闆要承受多少的壓力。幫助人家的生意，說不定也能避免他人被栽。
在這種艱難的時刻，給人一個生計等同於救人，甚至多人，一命呀。😄
批三個八字，我淨賺超過一千新幣。只花幾塊錢，那未免太吝嗇了。
幫助自己國家的經濟，回饋給社會，有很多的方法。這是我個人用的方法之一。
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That day, I sat down for 6 hours of Bazi consultations. Only excusing myself to go the restroom once.
I would request my clients to order something for themselves. Occasionally there would be clients who said they would just get plain water. I would remind them that it is better to order something, no matter how small, since we are using the premises for a couple of hours.
Sometimes if the client seems reluctant to spend, I would offer to pay for him/her. But till now, no one took up my offer of a treat. My clients understand my well-meaning intentions.
I do not take coffee, tea or juices due to my proneness to gastric. So I usually order small bites.
It was obviously quieter around. I met three clients and with the arrival of each client, I ordered something from the menu.
A client seemed puzzled at my ordering, and asked if I was hungry seeing several clients back-to-back. He wanted to give me time to eat a proper main course.
I explained:
It is my way of giving back. I am seated for so many hours. It is not right to just order one cake that pay for my 6 hours of “rental” and receive endless refills of plain water.
That would be taking advantage of such a nicely-renovated environment and the staff’s prompt service (just not smiley enough).
Equivalent to stealing.
Moreover, I have ran businesses before. I know how stressful it is for the boss with the never-ending overheads.
Who knows, maybe helping someone’s business out can help preserve another person’s rice bowl and the livelihood of a family.
In challenging times like this, giving people the opportunities to continue their work is almost like saving the lives of people. 😄
3 Bazi consultations get me over S$1K. Wouldn’t it be stingy of me to just spend a few dollars?
There are many ways of giving back and helping to stimulate our economy.
This is just one of my ways.
