The Bubur Ayam Rant

Yes, madams. I'm fully aware that given the fact that bubur ayam does consist of at least seven different condiments, you as the purchasers of the said bubur ayam reserve the right to customize its content to your liking. I understand your distaste of fried soybeans and why you want to remove them altogether from your serving. I understand the underlying economic principle that drives you to ask the bubur vendor for additional bitternut chips and shredded chicken as a compensation for the removal of fried soybeans. I understand the health concern behind your demand that the aforementioned shredded chicken be free of skin. However, it's a bit ironic bearing in mind your request for liver and intestines satay, isn't it? I vaguely understand why you want the chopped celery be separated from the chopped shallot although they have been traditionally mixed by the vendor. I understand why you want the tapioca cracker be crushed, while the bitternut chips left whole. I totally agree that kecap manis should be used sparingly while that yellow sauce should be sprayed liberally. I understand why you want the sambal be placed before the soy sauce. I understand why you insist that the fried shallot flakes be sprinkled thoroughly rather than be stacked at the centre. I understand that you and all of your three colleagues have different taste and the content variation of your orders should be adjusted accordingly. And logically, I agree with you that bearing in mind the complexity of your orders, the vendor needs to be reminded over and over and over and over again.

What I don't understand is how you and your friends have the heart to do all this when it's nearly 7.30 in the morning and the line is a fucking mile long and you're not even in it!

You, Me, and The Story

I caught a brief glimpse from the TV and you asked me to download it from the net if I happen to go to the Uni. So there we were. Just past midnight. Half a loaf of garlic bread and and choc-vanilla ice cream right out of the 2 litre tube. No words. But we both know the story.

Things To Do At Glendale

Hi Glenn,

I heard that you're willing to take over my job at Woolworth Glendale so I compiled this 'to-do' list for you. Don't forget that the last 101 leaves the uni at about 11.1o pm, make sure you're on it. Taking a cab will cost you about 20 bucks. It's not worth it, man.

12.00 Upstairs

Go upstairs (Lunchroom and Offices)

- Change the bin liner of the garbage can under the sink in the lunchroom

- Use the used bin liner to collect garbage from the offices

- Go downstairs and dispose the garbage at the back dock

12.15 Floor (Meat, Seafood, Bakery, Entrance)

Get the broom from cleaner’s room

- Sweep the floor from meat section à seafood à bakery à entrance

- Sweep the express checkout

- Get scissor mop from the cleaner’s room and gather the garbage, put them at ‘the base’

12.30 Floor (Checkouts)

- Disengage the trolleys from checkout, put them into the far corner

- Put the mats up from every checkout (sometimes they did it for you)

- Sweep the checkouts, gather the garbage with scissor, and put them at the base

01.00 Floor (Produce)

Get a trolley from one of the aisles

- Gather the rubber mats, put them near the chicken section at the back

- Sweep the produce section, get all the fruits/veggies from under the racks.

- Gather the garbage with scissor mop, put them at the base

01.30 Floor (Aisle)

Sweep the aisles, gather the garbage with scissors, and put them at the base

02.30 Floor (Tidying up)

- Get red shopping basket from the entrance

- Sort the garbage à anything with a barcode goes to the basket

- Get a bin liner from the fast checkout, put the rest of the garbage in there.

- Dispose the garbage at the back dock, return the broom and the scissor back to the cleaner’s room

- Get two 150 litre bin liner from the cleaner’s room and replace the ones in the fast checkout

- Grab dustpan + small broom from the express checkout and go upstairs and have a break. You deserve it.

03.00 Upstairs (Lunchroom)

- Check the wall-mounted tissue roll and hand soap. Change them if you have to.

- Use a roll of wet tissue to clean the table, the pantry, and the sink.

- Empty the garbage bin and re-attach with fresh bin liner

- Dispose the garbage near the entrance of male change room.

- Grab a bin liner and go to female’s toilet

03.15 Upstairs (Female Changing Room and Toilet)

- Check the wall-mounted tissue roll and hand soap. Change them if you have to.

- Scrub the toilet bowl with the available tool. Use chemicals to remove stains. Yuck!

- Using a roll of paper napkin, clean the toilet bowls

- Wipe the mirror and the sink.

- Change the toilet tissue rolls

- Empty the garbage and fasten the fresh bin liner

- Dispose the garbage near the entrance of male change room. Grab another bin liner from under the sink of the lunchroom as you go along.

03.30 Upstairs (Male Changing Room and Toilet)

- Check the wall-mounted tissue roll and hand soap. Change them if you have to.

- Scrub the toilet bowl with the available tool. Use chemicals to remove stains. Yuck!

- Using a roll of tissue, clean the toilet bowls

- Wipe the mirror and the sink.

- Scrub the urinoir.

- Change the toilet tissue rolls

- Empty the garbage and fasten the fresh bin liner

03.45 Upstairs (Sweeping)

- Get the broom from male changing room and proceed sweeping as follows: Hallway -> office 1 -> Lunchroom ->Female Toilet -> Offices 2, 3, and 4 -> back to male changing room

- Gather the garbage with the dustpan and put it in whichever liner still open

- Sweep the stairs.

- Dispose all the garbage at the back dock

04.00 Upstairs (Mopping)

Once you dispose the garbage, go the cleaner’s room and get a bucket of water and a mop. The chemical to use is either VIEWQUICK or TEMPO HD. If none is available, just use water. Bring it upstairs. Proceed mopping upstairs with similar sequence as the sweeping, including the stairs. Once you’re done, come down and bring the dustpan with you. By now, Sonny should have finished mopping the floor. Return the dustpan to the checkout.

04.30 Floor (Buffing)

Get the buffing machine from the back dock. Attach the pad protector and you’re ready to go. Start with the section where the water from the mopping has dried out. NEVER run your buffing machine though a puddle of water. Usually the sequence is Back -> meat section -> seafood -> bakery -> entrance-> produce -> aisles -> front -> checkout -> middle. Once you’re done, dismantle the pad protector and return the machine to the back dock.

05.30 Floor (finishing mop)

Refill your bucket with clean water. Get a scrapper. Go to the checkout. Fasten a plastic bag to your shirt.

- The sequence is entrance -> checkouts -> aisle -> back -> meat section -> seafood -> bakery -> produce

- Don’t forget to mop the black lines along the refrigerated sections (aisle 17, back, meat. etc.)

- Remove any visible marks left from the mopping, careful to clean the edges.

- Pick up any tidbits of garbage, remove stickers with scrapper

06.55 Tidying up

Mop the cleaner’s room and tidy up a bit. Once the gate is open, go to the front and mop the front just under the gate.

07.05 Hurry up and catch the 7.16 101 bus.

Get some rest, man.

HAVE FUN!