Life | When Charity Calls

I received two phone calls from my son while at work today. Both in the afternoon, about 3 hours apart. These were his accounts...


1st Call: 2:40pm

He was playing with his kick-scooter outside at the multi-purpose hall when he saw the 2nd floor of the multi-storey car park next to it was beginning to be filled with smoke.

He went up to "investigate" and saw the plastic trash can was churning out smoke.

Most probably from a smoker who threw a lighted cigarette into the trash bin instead of the ash tray provided on its top.

He told a man who was parking his car about the fire to call for help. The tried to put out the fire by kicking it down, but the trash can was already in flames.

The man called 911. By this time, thick smoke from the fire had the residents alerted and they started to vacate their vehicles out from the 2nd storey car park.

A Rhino Fire Truck came in a few minutes and put out the flames. They were so fast to arrive because the newly built 2nd Division HQ is a stone's throw away from our block.

My son witnessed the whole incident and took the right action to call for help.

I was not to thrilled with him for going into the car park to investigate, though.

It could have been dangerous. He should have just alerted an adult after seeing the smoke; He did not have to confirm its source.

He understood my concern and the real dangers of his action to approach the car park.

In my mind, it could very well have back-fired on him too!

People might mistakenly think he was the one who set the fire instead. Fortunately not. One woman sand "Good boy" to him when she drove her car back to the car park.

Nonetheless I was proud of him. Wait till I tell Wify about it!


2nd Call: 6:20pm

"Are you expecting someone?" was his question to me over the phone.

I was on the bus heading home when he called my cell phone.

I was not expecting anyone, well... maybe the newspaper vendor who collects payments every first week of the month.

"No... not the usual man. Its a lady and she has been ringing the door bell repeatedly!" He explained agitatedly, "She is a young lady with a file in her hands and she is still ringing the doorbell!"

I asked him not to answer. The lady would go off once she gave up. And she did.

"There you go..." I told him, "I'll be home soon."

Now I am again proud of my son because he used his initiative to call me to confirm whether to answer the door or not.

Knowing fully that sometimes Wify's courier service or suppliers would come by for deliveries, he calls us to confirm before answering the door. Good job, son!


3rd Call: 8:00pm

No, not from my son, but the lady who rang the doorbell came back again.

It is either very important or very unnecessary to disturb our peace. I had to put as stop to this.

Opened the door, and there it was... representative of Club Rainbow Singapore, going around our neighbourhood making awareness calls and seeking donors to fund their charity.

It is a private non-profit charity organisation of 14 years. It is run mostly by volunteers especially for children born with chronic illnesses who need long term and often complicated medical treatments.

I know it from some ads on TV quite sometime ago, but never gotten around to find out about it to do my part.

What I lack in time to spare for volunteerism, I make up with donations. To do the least.

Every quarter, the organization will deduct S$120.00 off my credit card as donation. They will do so every 4 months until I wish to stop, for whatever reason.

The donation is tax deductible, which is validation enough for me, that it is a well-respected and properly-run charity organization that is recognised by the government and major hospitals here.

Somehow rather, I feel kind of a relief after signing the Donor's Form.

I remembered Barbara's tips from Trying To Catch Up blog on stress management.To complete your task you have put off for sometime.

This was one of those that I have in mind but did not get to go about doing.

I have now! Boy am I glad! I always feel that I have to give something back to keep my conscience in check, in balance.

I feel I am doing more for the greater good than just my immediate family, however small my contribution might be. I feel relief. I am proud of me nonetheless.

Am I gloating?... Guess I am. I am happy and life is good!