This is the most exciting part of SG ever. I grew up in this neighbourhood hearing and witnessing some of the most exciting stories ever. For starters, Eunos seemed to be a favourite hot spot for suicides, particularly leaping off some other people's block. I remembered as a kid, I would see ambulance and police cars stopping at car parks, and the usual black plastic bag for covering the bodies. One of my Mum's friends, who was a transvestite, turned on gas in her house which later exploded, with herself inside of course, because she suffered a broken relationship. And an unidentified 60 year old jumped off our block and his body landed on top of the Neighbourhood Police Post(as it was called years back).
Fire brigade also frequented this area, sometimes there really was a fire, but sometimes it was probably some prank calls. That being said, the Eunos wet market was burnt down quite a few years ago. My auntie who was also living in Eunos saw the fire and called us. When I looked through my window, the fire was wild and it was all too late. The whole market was ablazed, hot red. I watched in silenced, and in awed.
The kopi tiam just opposite my block was also quite happening. There used to be drunkards fighting and seriously, I hated it. Imagine that you were about to sleep, the drowsiness kicked in, then suddenly you heard men shouting, hurling abuses and women screaming. Then tables and chairs were being manuveured around. Beer bottles broken. And being a kaypoh that I am, I couldn't resist the commotion. I had to take a peek.
There were also a few accidents that happened, 3 actually, which I remembered. 3 of which happened at my block, including one that happened yesterday night, while I was working. A kid was knocked down by a car just behind my block, at the car park. The kid died, unfortunately. I remembered I was inside the house, together with my parents and brother that day but not a single soul heard anything. The second one was a painter whose gondola had mysteriously gone haywired. I was sitting at the living room watching TV. Then I saw, in the corner of my eye, something swang past the living room window, followed by a thunderous crashing sound. I jumped to my feet immediately, horrified by the loud noise. My Mum and I instinctively opened the door and get out to the corridor at 6th floor(we lived on the 7th). And to our horror, we saw a man lying on the grass patch, with white paint spilling all over his body. I could see blood on the man's face. His body twitched a few moments and stop. It was a bit too much for me and tears just welled my eyes.
And this morning, when I just stepped into my house, my mother told me that a car was burnt yesterday.
Probably arson but, I really pity the victim.
So as you can see, I would probably miss this neighbourhood the most :p small and a bit ulu, but never boring.
"Eunos, the urban kampong."
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