It’s been proven in Singapore that if someone decides to pull off a publicity stunt where a handful of people start forming a queue, even if there aren’t any signs to promote or communicate what they’re lining up for, in a matter of five minutes, the queue would definitely grow. And Singaporeans, for reasons unknown whatsoever, would join the queue blindly, for fear (thanks to the kiasu and kiasi mentality) that if they aren’t part of the queue, they’re going to miss out on something – even if they didn’t have the slightest idea of why they’re queueing up.
I never thought I’d experience it for myself, until last weekend, when D and I were at Ikea. When we send the car for the regular servicing, we’d always hang around the Queenstown/Alexandra area, which saves us the hassle of having to shuttle back and forth (on public transport) before the car is done. So since Mercedes-Benz (and all the other car dealers, for that matter) is so close to Ikea, we decided to give Ikea’s breakfast a try, instead of going for (evil and fat and unhealthy) McDonald’s. Little did we know that it’d be the start of a really fascinating morning.
We got to Ikea really, really early. While the store opens from 10am daily, the cafe only opens for breakfast at 9.30am. We reached at 9.10am, so we decided we’d sit at the benches on the ground floor and wait till it’s open. But, after hanging around with no one to really people-watch (man, locals really don’t dress up when they have breakfast on the weekends – do they not have mirrors?? – and to top it they’re all bloody rude, ugh!), we decided we’d go upstairs since we saw many people going up the escalators.
Still, it was only 9.20am. And of course, the cafe wasn’t open yet. There was this other elderly couple who were also hanging out on the benches on the ground floor, who also went upstairs before we did, so when we went up, we saw them standing right outside the door. Sure, I know how hungry one gets in the morning, yearning eagerly for a nice breakfast that they didn’t have to prepare or make. I really didn’t want to seem too much of an eager-beaver, so D and I stood miles away from them. When I say miles, I literally mean a distance of at least 15-20 people away from them.
I could have sworn that the moment we stood there, this other lady stood behind D, but the whole time, we were just looking out the windows, talking about other things that we had in mind. Shortly after, a frigging queue formed.
And soon after the herd of locals started to form, that lady who was immediately behind D said, “Excuse me, we’re forming a queue here, so can you move up?”
Firstly, no “Please” or “If you don’t mind”.
When she said that, I just looked at D and said “Should we move up??? Seriously?” I mean, who ever said there was a bloody queue? If there was, did you check if we were queuing in the first place?
So D said, “There is no queue! If you want to, you can go ahead and move up.”
BECAUSE WE WEREN’T QUEUING IN THE FIRST BLOODY PLACE.
The moment she moved up, it’s as though the whole world was shaking, and this activity of moving up was earth-shattering, and everyone just sort of fell into place, queueing up and waiting for the Ikea cafe to open.
The last I checked, they’re pretty damn big so I’m sure there’d be enough tables, chairs, cutleries, drinks, napkins, chicken wings, pancakes, waffles, eggs and bread to go round.
Why the need to be the FIRST BUNCH OF PEOPLE to get into the place? There must be over 10 tables with a window (that looks out to nothing much, apart from Anchorpoint and lots of cars who’d eventually be queuing – yet again – to get into the Ikea carpark). Even if you didn’t get a window seat, there are tonnes of other tables to plonk your’s and your family’s butts on. So why the rush?
What really peeved me is how no one bothered to even check in the first place if we were queuing up to get into the cafe. They assumed we were. Don’t you know, never assume. God gave you mouths, not just to eat and drink from it, but to open your mouth and talk. Ask and you shall be given. Don’t ask and you’d end up being a fool, queuing behind us who have left such a huge gap, and having to bear with your killer (or wait, should I say half-dazed) eyes as you walk past us.
And the rest of the crowd who just gathered behind the silly people who stood behind us – what the hell is wrong with you? Why do you just follow ever-so-blindly?
Again, they assumed there was a bloody queue.
It amazes me how people choose not to ask, and when they end up finding out that they weren’t in the correct queue, they’re absolutely appalled that they weren’t in the right place. Why queue blindly??
In the end, we decided that we’d not be part of this crazy herd of locals who were dying to get into the damn cafe; honestly, I wouldn’t want to have to spend my breakfast with people like that. Elitist as I may sound, did everyone there just lack the initiative, or the common sense to ask?
I know we’re a young Asian society, which means we seldom voice our opinions as compared to say, Western countries like the States or Australia. But this, to me was baffling. Common sense, people. I think it’s time we took off those blinkers and opened our eyes a little bigger, and this time, use our mouths. Stop being blind followers!
