When i finally managed to unlock the main gate, i was so relieved.
Even if it was just a few minutes past three, we wouldn't know what would be the effects on the patient.

I unlocked the door.
What greeted me was something that you would see on television when they revamp homes for people(think Renovaid), except that it was smaller, much smaller.
It was a flat with a kitchen, a toilet and a living room.
A foreign worker lay sound asleep on the ground, oblivious to our attempts to unlock the main gate earlier on.
And there, on the bed, lay a skinny old man in deep slumber with his mouth wide open and arms supporting his head.
We were told that he was blind and deaf.
I approached him and caressed his shoulders gently.
His eyelids sprang back like a prey awoken by the smell/sound of an approaching predator.
His eyes darted back and forth but they never met mine.
He reached out for my hand.
I held on to his hands with an affirmative grip. It was only through his sense of touch that he was able to discern between good and evil.
As the barriers between us collapsed, we helped him sit upright.
With my mouth a few centimetres away from his right ear, i spoke loudly into his ear and reassured him as he asked if we were nurses or the ones sent by the nurses.
He showed us the plastic bag containing the supplies and we went on to carry out our job.
He laid down and undressed himself to reveal the old patch near his hip bone.
I was supposed to remove the old patch and replace it with a new one.
I stuck the new patch on the area above his left nipple, where there was some flesh, as instructed.
Then i lifted his hand to the patch for inspection and approval.
After a few moments, he requested kindly for a larger plastic sheet.
I stuck on a new plastic sheet and placed his hand on the new dressing and waited.
A smile spread across his face as he said 'Good, good, Thank you!' in hokkien.
As we buttoned up his shirt and pants, he mused that last week, the people who came found that there was not enough patches and they rushed all the way to TTSH to get more supplies.
We laughed and i patted his shoulder excitedly.
He sat up and placed his supplies back at the exact same spot.
I spoke into his ear and bade him goodbye.
His eyes were fixated to the front as he thanked us repeatedly.

We left the place.
My partner asked if i was from the Red Cross because i looked experienced.
Then i wondered where that surge of confidence stemmed from.
Did i believe that i still have a chance?

That aside, my mind was flooded with images of the people i saw in that block.
The young boy who kept apologising for his seemingly aggressive toy breed, his sister who stood behind the gate, the indian man with bloodshot eyes and who shaked his hip when he apoke...
Honestly, today was the first time that i was exposed to this side of Singapore.
I do not know for sure if those children are happy, but i wish that they are.
I wish that when they grow up and realise that there are others who have big houses and cars, they will not be shaken.