A 54-year-old toilet attendant knows this idiom too well after pictures of his sleeping granddaughter were posted on citizen journalism website Stomp on Tuesday.The Stomper, Dummygirl, had taken pictures of the 2 1/2-year-old girl sleeping on a mattress behind the toilet counter of Ghim Moh market and food centre.
She titled the post, "How can anyone do this? Poor child left to sleep near public toilet".
Dummygirl then wrote: "There was a child sleeping at the toll booth at the entrance to the toilets. I was upset to see such a young child having to sleep near a toilet."
Netizens respond
Most of the 13 netizens who reacted to the post were critical of Dummygirl's harsh tone.
One wrote: "If the parent has to work and there's no one to look after the child, what should the parent do? You're probably a...pampered girl who has never seen poverty."
Another wrote: "If you are upset, maybe you or your friends or family can volunteer to take care of the little kid?"
As it turned out, that was exactly what the toilet attendant, who wanted to be known only as Mr Soh, was doing.
He was looking after the little girl while her mother was in hospital.
Mr Soh said that he would take care of his granddaughter whenever his daughter-in-law had to be admitted to the hospital.
He said the girl's mother met with an accident about five years ago and suffered head injuries, resulting in occasional giddiness.
Mr Soh said his daughter-in-law had been warded twice this month, so he had to help her care for the girl.
He added: "I'm the girl's grandfather and dote on her... Why would I abuse her?
"I'm only helping my son to take care of her. That's why I brought her to my workplace."
Mr Soh said he also helps to care for his elder son's seven-year-old daughter and three-year-old son.
Mr Soh yesterday added that he was upset someone had taken the pictures and posted them online.
Stallholders at the market also said that Mr Soh has been caring for his grandchildren and would take them to work.
Mrs Chia, who has been running a drinks stall at the market for 30 years, said in Mandarin: "When the kids were just babies, he would bring them here...
"They all grew up around here."
Mrs Chia said the kids were not mistreated and that the family was not in need of financial help.
"He's just helping to take care of the kids. They're not here every day," she said.
Two hawkers at a western food stall near the toilet said Mr Soh would play with his grandchildren whenever they visit him there.
Declining to be named, one of them said: "The kids seem very happy... "Uncle keeps the toilet very clean, so the area behind the counter is probably clean as well.
"There's nothing to worry about."
ORIGINAL SOURCE
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