A bubble:
night/day
Out of sight, out of mind.
The separation from the external world brought about by the thin glass doors and metal shutters are all the shop owners need to remain secure and contented in the inside world they forged in time long past.
Like bubbles, each shop is encapsulated in its own world; in its own time capsule. Business goes on as usual in the confines of the shop, without any interference from the outside world. The night-time vices, the club hostesses, and the loud karaoke music – all these are just a distant, untouchable figment of reality, one that isn’t part of the reality of their own comforts.
Such an observation is unique to the owners of shops in Parklane, as gathered from the various shop owners such as masseur Mr Vincent Goh, eatery owner Mr Mustafa and seamstress Mdm Mary Tham. Well aware of the vices that define Parklane’s reputation, shop owners choose to ignore and segregate themselves from the negative image associated with Parklane.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Despite being situated within a seemingly tainted nest of vices, Mr Vincent still finds comfort in his own shop that houses 25 years of memories. The warm and cozy shop speaks of memories collected over the years, and to him, these are sufficient to keep him here. Like parallel worlds, the closure of his shop before nightclub operating hours has no effect on his shop, and Mr Vincent is happy with the affairs that happen within Natural Reflex & Beauty Therapy Centre.
Like Mr Vincent, Mr Mustafa and Mdm Mary reminisce the past glory days of Parklane, as if they never came to pass. Though business does seem to be declining and he no longer has enough cash to support mall renovations, Mr Mustafa relishes in what Putri Hayyu Authentic Café has come to be, and how he has progressed ever since. Mdm Mary sticks on with her affection to the shop because of how Mary’s Dressmaking Shoppe has seen her daughter grow up from a small child to a fine young lady through the years.
Apart from some daily interactions with their fellow shop owners, once these shop owners return to the confines of their own shops, they seem to have transcended into their personal capsules of what they hold dear. The noises, commotion and tainted reputation hold nothing on them as long as their backs are turned away.
Out of sight, out of mind.
