My maternal grandma lives alone at Bedok North Road Block 12X. My mom would go over to Bedok to visit her regularly, about 2x a week (Mondays and Saturdays). And on Wednesdays, my mom will fetch my grandma to my house at Siglap for dinner.

So, back in August, there was a Monday where my mom went to visit my grandma. So like any daughter, she asked my grandma how was she, if she was well, if she needed to see the doctor, etc. And my grandma said that she was OK, very well, no worries, apart from some “old people’s sickness” (my grandma is 86 years old already).

Then my grandma said to my mom (they converse in Cantonese) – It’s so strange lately, that in the evening, a lot of people will come to the park across the block and just sit there or stand there, or lie there. There’s men, women, young kids as well. And they will be there the whole night until the next morning where they’ll go away. It’s so strange! Don’t they feel cold at night? And why don’t they police chase them away?

My mom didn’t think much of it, and told my grandma – Mind your own business la.

Anyway, that business was laid to rest. And they didn’t talk about it. Until the week after, on Wednesday when after having dinner at my house, my parents were sending my grandma back to her house, and my grandma brought it up once again.

My mom, again, told my grandma to mind her own business. And once they dropped her off, my dad turned to my mom and said – Now is 7th month right? Could she be seeing things?

Then my mom said – OK, let’s test it out. You don’t go home yet, let’s drive around here until 10pm.

And so my parents drove around like silly fools until 10pm when my mom told my dad to park the car by the park and she walked to the park. Then she gave my grandma a call.

When my grandma answered the phone, my mom told my grandma – go and take a look at the park from your window, do you see the people loitering around?

When my grandma said over the phone – Aiyoh, so many people loitering in the park!, and as my mom looked around and saw nobody else, she freaked out and ran back to the car and told my dad to just drive home.

On the journey back, my dad chided my mom – you keep telling your mother not to be busybody and yet you yourself are a busybody, now you have just frightened yourself! Let this thing cool down, I’m sure once 7th month is over, your mom won’t see stuff anymore.

So my mom patiently waited until 7th month was over. Then during one of the visits to my grandma’s place, my mom brought mooncakes for her to eat. Before she knew it, it was already 7ish in the evening.

Then she cannot hold it back anymore and she ask my grandma – So now, do you still see people loitering downstairs at the park?

And my grandma said – YES! They are still there!!

Mom – Really?!? How come?
Grandma – You don’t believe, I show you!

Then both of them went to the window to look down at the park.

Of course my mom couldn’t see anything.

Mom – Where? I don’t see anybody!
Grandma – Aiyah, can’t you see? They’re slowly coming out already!
Mom – Err .. where?
Grandma – Aiyoh! Do you see these 2 person sitting underneath that tree?
Mom – Nooo…?
Grandma – Tsk! I’m so old my eyesight is so much better than yours! Seeeeee!! Those 2 under the tree? *and then my grandma pointed down at the trees in the park*
Mom – I can’t see la.
Grandma – How can you not see?? I can see so clearly, the two of them. See! They’re even looking up at us right now!

That was when my mom freaked out and dragged my grandma away from the window…

After that she warned my grandma not to look outside at the park anymore, and she told all of us not to talk about it ever again.