I thought it would be a quiet, solitary lunch but oh, was it not.
As it was peak lunch hour, the place was packed with students from various schools and all the seats were occupied.
Famished students were all over; milling around the counter, at the tables, the ordering kiosks, waiting for their orders to come.
It must have been CCA day as everywhere I looked, I could see students in their CCA tshirts. There were groups from Ping pong, Basketball, NPCC, Boys Brigade and Drama club.
Differing cliques of students sat in loose groups scattered all around, and there were as many patrons-cum-students chattering constantly, as there were many on their phones with their eyes glued to the screens and ear pods stuffed into their ears.
The scene made me realise that my angsty teenage son is actually being a norm with his constant usage of the phone and computer, instead of the addiction my mind always makes it out to be.
As I wound my way to a nice seat by the window (practically jumped in immediately after the male patron stood up), I could hear and see clearly, the conversations and flurry of activities going around.
The boy at the table diagonally opposite me was lamenting about how hungry he was to his friends. He then went around his other friends’ tables pinching their fries. I was pretty heartened to see him bring back not only fries for himself, but also for his other two lunch mates at his table.
I couldn’t tell if the friends at the table providing him fries were pleased or not, but all I can say is, sharing is caring.
Two boys were jibing and tackling each other and as one fell onto a chair and then onto the ground, the sound of the piercing screech of the chair caused everyone to turn and stare at the commotion. The tackling stopped immediately as both boys walked away embarrassed, and one with probably a bruise somewhere on the head.
Later on, a water bottle dropped from another table in front of me, and the lid cracked as a result. The boy (yes, again a boy - Notice the pattern?) did not notice it and his friends from other tables had to alert him to it. The boy nonchalantly walked over, picked it up and placed it back in his bag’s side pocket. An epiphany on why my son had all those dented and broken water bottles from school throughout the years.
Then, amidst the cacophony of noises, one single voice boomed.
I realised later that it was the staff at the cashier counter beseeching the students to clear away from the ordering area so that people could queue and place their orders.
To keep chaos at bay, she was also shouting out the order numbers like a parade commander. And I suppose, also like how a teacher would deal with a rowdy class of students.
I saw brief greetings and coded hand shakes being exchanged as groups left one after another. I overheard that they were rushing back for their CCAs.
And all too soon, like the passing of a whirlwind, McDonalds quietened down. I too, finished up my coffee and left shortly.
Without a lunch partner, I had initially envisioned a quiet and tranquil lunch all by myself. But instead, I was accompanied by a barrage of chaotic students and their antics. And while it wasn’t as serene and peaceful as I would have liked, it certainly was an interesting and insightful experience being a part of their lunch crowd.
Thank you all for your company and for having lunch with me today.