Man amused by unique signage at cobbler's stall, learns valuable lesson

Stomper Cow Sense paid a visit to his regular cobbler at Block 640 Bukit Batok Central on Thursday morning (March 8).

The cobbler took about five minutes to complete the work, and Cow Sense thanked him for a job well done. 

Just as he was about to leave, a sign at the stall caught Cow Sense’s eye.

The sign read, "猫人不要来,不缺你那几块" which briefly translates to "Stingy people are not welcomed here, we don't need that few dollars of yours."

Intrigued, Cow Sense asked the elderly cobbler what caused him to place up such a sign.

The cobbler explained to him that he dislikes ‘fussy customers’, citing once, a female customer had asked him to repair a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo shoes worth $729.

The repair fees came up to $20, a mere pittance compared to the price of the shoes, but the customer insisted on bargaining with the cobbler. 

After an excruciating five-minute-long session, the cobbler agreed to lower the price to $18.

However, he was so fed up with the experience that he placed up the notice the next day at his stall the next day. 

Said Cow Sense: "The uncle’s story reminded me of a friend who owns two bungalows in a prestigious part of Singapore.

"He changes his cars every two years and goes for holidays in Europe for a month. 

"However when he goes to the market to buy a bunch of bananas for $3, he would bargain till the cows come home.

"Just as we expect doctors and cobblers to be reasonable in their fees, customers also have a duty to be reasonable and pay up without wasting the time of the service providers."