Hobby is a passion

There is no price tag to a hobbyist's collection.

I have an ex-colleague whose hobby is the collection of single-trip advertising MRT cards.

He claims to have the most complete collection of MRT cards (commemorative, campaigns, advertising, commercial and non-commercial). His claim is based on the official catalog of MRT cards issued by the SMRT!

Unfortunately, since the introduction of the eZlink card by SMRT, the issue of single-trip advertising MRT cards was discontinued.

To safeguard the personal privacy and safety of his private collection of MRT cards, I shall not reveal the identity of my ex-colleague.

Lets call him Bob.

People may laugh at Bob for his crazy interest in MRT card collecting.

But then an individual's hobby is a passion which goes beyond logical reasoning. There is no right or wrong about it.

Nobody could understand why Bob would bother to take the first train in the morning to the MRT station where a new MRT card is launched, just to make sure that he could get hold of it before the cards are sold out.

There was once when BRANDS Essence of Chicken issued a set of advertising MRT cards.

The cards were sold only to those who could produce a proof of purchase (in the form of a token or coupon) of BRANDS Essence of Chicken.

Bob actually bought several bottles of the BRANDS Essence of Chicken for the entitlement to purchase these MRT cards, although he hated the taste of the tonic. He then gave away the Essence of Chicken to fellow colleagues. He kept the MRT card for himself, of course!

Several other commercial products and service providers jumped on the bandwagon one after another, to use advertising MRT cards as a media to promote their products.

When Maidenform released its advertising MRT card, Bob found himself in a dilemma. He could not possibly buy a few pairs of bras and distribute them to colleagues like he did with the Essence of Chicken. It would be embarrassing. Furthermore, what cup size should he buy? He was a bachelor and does not have a wife to wear the bras!

He then plucked up enough courage to approach a female colleague and asked her privately: "Hey, I need to have this Maidenform MRT card very badly or else my collection will be incomplete. Please, go buy the Maidenform bra whichever size and color fits you and I'll pay for it". Bob showed the colleague the advertisement of the MRT card launch.

Somehow, the story was passed around through the grapevine but it doesn't matter.

Bob got the Maidenform MRT card he wanted...and the female colleague got a free bra!