The meaning of "lay-park"

I was waiting for my wifey post call today for our exchange ( me post call - she going to work ) and I could not help noticing certain things. The passenger's waiting area was the entrance to the hospital clinics . As early as 7.00 am , hundreds of people were walking passing through the tiny corridor. The waiting chairs were almost full as i walk through. Mostly the elderlies were up as early birds , racing to grab the first number in for their appointment.

I saw life as how it is in front of me while waiting. Children or spouses , taking their loved ones who aren't as fit or as healthy as before for their routine medical check up. I was impressed by one family , where they specially modified their van to fit in the mother's wheel chair. It was even equipped with a "mini" lift to carry up/down the wheelchair-bound mum into the van. There were also the other whole gang of grandchildren , slowly leading their grand dad walking on his own with his walking stick. He must be 90 odd but I could see how stubborn he was and insisted on walking himself. An empty wheel chair was pushed by one his his younger generation behind him !

Besides that , there were also cars dropping in their loved ones to work - doctors , nurses , administration staff etc. You could appreciate the affection of a loving old couple who kissed and hugged before she went off the car. Another was an obvious not-in-the-mood-post-quarrelling of a young couple as the wife just refused to look at the husband while slamming the door !! The tradition of a wife respecting their husband in the gesture of having the husband's blessing before going off to work is still obvious in the metropolitan society of ours. ( though , somehow along the way me and wifey don't really practice it anymore !! )

a pic I took on seeing a family trotting together for a picnic..

It was during my youth days that the issue of "lepak" came around and brushed off by the higher authorities as utter rubbish ! Then , we had no internet thus "lay-park"ing in malls was the in thing and observing people moving in front and around you was a skill. Obviously , if you do it everyday it becomes such a waste of time ; but in the concrete jungle that we live in , i reckon it is a good crash call "social-studies" course to self reflect and ponder...