Photography by the author.

Zeng Guo Yuan, more commonly known as the “Parrot Man”, might have his own Wikipedia page, but he has led a bloody sad life.

Where his nose used to be now lies a sore, crusty, and gaping hole. Down the middle, it’s divided by the cartilage that separates the nostrils.

Every day from about 10am till just after lunch, the 65-year-old tissue paper seller shuffles through the crowd at Geylang Serai Market in a white robe too long for his stocky stature, toting a large duffel bag clumsily slung around his shoulders.

Looking at him place tissue packet on table after table, no one would guess he used to live in a bungalow that contained rooms each the size of his current bedroom, kitchen and toilet combined.

While he now relies on the generosity of strangers to get by, the former philanthropist and businessman once earned enough to build a mosque in Bangladesh. In his heyday, he also ran his own acupuncture practice and served as President of the World Acupuncture Voluntary Organisation.

In our conversations, he often alludes to his ‘illustrious’ past, frequently name dropping ‘important people’, including former President of Singapore SR Nathan, late entrepreneur CK Tang, and current manager of Ngee Ann City Eric Chan.

These days, he is a shadow of his previous self.