SINGAPORE—Grinning ear to ear as he swapped a plate of tender, juicy steamed white chicken doused with light soy sauce for a single dried-out fried drumstick, local man Anthony Chan, 47, confirmed that he was “more than happy” to make the trade, even as his stomach quietly wept.

“Who needs high-quality, nutritious meals when I can have…this?” said Chan, holding up the shrivelled, days-old drumstick with the enthusiasm of a man who had convinced himself he wasn’t being robbed in broad daylight. “Sure, I had a whole plate of delicious, carefully prepared chicken just a second ago, but now—NOW—I have something even better.”

The exchange, which many describe as baffling at best and deeply concerning at worst, reportedly took place after a well-dressed stranger approached Chan’s table and dangled the stale drumstick in front of him while speaking in vague, comforting tones.

“He told me this was a ‘once-in-five-years gift’ and that only the most fortunate would receive it,” Chan explained, still chewing through the rock-hard exterior of his new meal. “He also said something about making sure I remember who gave it to me when the time comes. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I just nodded.”

Experts confirm that this is only the latest in a series of increasingly lopsided trades happening across the country, where many citizens, once accustomed to full-course meals, now find themselves gratefully accepting cash vouchers in exchange for vague promises of future prosperity and unsaid plans of increased taxes.

“The psychology is fascinating,” said Dr. Wong Jian Hao, a Starbucks connoisseur and an armchair critic. “These individuals aren’t just giving up something —they’re being convinced to smile while doing it. It’s truly an art.” At press time, Chan was reportedly seen weeping on his knees for this unearned generosity before noticing that his “gift” had somehow disappeared altogether, leaving him with nothing but a lingering unease.