Why Singapore peanut pancakes are getting smaller

My boss gets hungry around 4.30pm everyday.

You can immediately note the change in his behaviour around that time. His frown is visibly deeper, his bark is louder and when asked whether we can slap the next bugger with a law suit, his answer is a definite yes.

On most days, he gets his own snack and being the good boss that he is, he would get one for me too. On days when he cannot be bothered, he will take to pacing about my cubicle mumbling incessantly about starving lawyers and aching legs until I volunteer to do the snack run.

Yesterday he was less shifty about it. After a horrible meeting that ended at 5pm, he stomped to my desk and announced, "Who's hungry and wants to take a walk?" I raised my hand and reply meekly, "You are hungry and I want to take a walk".

"Good, good", he said, "How about getting me a Jolly Bean peanut pancake?"

My boss's favourite snack is this chinese starchy pancake with peanut filling also known as 'mien chiang kuih'. Jolly Bean is a chain-outlet downstairs from our office that serves a variety of soya-based beverages and peanut pancakes.

Boss: By the way, those peanut pancakes are getting really smaller. I had one yesterday and it went down in three bites. You know why?
Frou: GST hike?
Boss: When was the last time you read the news? Try again
Frou: Economy boom and rent went up?
Boss: Let's take it from the top. What are in peanut pancakes?
Frou: Peanuts
Boss: And where do peanuts come from?
Frou: Erm... legumes?
Boss: Let me rephrase: Does Singapore produce their own peanuts?
Frou: No
Boss: So where do peanuts in Singapore come from?
Frou: Imported from China or India
Boss: How do they get them into Singapore?
Frou: Ships. Big ones
Boss: And what does big ships run on?
Frou: Oil
Boss: And costs of transportation nowadays is.....
Frou: .....not cheap
Boss: Because......
Frou: .....price of oil have gone up
Boss: And the reason why they cut my peanut pancake smaller is .....
Frou: ...because it is now more expensive to ship peanuts to Singapore
Boss: Good girl. Now how about that peanut roll?

I specifically instructed the Jolly Bean auntie to give me her biggest piece of mien chiang kuih yesterday. Boss was mighty happy with it.