I WAS away from Taiwan on a week's leave.
On my return, the news was still full of stories about how former president Chen Shuibian, and pandas Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, are spending their time behind bars.
Amidst these undoubtedly riveting tidbits about what the trio ate, there was a very sobering Page 1 article in United Daily News about two people who probably had very little to eat.
Madam Tsai Hsiang-lan, 89, and her son Chang Chin-sheng, 56, lived together on Chao-an Street, in a poor part of Taipei. Tsai, who had diabetes, was bedridden after her legs were amputated.
Chang quit his job as a furniture mover to look after his mother but could not find another one. He scraped a living from the odd job, odd loan from neighbours and government aid. But he had not been able to pay rent for eight months. And things did not look like they were improving when his assistance pay-out expired last month.
On Saturday, mother and son were found dead by a neighbour.
It was first reported that Madam Tsai might have starved to death after her son froze to death while using the toilet. A neighbour who was interviewed said that the duo did not have a single blanket or jacket. But coroners have since put her death down to old age, but discovered that he had killed himself by swallowing disinfectant.
The sad story gave many a glimpse into the lives of those who lived on the margins, even in a relatively rich society like Taiwan.
It also brought home how those who have the least are likely to be the ones who suffer the most, in the current economic downturn.
Writer Chang Ta-chun said the tragedy showed how the government had failed in its duty to take care of the people.
What is being done to make sure that there would be no more Mr Changs and Madam Tsais?