Crime: Have a Seat

Crime rate sky-rockets here in KL. Some say it's caused by the Emergency Ordinance repeal which led to the release of some hardcore gangster into our streets and causing these havoc. Other theories may point to the long term economic imbalance that have finally led to desperate people taking desperate measures to survive (although I believe the need to rape someone is hardly considered a survival measure. There are donkeys). Some may say we are still one of the safest parts of the world, comparing to other worse-off countries. 

Political or not, shit has hit the fan and I don't think the police force have the capacity to protect us right now. And I'm not the kind of person who take comfort in comparing myself with unluckier ones. Not that I'm not grateful for what I have, I find it really selfish that I need someone else to be worse-off for me to feel good about myself. 

12 hours difference, we have a city - first world and all - witnessing a psycho riddling an entire cinema full of lead.  And this is the part of the world where people have, on average, the best standard of living, and kids curse at their parents over getting black iPhones instead of white ones for Christmas. It wasn't even the first time something like this happened. 

So on one side we have desperate people, struggling to survive, robbing and stealing (and raping) to make ends meet. And we have on the other side people so well-fed with everything they ever needed, they have nothing else to do but re-enact scenes from super hero comic strips. 

Then we have the middle - Europe - where people would specifically pickpocket tourists anywhere in the streets, because they prefer not to do it to their countrymen. Imagine the irony when tourism stimulates their collapsing economy. Well at least they don't gag you and rape you and throw you in the middle of the jungle.  

So what do we do? Besides the obvious - releasing the T-Virus and turning all humanity into mindless zombies. We protect ourselves because the police can't do it. Bolt the doors, lock the windows, look around you when walking, learn to scream, trust no one (especially not the ones in BMWs or equivalent), don't stop to help anyone, be home by 9PM. Don't eat alone, don't eat, don't buy new clothes, don't buy anything, bring less than RM 100 out at any given time. 

If you're a virgin, have sex with someone you like before you get raped. If you own a nice car, scratch it and replace the emblem with one of an inferior brand. Insure every damned thing you can, even your dog. If you live in a guarded community, buy the guards food every now and then so they won't rob your house. Lock your house when you go out. Lock it when you go in. 

Live in a jail cell. Forgo freedom. Forgo life. Set a curfew. Stock your kitchen with enough food to last you a month. Or two. Build a panic room. Build a panic room in your panic room. Build a proper toilet in that panic room. 

Sell your BMW, buy a 10-year old Hyundai Accent (if you really do want to, contact me). Learn MMA. But when approached by robbers, give them everything and don't attempt to fight back. You have more to lose than they do so MMA ain't gonna do you shit. 

Pray. Pray for either a Bay Harbor Butcher, a T-Virus or a police force competent enough to keep us safe. God won't save you. People will. But God won't hurt you either, people will. Move away from KL. Move away from crime. You can't because as long as there are people, there will be crime. There will be killing and raping and torturing and stealing and filling an entire cinema full of lead. There will be corruption and cronyism. There will be hate. There will be people taking comfort in knowing there are other people out there in far worse conditions than them.  So to Crime, I say: Have a seat, get comfy. You're here to stay as long as humanity draws breath. 

There Was Once A Famous Pomelo Tree

There was once a famous pomelo tree in Section 4. It was tall, it was great, it was quite a magnificent thing to behold. We'd meet at a very young age and we'd go on to become closest of friends. I jest when I said you were like the pomelo tree, never being able to grow taller than you already were. I jest a lot, whenever I can speak fluently without choking over every other word.

It was magnificent that the pomelo tree looked rather tall back then, with those big leaves. Not many leaves, but those still on the tree were big. Another reason why I kept relating the tree to you. But you took me for who I am, as I did for who you are. We made the best of our friendship with however little we had. It seems so that whenever the rain fell and the night felt bleakest, you were there. I know we all have our own problems to deal with and we can't always be there for each other. But the fact that you were always there comforted me.

It was funny now that I recall, I have never seen that pomelo tree bear fruit. It was either that or you never bothered to share the works of your tree with us. We'd sit in a coffee shop with the table full of empty glasses, comparing our dream cars and analyzing our future. We'd often laugh about how super cars are a complete waste to most people because they are either too old or too stupid to drive them like how they should be driven. We'd talk about how it would be like if we were rich, the amount of people we would piss off. And then we always agree that God is fair to keep us at the bottom of the food chain. "Wipe your face, you're sweating."

The good thing about it is that we will always walk from school to that little bus stop and wait for the bus. And we'd stand behind that telephone booth, right in front of the police station, smoking. The good thing about it is that we can sit around all day without having to do anything or spend any money, and still be able to have fun.

The pomelo tree is gone now. It signified your past, it is where you were from. It's passing is not a loss, but progress. You have learnt from what you did and where you came from, and you are preparing for a future that will allow the next generation to do the same. By letting the pomelo tree go, you are turning a new leaf, preparing for the next step in your life.

There was once a famous pomelo tree in Section 4, the tree that was our roots. You are embarking on your next journey now, and the only thing I can hope is that we can still be a part of it. Because this friendship is not of convenience or of similar interest. This is a friendship of deep understanding, and we both would agree that no money in the world can buy this kind of relationship.

I'm glad for what happened, for who I met. I'm glad to have met you, to have met that once famous pomelo tree, to have met everyone else strung around this web of brotherhood.

Here's To The Days

The days we were great, the days we loved, the days we were excited about every coming day, the days we couldn't be left without each other. Here's to the days when we were all smiles and all fun and play and we can't get enough of just staring at each other. 

Here's to the end of those days, here's to the end of the torture that came after the excitement. Here's to the mistakes we made, to the times we felt we fell short of each other's expectations. Here's to the shit we had to endure to make things work. To the lack of communication, to the lack of understanding. To wasting each other's time. To hating each other deep down inside but never had the guts to bring them forward. 

Here's to expectations. Here's to hoping one would live to them. Here's to constantly giving second chances, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and never seeing change. To disappointments, hate, love, hate, disappointment, loss.  

Here's to the good times we had, the places we went although not many. Here's to the dreams we shared although very brief, the differences we had and how hard we tried to make it work. Here's to the boring times that turned out eventful after all, the little things we did that meant so much to me.  

 Here's to you wanting to prove you're right. Here's to you thinking I hate you. Here's to me not being able to explain why I shunned you off. To me not being able to live up to your dreams. Here's to you being able to find someone better, I'm sure it won't be hard seeing I was so low on your scale. 

Here's to the end of it. 

Here's to good-bye. 

Here's to an opportunity to be friends again, maybe, up to you. But not yet.