THE BLACK CABRIOLET

KIDS ask the dumbest questions and they do the silliest things that we’ll laugh it off. Kids are always curious and they’re monsters when it comes to mischieves but just that thing about kids that makes us think a little longer, is that we see ourselves again. And how we grow up to be troubled adults, worried individuals and to face so much tribulations in life. These are the adults of tomorrow, the bankers, the rich and famous, celebrities, scholars, business wonders, doctors or even the biggest crooks, smartest criminals when they are less fortunate. And most of these kids will be in the indispensable work force that contributes to all aspects of life.

CATASTROPHE of the 80s. Was flipping some documents, categorised under National Disaster, Hotel New World. I was young then (Secondary 2, I think), that’s 1986. When Cindy Lauper was HOT! Singapore in the 80s was a lot different, the sun in those days was a lot brighter if I put it figuratively. There were bad times too and “Hotel New World Disaster” was bad enough to smitten the hearts of citizens. Those were the times when, I saw helpless Singaporeans crying in the streets, soldiers removing the rubbles while police busily keeping order. That’s many days of arduous work round the clock. Those days, SCDF were in brown (damn ugly unlike today, so smart) uniform and short-handed and perhaps lacking experience in massive disaster. Due to that, foreign tunnelling experts involved in SMRT project back then, muck in to the rescue. Nearly, everybody were involved and Singaporeans of all races, young and old were there to help. What do I see? Great Singaporeans in those times!

RUMOURS and how do we deal with it when it spreads like virus, multipying each day from ears to ears and companies to companies. That damages your reputation. These are the mongrels that I shoot them, they howled in pain and limped their way back to their own hole and lick the wound. More will join and they’ll come and the more I shoot the worst I become. Accused of being one of the baddy in my industry. Rumours swirl, the distorted stories and wildly fabricated ones go around, you can smell it when you step into any big occasions. The faces tell about things they hear and it’s hard to pull that smile and approach almost nonchalant. These people, their mouths, you can’t stop them. There is nothing we can do about it or even avoid, prevent.