A Night in Bangsar

It was late Friday night in a yuppified commercial centre close to the heart of KL. He and she were having ice-cream as dessert after a hearty meal, in an ice cream parlour across a swanky mall. In came a boy, no more than 10 years old, carrying a basket filled with stationery, going from table to table, hoping to sell some. The cynical KLite would brush him aside, as part of a syndicate. The boy left after a few failed attempts.

He stood up wanting to stop him because he wanted to give him some money, and get him a scoop of icecream. But he left like the wind into the darkness.

His heart broke, and it showed as his eyes turned glazed.

His friend asked him what is wrong. He asked her if they should even be discussing their monetary concerns, when really, they are just lucky. All we care about a lot of the times, is the pursuit of our perceived happiness. What we deserve. What we want. And tonight, he was reminded again, that this is just another day in paradise.

A boy like that shouldn't be out there, and therein lies our problem. We forget. We get our priorities wrong as a society. Who cares who rules Perak, when we see such tragedy before our eyes?