Back in the 90s, the legendary Bill Cosby (of the Cosby show and Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert!) hosted and produced a comedy show involving toddlers and pre teen children. I suppose the politically correct word now would be tweens. It was called “Kids say the most darn things” and did well for a couple of seasons. Kids have posed adult-themed (not the X-rated type) questions (like how are babies born) and children would, with a straight face, answer them with some naïve and quirky replies much to the amusement of the studio audience, making the producers laugh all the way to the bank!
In reality, as most of us already know, kids say the meanest things as well, especially to their weaker and smaller mates. Let me tell you about my experience when I was growing up.
In reality, as most of us already know, kids say the meanest things as well, especially to their weaker and smaller mates. Let me tell you about my experience when I was growing up.
In RRF, there were kids who used to address me as ‘orh kia’ or ‘kling kia’ – black kid or Indian kid in Hockkien dialect. Malaysians then and now assume that, just because they are dumb, not intelligent enough to learn any other language their mother tongue, the others are the same. In fact, I have been caught in an embarrassing situation when an apparently Malay looking person turned up to Chindian! So, have to be more careful in future.
In PFS where students are mostly from the upper crust of society, bullying and insensitivity were also rampant. A short shy ebony hued Indian boy with braces was a God-sent target for these mean boys. Kids like DK, GR, KS, KTS, QKB and JS would hum ‘eee…’ whenever I passed by them (because of the braces). LSY would coin some new words like ‘Padukang’, ‘Pegu Yama’ etc. just to sneer at me. I wonder want these words mean and why everybody else joined in façade. Whenever we were learning anything linked to the colour black, like the Negritos in Geography (who are short and dark) or black box concept in Physics, I would be at the receiving end. DK was also instrumental in ingeniously changing my name from Asokan to Arse-Hole-Cunt!! All these teasings left its toll on my psyche and my performance in Forms 1 to 3. I used to wonder why I was born Indian. In Form 4 onwards, I managed to pull myself together with an association with good motivating friends like Kameel, Hari and Farouk.
I have no grudges against all the people above. In fact, I feel like Gandhi or Jesus Christ – let them alone for they do not know what they are doing. Like Swami Sivananda once said, “Bear injury, bear insult; highest sadhana!”. It is not for me to judge. By the way, these people are now my facebook friends now!
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts..." As You Like It, Act II, Scene 7, 139-42.
In PFS where students are mostly from the upper crust of society, bullying and insensitivity were also rampant. A short shy ebony hued Indian boy with braces was a God-sent target for these mean boys. Kids like DK, GR, KS, KTS, QKB and JS would hum ‘eee…’ whenever I passed by them (because of the braces). LSY would coin some new words like ‘Padukang’, ‘Pegu Yama’ etc. just to sneer at me. I wonder want these words mean and why everybody else joined in façade. Whenever we were learning anything linked to the colour black, like the Negritos in Geography (who are short and dark) or black box concept in Physics, I would be at the receiving end. DK was also instrumental in ingeniously changing my name from Asokan to Arse-Hole-Cunt!! All these teasings left its toll on my psyche and my performance in Forms 1 to 3. I used to wonder why I was born Indian. In Form 4 onwards, I managed to pull myself together with an association with good motivating friends like Kameel, Hari and Farouk.
I have no grudges against all the people above. In fact, I feel like Gandhi or Jesus Christ – let them alone for they do not know what they are doing. Like Swami Sivananda once said, “Bear injury, bear insult; highest sadhana!”. It is not for me to judge. By the way, these people are now my facebook friends now!
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