Monday 14 July 2008

Another Wasted Life

At the news my heart shuddered and my blood was curled within me. He did not put on the right uniform. He was at the wrong place and encountered the wrong set of gang. Now he is no more!

What an accurate stab! Some would have thought it was only a joke. The intent was to inflict an injury to teach him a lesson. He should have known better, one of his assailants said to him. His blood shilling pleas for a second chance met with deaf ears.

At the command of the leader, the blow was struck and down he fell with his hands holding his chest as his blood gushed out like a broken pipeline. Scampering feet were all he could hear as he hit the ground. “Help me,” he called out one last time. He felt like he was all alone in the entire world as it closed around him and turned to darkness. Alas! He lay lifeless at the spot where he was last seen.

Don’t spank or hit the child.
Never scold him. Give in to
All his requests. Make him lord of
All situations at home and at school.
Let him yell at his parents if he is ever
Told he could not have his desires when
He wants them. He should never have to
Be useful at anything around the home.
He is only a child and cannot speak for
Himself let alone make decisions.
He could call the social workers
Or police whenever
He felt he could not put up with his parents
Any longer. Lord indeed he has become over
Those who gave him life.

Wait a moment; maybe he could be nurtured and
Taught better life skills and behaviour when he
Finally goes to school! The discovery of his
Manipulative skills made him shine and succeeded
In having his way even at school.
His teachers watch in appalling disgust
As he progressed from one mischief
To the other. Other learners were discriminated
Against to make room for him to have his ways
At all times. He must never be told off for
Being bad. He must be spoken to nicely and
Politely with the magic words in the right
And at the right time. He, on the other hand,
Must be given heed to and he could be rude
To any one all the time. He hit other learners
And distract them from learning as he is not
Ready to learn. Nothing could be done
To get through to him. Having terrorised,
Bullied and endangered teachers and his
Peers for every year he spent at school,

He finally passes out.
Today, he is the head of a set of boys
That is into all sorts of incredible
Activities ranging from raping girls,
Snatching and picking people’s
Belongings, breaking into homes,
Harassing passengers on buses and
Trains, to peddling and consuming
Drugs. He has only recently added to
His credentials ability to strike dead
Anyone who happens to be unlucky
With a knife. His latest victim didn’t
His eleventh one and still counting.
When will it all end? How shall it end?

I do not know and cannot tell. Our hope
Is that neither we nor our loved ones fall
Prey to one of such empowered species
We are daily exposed to.
To be continued.


© Joy Ozono
July 2008

1 comment:

Kafo said...

wow

this is deep

for real

i have to read it again