“the sick perverse chinanese bastards who left the girl alone ought to be hung like punching bags for target practice>:(“

“Yue Yue, the 2-year-old girl who was run over by two vehicles in Foshan,Guangdong province last week, remained close to brain dead as donations poured in for herand her rescuer.”

I pray with all my heart to wish a miracle for Yue Yue. The title of this blog post is taken from my friend’s status update on Facebook. My instinctive response was just like my friend’s – cold, cruel Chinese people. It is bordering on inhumane to leave the girl alone. Yes they ought to be “hung like punching bags”. Yes even more so, the drivers ought to be punished. To do this is beyond that which is becoming of a human being. Xenophobic sentiments aside however, the 18 Chinese people are still undeniably human.

Many of the spectators have children as well. Quoting China Daily, “One of them, a mother of a five-year-old girl, said she felt “regretful, compassionate, painful atheart and guilty,” for seeing Yue Yue but not helping her. I was scared and my daughterwas scared to cry. So we left in a hurry”

Scared? What is frightening about helping someone up? I’m pretty sure it is not the blood nor the panic that seized her at the scene. Perhaps a few frail minded young girls might experience that, but for all 18 of them to feel this? No way. Are they really “sick and perverse” as my friend says?

I advised my friend, “Mark, you’ve got to understand the context.”

There was a news report of an incident a year ago. A young man was out walking when he saw an old man lying on the road. The old man claims that he fell down. The young man did what most men in China would have done – walk by. Why so?
A few years ago in Southern China, there was an old woman who fell down on the road. A worker in a factory was on his way home after work. He saw the old lady crying for help on the pavement. He helped her up. The old woman however started screaming for help. After a crowd has gathered, she screamed “this man pushed me down, injured me and now wants to run away. Don’t let him!”

The young man who walked past the old man quoted this incident when asked by the press to explain his actions. Many others interviewed said the same thing. When the journalist asked them to think from the perspective of the old man, they said “If I were the old man, too bad.” The young man then ended by saying, “The worker’s life is upside down now. His pay is barely enough to pay for his family’s expenses and kid’s education. Now he’s getting sued for 5 times his total savings. I can’t afford that.”

Sick and perverse or the lack of a good samaritan protection law? The China Daily article ended with “A lawyer association will be set up as part of the Guangdong Law Society, which will study thepractice of refusing to help dying people and push for legislation, said Zhu Yongping, a well-known lawyer at Datong Law Firm in Guangzhou.”

Perhaps it’s trust. I’m glad I live in Singapore.

A few weeks ago I was on my way to my piano lesson. My teacher stays at Kallang Bahru. While waiting at the provision shop in the lobby of the HDB block, I heard an auntie shouting at the top of her voice. She was lying on the floor along the pavement. I ran over and helped her up. She looked terrified. She said “aren’t you the neighbor from the 16 floor?” I laughed.
“No auntie I’m here for piano lesson.” I placed my hand on her shoulder and asked if she was alright. “Sorry auntie eyesight no good. Mistake you. Just now also never see the curb.”

I had 10 minutes to spare before lesson begins. I had a chat with her. She told me she stays around the area. She feeds the cats around the area; the cats know her well and gather around her whenever she comes. Word by word she recited the names of the cats, talking about her favorite ones. I asked how much she spends a month.
“Okay la. Around 200 dollars a month. But sometimes you see the cat ear? Sometimes they never cut properly after they sterilize the cat. Then they go catch the cat. Must go all the way to take it back. Then last time SPCA sterilize free. Now 25 dollars.” “Auntie you’ve got enough to go around? I mean to spend?”
“Aiyo young man. Happy can already la. I 400 dollars a month, see the cats happy can already.”

Time for my lesson. I gave her my name and bade her farewell. She said “I’m Auntie Siow. Next time come talk to me k? You very nice boy.” I smiled and agreed.

I see Auntie Siow every now and then. Sometimes she still mistakes me for her neighbor.

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