Thursday, March 22, 2007

My Wildest Moment


Jaymes was 5. It was nearing Chinese New Year. A retailer owed me money for 7 months and he was avoiding me. I needed the money to pay my creditors. I had to clear my debts by a certain date. I made several trips to his office, but he avoided me.

One day before CNY, one of his clerks took pity on me and called me that her boss was in the office. And I was to go down asap. I grabbed Jaymes who didn't have time to wear his shoes and took a cab down.

There he was with his friends drinking and celebrating the close of an old year. I asked for my money and he curtly replied that he didn't have any and would pay me when CNY was over. I told him I needed to pay my creditors and begged him to have pity on me and it being CNY Eve, could he please pay me half of it. He started using abusive language on me and belittled me.
Accusing me of all sorts of things and his friends started mocking me too. I pleaded and begged. He suddenly grabbed me and I didn't know where I got the strength to push him hard. He was mad and started spewing vulgarities.

That was when I lost my cool and I overturned the whole table of beer and food onto his laughing friends. Then I grabbed a chair and started swinging it wildly at them. I was amazed I could use a more colourful language than the men. I practically turned mad and suddenly I heard my son sobbing loudly and calling out.

"Mummy! Mummy!"

He was truly frightened by all this. There was broken glass and food everywhere. I was bleeding from the cuts of the broken glasses. I put the chair down and ran to carry Jaymes. I was also crying as I tried to pacify him. The man wanted to come at me but was stopped by one of his friends who chided him for bullying a woman and a child. He ordered my debtor to pay me or else he would tell everybody in the business about his bullying ways.

My debtor reluctantly took the money from his safe and instead of handing it to me, he threw it hard in my face. The notes were scattered all over the floor because of a blowing fan. I put Jaymes down and just gingerly picked up the notes. My debtor was laughing at me and remarked,"Take and get yourself a coffin la!"

Jaymes saw me picking the money and he came forward to help. I grabbed his tiny hand and snapped at him,"Stand near the door! I forbid you to touch this money!"

I knelt on the floor and picked up every single piece of the notes with the debtor still taunting me. I tried hard to contain my grief and tears. I kept glancing at Jaymes to see if he's ok. He just stared blankly with his teary face. The man who came to my rescue earlier, helped me to pick up the notes too. I counted the money, it was correct and I picked up Jaymes to leave the premise.

Halfway through the door, the debtor said,"You don't need to supply me any more. I will tell every one about your lousy products. You bitch!"

I wanted to turn round and confront him but was grabbed by his friend and steered out of the door. "I send you two home." Then he bundled us into his car and asked me for my address. He turned to Jaymes and asked,"didi (little boy), are you ok? Don't be afraid. Uncle will protect you. Let's go home."

The man was Chong. And he came to my help, yet another time.........


37 comments:

  1. There really are such evil in this world. .. I am glad there was someone who came to your aid in the end.

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  2. Wah! LB, you came over so fast!!! From Italy leh!

    Early bird gets his worm! hehehe...

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  3. Cant believe such people exist here, thought only see them in HK drama.
    Thanks God that someone was there to help you at that time.

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  4. There are lots of these type of people in Singapore.

    The worst ones are the type that 'kill' without seeing blood. I'll write about them later, they are the reasons for the hatred I carry everyday.

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  5. My goodness, poor baby had to witness all this! It really saddens me to read about such cruelty and it's amazing how low-class some men can get! Such a disgrace! Fortunately there are still people with a conscience, like the clerk and Chong. Don't know what would have happened if not for them... good thing you weren't beaten up or hurt more badly.

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  6. The discrimination and belittling of women in business is extremely real, and without people like you who tells it all, most would still think all is fair.

    I am proud of you. It just doesn't pay to be kind sometimes.

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  7. OMG, this is worse than the baseball-bat attack that I've imagined in your last post. Glad that you came back alive. Yeah, heard you ROAR. And real loud too. That man deserved it.

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  8. shilpa,
    My primary concern at that time was Jaymes. But I would do anything to protect him.

    Some men are such MCPs that they don't care even if you are a woman. They won't hesitate to hit women too.

    So ladies, don't have the idea that you will be treated differently becos you are the fairer sex. And some guys say becos women ask for equality, they should expect such treatment like men! Jeezzus.....

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  9. Ed,
    This is a fact which I have been wanting to tell others. Some business women feel shy but I think such discrimination has to stop.

    Women need to stand up and have the courage to tell these men to stop.

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  10. Victor,
    Chris (Tan not Sim) said I have 9 lives. I have used up almost all, now I just don't know when it will be my last! haha....

    I'm the stubborn ass!

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  11. ya SA,
    Jaymes has seen some pretty disturbing stuff since young.... hehe... that's why he is more matured than others his age.

    In the US I think we try to make the world too nice for kids and when they encounter harsh reality they cannot cope.

    I think it's the same in many countries where the kids come from well-to-do or privileged families. I myself have come across so many of this type of youngsters.

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  12. I wish there could be more kindness in the world.

    And discrimination of women needs to come to an end.

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  13. You're right, oceanskies. Let all women unite!!!

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  14. Oh my..!! you are such a brave woman.. ECL..!! i salute you ..!! And i hope that fella.. is either dead..or something terrible had already happened to him. If not.. i hope it will right now.. !! i cursed him..!! what a freaking asshole..!! Poor jaymes..!

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  15. Wah mamabok!!
    *horror on my face* so evil!

    hahaha.... that man went bankrupt. He has many concessionary stalls at major departmental stores like Taka, Metro, Sogo etc a decade ago, all toh liao!

    During the 7th month annually, he gets "打小人"! :)

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  16. I guess you would be wilder if your child is not around.

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  17. *Kowtow*

    I tink I would love to have a fraction of your courage. Me a meek mouse.

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  18. Can still be more evil..if you want.. hhahaha!!

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  19. dk,
    ya, you're right.... and probably get raped too! Some men are animals!

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  20. Pinkie,
    sigh... women always think they should be the meek ones. We have a choice, we can choose to be a wimp and get walked over, or we can stand up and fight for our rights.

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  21. mamabok... :)
    What can I say? I'm so like you too!!! hahaha.....

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  22. Captain jean-luc picard
    Oh yes! That was crazy! Hell has no fury like a woman scorned!!!!

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  23. Its these people that makes the world ugly. And there are so many of such people nowadays, dont you think so?

    The world was not so ugly in my opinion. Recently it became worst.... I too met a few, but my english is not so good to relate it ley.. hehehe

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  24. there are so many of such people nowadays, dont you think so?

    ya, precisely. That's why I have to write about such scums! Say also people don't believe!

    No need use English la, use vulgar words aso can! hahaha.....

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  25. You are very brave *salute*
    Indeed, 苦尽甘来 for you...
    I bet now your boy sees any gang fight also not "disturbed" and afraid...he has seen so much...

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  26. hahahaha.......sigh, probably too much, he has learnt to fight, but that was because he was pushed to his limit.

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  27. I think there are many lessons that one can learn from your life story. I salute you for your bravery and spunk, and the ability to stand up against such adverse circumstances. These are the experiences which make you the successful woman that you are today.

    It is rather heartening to note that there are people with high Adversity Quotients - and Intelligence Quotients to boot - like yourself! You really should write a book!

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  28. ai cool insider,
    I'm not that successful la or else I would be getting awards and being mentioned by PM on National Day Rally (ahem...*cough... cough* Sir, you reading this?)

    You miss out my EQ. hahaha....

    When are you bringing Ethan to my house to play?

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  29. another crazy story? OMG. I salute u like 4th already now. Lucky that guy already bankrupt ... curse him. I hate people who hitting other people, especially parents.
    what there's another baseball bat case somewhere here?
    Girl(woman) you tough and stay tough for the sake of Jaymes. Is this in Singapore?

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  30. hahaha... papajoneh,
    Wah, you reading the posts.... during office hours?

    All these happened in Singapore. Next week talk about my crazy stories in other countries, ok?

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  31. Should have just taken the legal matter instead dearie. I did that and sealed the whole building over a $7000 debt. The paymaster came running and I still stand, said no and got my fair share of the hurt they incurred to me.

    That is the clever way dear.
    Not this.

    Azrin

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  32. I didn't have much cash to engage a lawyer. I was only a small fry and he was a successful businessman. I know his other suppliers who were owed for a year. That's how small fries like us get squeezed by the big fishes.

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  33. Doc Chan,
    Dun get high blood pressure orh! Oh forgot, you can self-medicate! hehe....

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