One of my secondary school classmates ("Classmate A") made the news recently - for the wrong reasons. It was a story of love turned sour, resulting in accusations of assault against him, culminating in a full-blown criminal trial in the Hong Kong courts. The entire saga raised a huge uproar in the media. I'm not here to write a post decrying or defending his actions. The entire issue just got me thinking about where it all started.. in a school along Tanjong Rhu Road..
Classmate A was what teachers would consider to be a naughty boy. Together with other naughty boys, they became infamously known as the naughty gang. They were a teacher's nightmare - they talked back, they rebutted, they challenged authority. The teacher thought she solved the problem with an innovative solution - she got the naughty boys to sit right in front, thinking that they wouldn't dare misbehave within such close proximity of her watchful eye. Never in history has a plan backfired so dramatically - they just brought the ruckus with them to the front of the class. Not a day went past without one of them being made to fa zhan, or were thrown out of class (books and all), or have their parents summoned to tea with the principal. On the flip side of the coin, you have good boys like yours truly. Heck, my email address says it all! I meekly listened to my teachers, I studied hard and I always toed the line. While boys from the naughty gang always had their arms draped across the shoulders of the prettiest girls, the only thing willing to accommodate my arm is my trusty old schoolbag on the hour long bus ride home. Heh.
Fast forward 8 years. Today, Classmate A is on his way to becoming a lawyer (that is until he got caught up in this saga). Another naughty classmate, Classmate B, has intern-ed with several prominent financial institutions, eventually landing a job as an economist with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Me, on the other hand, is still struggling in the abyss of what the administrators proudly call 'holistic university education'. I'm clawing my way uphill, but opportunities, if any at all, are few and far between. Other well-behaved classmates has gone to take on jobs as accountants, teachers and dentists. Respectable careers no doubt, but compared to the high flying naughty classmates, the luster lose its keenness.
Always listen to your teacher? Hah. Personal anecdotal appears to suggest otherwise. It appears that in order to attain some measure of success in life, you require a certain streak of rebelliousness. In the meantime, the good boy continues to languish. Currently, he feels like he's on a one way trip to nowhere. He considers overhauling his personality and perhaps, turn into a bad boy, because 男人不坏女人不爱.
"He considers overhauling his personality and perhaps, turn into a bad boy, because 男人不坏女人不爱" Noooooo,that's so not true!.....
ReplyDeleteClassmate A and B may be on their way to pursueing their career, but you may not know what will happen in the future. Perhaps,you who started later may excel and do better than them in times to come? Expect the unexpected. :)
Hello Kai Xuan! I'm guessing you are very satisfied with your good boy product. Interesting, your specimen is also found from that same school!
ReplyDeleteExpect the unexpected! Thanks for the reminder :)