Ratis Maximus.

It was one of those helter skelter days when I had to be at business partner's location half an hour before I finally get to move my ass off my chair from the office.

100kmph.... 110kmph.... 120kmph....then took that swerve that leads me towards Jalan Duta and suddenly, a figure that seemed like a tired old man going the same direction as my car was dragging his foot to cross the road.

I wonder where he started walking from as the busy road will not have any decent shelter in the next 1km.

Such a scene is common but the figure usually wears itself a hive of uncut hair or beard. But from behind, this man looks totally clean, his hair; neat. Takkan lah orang gila macam ni. But he definitely looks exhausted and unfocussed.

I slowed down to avoid knocking him down, in case he may just pass out infront of me and as I pass him by, I got to view him on my rear view mirror. He had gauze pad across his forehead with traces of blood still fresh and one hand is covering his mouth.

"POONNNNNNN!!"

Yeap..... I slowed down too much.

... and then I found myself wondering where to stop, and what to do. While wondering, I was already 10 minutes away from my destination.

Ffffuuucckkkkk..... I thought to myself that I'm just one of so many other 'rats'. "I'm too busy with my thing, I have no time to help you!"

I walked out of my car and saw my husband's bottle of mineral water, and I know he always have two others in the boot. I could've stopped and at least gave him one................ at least.

What is the possibilities of someone who could bother to think of this man's difficulty pass him by? It could've definitely been an opportunity for me to help a stranger once in so many months.

... but..... I gave it a pass. I'm just one of those super busy people whom I always despise.

Pffffhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
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One week later, I found a person I used to be so affectionate of through Facebook. She's a mother of four, large and round eyed lady, gregarious, wears tudung.

Inspite of her rather unsophisticated outlook, she is really an expressive character. She stood on the table once when we had a karaoke party and sang 'Here Comes the Rain Again' while dancing on the table and she was just fantastic.

People love being around her, she's a symbol of carefree yet a grounded mother.

We were ecstatic to discover each other on FB, like other 'rats' we are, once we got separated by different jobs, so hal masing-masingla. It must've been 9 years since she left the company I'm working for.

I almost turned into stone when I saw the word 'Single' on her status.

She's probably already reaching her mid 40's; a bold decision indeed.

It was a heavy gulp in my throat to tell her that I'm happily married when I know she has to break something otherwise. When I know it happened just about the time I tied the knot and she had probably thought of sharing it with me but time may just not be right.

"Why didn't you call me and share these with me?"

"Don't worry, now I live with all my daughters and couldn't have been happier! Come and drop by la when you are free! I can now live in a place with the things placed how I have always wanted them to be placed and be all that I wanted to be!"

I took a long breath.... from the way it sounds, she IS happy and for that, I'm happy.. for her. Especially for having the guts to face the reality with total conviction.
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Today, I opened my email, once more, I almost turned into stone.

My bestfriend in school of 5 years, the person who coaxed me into the superficial world of internet networking--Facebook, emailed.

"........., I am diagnosed with .... cancer, and it is at early stage. I meant to tell you but just that....."

Now.... she's half way across the globe, and what do I do? Just give lip service?

Her little son just passed a year old, and she came back from England recently with a big bag of gifts for Amer.

..... I haven't replied her email..... coz I'm a rat. I'm busy in my cubicle. I have no means to go fly across the globe to be with her.

*I typed... chemo may affect you dearly. You should try to have these foodstuff to help cool you down....

....

That..... again is just another lip service.