Lesson in humanity: The naiveness of Life

I was driving with my foreman during one of the worksite inspection.

and he asked me this question,

If you were travelling on a fairly busy expressway, on the inner most lane (90km-100km/hr) and you spotted a dog trying to cross the road while turning a corner, do you;

1) Jammed brakes immediately?
2) Swerve into another lane dangerously?
3) Kill the dog?
What would you chose? and why? Let me know your answer, I'll answer mine in a day or 2.

I am like you guys. I cherished life, whether its a life of a dog, or a life of a human. But that was BEFORE I heard his tale. I would chose to kill the dog after listening to his tale.

My foreman had a cousin, in his forties. During the 90's when he was an aspiring young chap, that very day, Fate twisted his life. By testing him with a dog. On a grey Monday morning, it was drizzling slightly, he met a dog that changed his life tragically.

He doesnt know where the dog comes from, he was turning a curved corner towards Pioneer North, on the extreme right lane where he is travelling at 100km/hr. Once he saw the dog, he slammed on the brakes so hard, he could smell his tyre burning. The dog heard the horrible screeching sound, escaped and disappeared on the other side of the road.

He saved the dog. But not the people behind his car. 2 cars instanteously banged into his rear, where he promptly lost consciousness. He woke up to see the police surrounding his bed. He suffered trauma to his spinal column and couldnt feel his left leg. Diagnosis showned that his left leg went numb when his spine was going through the impact. He never regained the use of his left leg.

But he never expected to see the coming tragic ends waiting for him. The Nissan Sunny behind him, was a 26yr old driver, married for 1 year, and he was driving with his wife when the car in front of him jammed brake. He couldnt stop in time, the impact forced his head to lunged forward the windscreen before the safety bag could open in time. He died on the spot with a ruptured neck.

His wife suffered a miscarriage of their first child in that accident.

The Honda MPV behind the Nissan was carrying the driver and his mother. The impact send the driver hurtling to the front but he was saved by the airbag. but his mother, suffered a heart attack and was send to the hospital. she didnt survived.

when my foreman cousin was told of the chain of events happening, he simply could not stop crying. He explained to the officer of trying to save a dog from certain death, but ended up sending 2 person to early death and ruining the life of one complete family.

He discharged himself from the hospital, went to both of the funerals that he is responsible for. and kneel infront of the altar. The reception given was not what we call a 'friendly meeting'. Especially the young husband death. the wife was almost hysterical trying to ask him to leave.

He explained to the deceased relatives that he was trying to save a dog, and everyone scoffed at him. For his attempts, the very reason we try to justify and weigh the value of life, whether its a dog or human, could be distinctly sensed in this scenario. that the dog life is meaningless, for saving a life that send away 2.

In the end, in between his pauses, I could see my foreman trying to stifle his composure. His cousin could not take the trauma, entered himself into an aslyum the same year of the accident. where he remained in there for 10 good years ever since. He passed away last year of unknown cause. His heart suddenly stopped.

So how naive i was. As a driver, as an individual who adores animals, if I would ever come across this scenario. I would readily sacrifice the dog life, in order to save the people I could have jeopardized in this decisive moment.

The keyword i asked was "FAIRLY busy expressway". It is a quite busy expressway, even if you managed to swerve to the other lane, you'll still create an accident that is hard to predict.

So when my foreman tells me this, I had a hard time trying to absorb the decison I will be making the next time.

One dog life, for a lifetime of guilt, and possibly number of human lives you could save, because of this.

Because of this 'reasoning', I should. and I will.

A week of Independence

I always wished that Eric is away sometimes.

Because for that sometimes, even though the bomb might be exploding soemwhere he goes, at least, it doesnt hit me.

-But how wrong I was-

From the moment he left for the airport on MOnday.. my phone... rings every 10mins.
Because, he told all the customers in sg, that he is overseas, and divert all the calls to me. -_-"

and I had to bloody re-charge the phone every night. (I usually charge every 2 days)

Because of this 'throwing-to-the-sharks' tactics. I learned a lot of things w/o his guidance. without his bickering and blabbering. and I learned how to do things my way in this new coy.

I am coping quite well.. but not for the 'bomb' he threw to me when he send Terng (my Foreman)to Batam, Ah hing my worker goes for his annual holidays, and I am pathetically left with 3 nehs coping with the jobs in sg.

I had to come extra early everyday. Tell the nehs to go to the designated yard to do the specific works. (Normally this is dictated by Terng)

Then after they left, i busied myself with day-to-day calls. Some call me to ask abt calculations, some wanna buy our products, some wanna ask some irrelevant things about what I AM NOT SELLING. (so I have to transfer calls)

You see, the sales team in G is not very integrated. My namecard write "Sales engineer", and it does not specify what I am selling. So ppl usually calls me to ask about other dept works they are interested in. Another 'operator' job for me. :S

Overall, I still can manage... if not for Eric constant calling.. (he likes to call me and ask me what I am doing -_-) I wish I could have some time-out.

Even Adwin is likes to add to the pressure in this week. Like today, he called my extension and i ans it. he says coldly 'U come over."

I was like.. "OKAY is he gonna F**K me for something I didnt know I have done?"

then I saw my colleague Sribas sitting there. He ask me to sit down.. then he says "eh whats the matter? you looks so scared?"

I ans with short reply (not looking at him) " eh no?"

He says :" AIYAH DUN SCARED LA! I ask you here if you are free to help me buy breakfast!??"

-CHEY!-

Of course when ur big boss ask u if you are free to buy breakfast for him, even if you have George bush on the other line, you will certainly do it right?

and so i did.

Life is pretty good. The nehs cooperate with me. Although one play punk yesterday, which i have f**ked him accordingly at my table this morning. which surprised everyone. Usually I stayed very low profile, and most of the time, they usually hear Eric f**king everyone.

Eric did emailed me and says I am coping quite good. he did not received much calls from sg and I must have done my job in silencing everyone of them. Sometimes he did praise me. I feel very much appreciated when he did that. But of coz, in sales, one usefulness is not to be an asset, but an advantage over the other. SO we are always wary of each other. esp when you are dealing in sales. its like a 'non-stopping infernal affairs' happening everyday.

Pretty much exciting if you enjoyed this game. and may the best man wins.

Adwin send me onboard last week to settle his product washing machine. can you imagine, i belong to his dept, but I belonged entirely to a diff product line. I had to help him. of course. So I goes onboard, realized they didnt KNOW HOW TO SET A WASHING MACHINE reading the manuals.

I was to do the tinkering and toying around with a sub-con electrician. I managed to solve the problem. I wrote an email to Adwin and Kelvin (the product line incharge mgr) on the steps to program the washing machine. Its like my first virgin experience dealing with Galley items.

Adwin nonetheless praised me for a gd job done. But he's a hokkien pai kind of person, when he praise, it sounds like he actually is 'suanning' you. but you get the idea can already.

We have another new interview for the galley line. We're recruiting another engineer for the post. So we'll gonna have a new guy in, Me being the 5 mths old newbie, then there's the 1 week old Derek, so we're waiting for one more.

So today I was walking passed Adwin office, he was chiding the 2 mgrs in the office, (eric is overseas) so he spoke in Hokkien.

"Of all the new staff in my dept, I think (my name) XIONG EH GAN! Knn He can even set the bloody thing when Kelvin is unable to do it, and he's not even selling Galley items!!"


I walked passed the room with a grinning look.

HO SEH LA!

thus I looked forward to my 'graduation' in a few weeks time.


PS: I couldnt sleep last night, and I was quite rattled (looks haggard) this morning. there is this jam that i couldnt explain till I see the news on 5 lorries collided at Pioneer road. 50 over casulties. And I could hear the siren of CIVIL DEFENCE every now and then. So serious.

Hope the nehs are fine in the accident.

Updates on my 'disapperance'

I'm really sorry for unable to update much.

A lot of things been happening, happened, or in the midst of gonna happen.

Before I get to those, I wanna say, I really am shocked to hear that MC king had passed away. I had the good fortune of meeting him twice in my life.
Once in mediacorp when I was attending a variety show as audience, and the other time at the parking lot in Plaza Sing. I even smiled to him that time and he waved back. He's really a jolly good fella. Hope he goes to somewhere better when he passed on.

I started my RT again. Every Sun and Tuesday, I will be at Maju Camp, doing some exercise, some running, and its only phase 1. Probably in Feb, my Phase 2 will starts, and it'll be 3 times per week. But of course, they're still paying me to go for RT! haha!

My sis called me up yesterday, something about a 3rd sergeant Teng calling me about some mobilisation exercise.

My first instance is to jam my brakes and exclaimed, "SHIT! am I recalled already?"
-Luckily I was not on the expressway and u'll probably see an accident report on CHannel news asia-
I promptly called Teng up and he was just checking my particulars (phews) for recalling manning period on Mar-April (nbz).

So if you see a GREEN MAN flashing during that month, I'll probably be scuttling back to my camp, doing some 'wayang show' that we are operational -_-" and will protect the citizens blah blah that kinda bull.

Life in G is like.. a time bomb. it doesnt help if Eric is one of those. Something, somehow, somewhere, someone will indirectly happen, and the bomb came hurtling to me, then Eric will explode. 99% of the time I am the casualty. but when his mood is good, its... peaceful. and my life is slightly better.

There's a new staff that came in, his name is Derek. He's taking over Kenn's table behind me. But we belonged to diff product dept. Same dept but selling diff products. Overall He's a nice fella. always will ask me out for lunch. I guess he juz needed some ppl to talk to. Him being new, and I am the last 'new' guy before him. Victor his mgr didnt talk much to him. and he find it pretty hard to interact becoz Victor is quite individualistic.

He used to be a sales mgr in construction, but came to G and 'downgrade' to become an asst sales mgr. But he's fine. Rotund and plump, wears specs and always have that enchanting 'sales smile'. If not for his bitchy ex-boss that drove him away (long story), he would have stayed there. and funnily enough, all the ppl in my dept, save for Connie and Toni and me, all are married.

Oh yes, we have this G family day at Sentosa Tanjong beach yesterday! It was a blast I tell ya! The top prize is a 37" LCD TV! 2nd prize is $1000 cash, with 2 special prizes, $500 travel vouchers! total there are 110 prizes to be given out.

My dept, 90% won something (including me.)
Only Eric, Toni and Adwin didnt win anything.
I won a freaking standing fan.... -_-" My foreman won a $100 taka voucher, and my workers, win fan, iron and some appliances. Even derek won something. Lucky for him.

G spend no less than $50K to organise this 300ppl event. there are air-pumped castle for kids to jump in. "Gladiator" field for adults. Free flow of beer, popcorn, softdrinks, coconuts and ice-cream for everyone. DInner was served with packed bento set. There are DJ, bands singing and a tentage for everyone.

Luckily the weather is kind enough, our event ended smoothly. But I am so... SORE about not winning the top 3 prizes. :(

Being an adult approaching 30's is not a very good deal.
Fact that I have a job that takes up much of my time, my friends, is either married, clubbing endlesly, or seeminly invisible most of the time, and I'll take like 90% of my time reading their blogs updating what is happening around them. We have minimum interaction.

But luckily I organized a big paintball event coming 27th Jan at the Red Dynasty Paintball park. Some of the guys I nvr seen for close to 2 yrs. PPl like Jeng and icetrap. So if you are interested to see what paintball is all about, come to Sembawang Road Bottle Tree Park at Lorong Chencharu. I think besides 14 participants, I'll see a few supporters, so I'll say probably 18 ppl will be there. It'll be a crowded event. And I hope to enjoy myself that day. There will be trophies given away that day so may the best player wins!

Chinese New year is coming soon. The year of the RAT is gonna here. Guess will be another busy period for me. Bee pineapple tarts will be ready again. Her tarts was good last year, hope this year the quality wont be compromised hor! XD

I hope my bonus is coming soon.. (Adwin had told HR he had confirmed me earlier so I wouldnt missed out on payouts, but also not confirmed la... last year, all enginners and mgr in G gets... 6mths BONUSES WTF!)

Later will be meeting milk and devil for some crabbing lunch. Been a long time since I meet devil since he got married. Hope we'll have a good time catching up later on!

SO till we blog again guys! XD

Happy New year 2008

The year crept passed us so quickly.

I still have not blinked my eye yet.

Goes to work, as usual, and realized, its 2-1-08.

Did New year passed so fast? or am I too busy to take notice?

Happy 2008 Everyone! Hope you made some resolutions and keep them.

For me, I dont even know what is resolution till some hippy crowds invented this word. For this year, I strive to live simpler, be more content with life. Perhaps fade into oblivion if possible.

I kinda think I would lead the lead of a fellow chatfriend of mine. For some of you who knows, his nick is Banban. He disappeared for a few good years, and only last year we made contact, he was married. I think I would goes this way XD.

I was at Vivocity yesterday, managed to catch the fireworks to welcome the new year. Mount Faber was a sight to behold, too bad the entire mountain is booked by some people. Even the cable cars we are unable to board. The roads sealed for some VIP guests, so I have to be content with Vivocity and be like the thousands out there last night.

Share with you guys some funny msn conversation I had with my Taiwanese ex-supplier, Xiao Wang. We are about the same age, and he is extremely PASSIONATE about his taiwanese girls/flings/encounters.

(Lucky He dont know I have a blog, or he'll kill me XD )

The conversation goes like this...

小小王 非常好 ．．老闆給我業績目標了...一年做一千萬....不管超過多少..都給我1% says:
i went to the boozer yesterday.(I think he mean pub/club, boozer is derived from the word booze, which means beer, I DONT think we ever call club or pub BOOZER yeah?)

小小王 非常好 ．．老闆給我業績目標了...一年做一千萬....不管超過多少..都給我1% says:
i choose a yang girl that she is 18th yesrs old. (YANG GIRL? I tot he mean surname YANG, but eventually he say... YOUNG -_-" )

小小王 非常好 ．．老闆給我業績目標了...一年做一千萬....不管超過多少..都給我1% says:
her body is very bouncy.

May the terrorist who planned the death of Bhutto condemned to the pits of hell... says: (that's me, DUN ASK WHY I CHOSE THIS NICK *ROARS*)
what do you mean bouncy?

小小王 非常好 ．．老闆給我業績目標了...一年做一千萬....不管超過多少..都給我1% says:
She makes me hot and she sits on my leg and bounces around.

May the terrorist who planned the death of Bhutto condemned to the pits of hell... says:
*LOL* I bet that makes you pretty high huh lolx

-End of conversation-

HAVE A GREAT YEAR AHEAD PEEPS!