Move It!

How often do you get stuck in a traffic jammed, made worse by the semi-heavy rain, and suddenly you hear loud sirens screaming and a voice shouting, "ke tepi! ke tepi! beri laluan! beri laluan!" (go the side!make way!) accompanied by honking and hand movement and also piercing staring eyes and frowning mouth?

How often are your forced to squeeze your car into the almost non-existent space and narrowly missing the metal barrier?

How often do your eyes follow the movement of the black sleek limo (or not) with a metal piece plastered at the plate and you feel like knocking on the tinted glass and tell off the occupant that you are actually paying the tax too?

How often do you wish you have the same liberty?

How often do you say to yourself that even if you have the liberty to do so, you won't?

My Italian friend once asked me whether those people are royalty and I told him only if they have gold royal emblem on their plate number. He expressed his annoyance and I could only smile.

I personally feel annoyed everytime I have to maneuver to the side when it was very difficult to do so what with the bumper-to-bumper condition on the road. Long time ago, when I was not driving, when I sat at the back seat of my father's old Ford, I envy those people, and I wished I could be like them one day. That feeling however vanished the moment I started to drive and was told of by a traffic police, because I was slow to get my car to the non-existent space. He had a furious scowl on his face and his hand was pointing firmly and directly at me. The feeling changed to hatred and hatred mellowed to annoyance. And annoyance sometimes give way to anger.

But that was the only thing that I could do. Be annoyed and angry. Alas, it changes nothing. So these days, the moment I hear the siren "be-ngong-me-ngong-to-ngong", I quickly move my car away. And blasted my stereo and make dono.

They say status comes with a price. And part of the price is having ordinary people cursing at you.

I don't like double-standard.