it's quite scary the number of scams that are going around. if you are not on your toes, for even a split second, someone may just be lurking around to cheat you, hit you, deceive you or whatever else they have up their sleeves. you could be doing anything; withdrawing cash from the atm, window-shopping, picking up kids or even just strolling around, you could be the victim of an elaborate well-thought out scheme to hustle you of your personal effects, or even you! your physical self.

the scams are endless, infinite. the ones that are exposed in the newspaper are immediately replaced by more imaginative ones. there is no contest to the imagination of mankind, especially when his boundless wit is used on illegitimate means. i've heard of so many, i've seen quite a few myself, but personally i know of one most elaborate con-job that is not often spoken, yet to be exposed but is probably the most widespread and threatening.

i'm talking about babies. you know, those big-shinny-innocent-eyed, chubby-rosy-cheeked thing. those that you can spend hours after hours looking at them doing absolutely nothing except sleep. the ones that melt your hand when they utter a single 'goo-goo' or wrap their hand around your finger. the irresistible, adorable, cute little babies. it is a well-thought out scam. really. exceptionally angelic packaging, enchanting audio, an enchanting package all in all to lure you into the trap. into what exactly? firstly, diapers and diapersful of shit! who in their right mind will want to clean up someone elses' bum and vomit if not for that aforementioned charming packaging? then, a verrrrrry long spell of sleepless nights, guaranteed to transform you into the not-so-distant cousin of the panda. it cries, and you drop everything and come a-running. sounds like some evil plot where you have been hypnotised into a deep trance and is at the beck and call of this thing yet? your life goes on hold for a couple of years, whilst this little thing grows up, possibly trashing whatever material things you may have; computers, cars, walls, clothes and definitely the thickness level of your wallet.

well, if you think that this is the extent of its control on you, you have already been scammed. you are looking at a lifetime of endless worries, back talk, insolence and aggravation. at some point in your journey of parenthood, you are bound to have the thought of 'is there a return policy for this?', however fleeting it may be, and let me tell you right now, right here, that there is no return policy. no exchange either. you are stuck with them for life. you didn't think about that when you were staring at the dark bottomless pool of black innocence and they were batting their eyelids in all sweetness, did you? you spend countless and countless hours supervising their homework, nagging good manners, etiquette and all the good virtues in life, only to realise in the end that they do not necessary practice what you preach, especially when you are not around. you threaten them, you cajole them, you bribe them, you scold them. they have transformed you into a shrew, a gangster, a nagging old woman and a mother who will always be worried about her children. always. all these because they were once a cute,irresistible,adorable little baby. would you have got into all these if babies are disgusting looking things?

if, one day you stop and think, that this is all worth it, that when they are happy, healthy and playing blissfully, that all this has been worthwhile, that you do not need to get back anything for all that you have done and given out, as do all parents, you have truly and totally been scammed. :-p