newton: every action has an equal but opposite reaction

one action that cannot be forgotten. one breath of anger that cannot be diffused. one resentment that leads to a chain of event. ending up in a tale of violence, gory, blood, pain and suffering. one act. one person. one event. many couldn't sleep soundly in their beds that night.

sometimes we cannot imagine the repercussion that our one single action can have. because of that, we do what we think is right, guided by our faith, our belief and our conscience. what do we do when we face the backlash of the fury even from that? that not always good things happen to good people (or perhaps not 100% good people but we are all trying) who took the good and correct path. where do we go from there? do we still continue to be good? because that is the only way we know how to live. but how do we go on if we cannot trust in the decency of others and the goodness that is at the very heart of mankind?

he stole from the company. in so many ways, and at each possible opportunity. he was a crook, no buts about it. two high level employees, who reported directly to the boss, came up with a plan to entrap him and to gather enough evidence. inevitably he was caught and reassigned. it was bound to happen, sooner or later, one way or another. his 'reassignment' was merely an antecedent to his dismissal; a more deferential and sensitive way to remove him from his post, which should have been a much appreciated gesture.

however, it wasn't enough. the two employees were attacked by parang-yielding men several months later; two separate occasions, two weeks apart. coincidence? it will be a far stretch of credibility to believe in if it were so. decent normal men do not go around upsetting triad gang members in their daily lives. it is a farce that one human life could be bought by just five thousand ringgit, that which is considered loose change to some.

it was a scene from "young and dangerous". two men walked up with helmets on their heads and long knives hidden under their jackets, just as he alighted from his car. they walked up casually behind him and started slashing away. at his back. at his hand that was raised to block off the attack. at his leg, which was probably their target. how many thousand ringgit does it costs to buy someone's leg? a heroic guard came out to do what little that he could. if only there was more of him in the world, and less of those who do not think twice about taking others' lives. it was like a scene from the movie. it could very well have been, had there been a director hiding behind the tree, ready to yell out 'cut'. even before bystanders could move their limbs from its frozen stupor, the assailants have walked calmly away.

i drove past that place yesterday. the blood was still fresh on the wall. the people huddled around nervously, getting caught up in their gossip. people alighting from cars looked right and left, back and front with apprehension. others who are unrelated to the characters, who do not even know the alleged conspirator, walked frenziedly to their cars, imagining that the grisly scenario could happen to them.  that night i jolted up from my dream with the sound of my doorbell ringing. i imagined crazed robbers entering for vengeance but above all, i had imagined the door bell ringing. it sounded so real, so real that it pierced through my deep slumber. that night i slept restlessly, and many others joined me in their own houses.

i drove past the place today. the blood has been wiped clean. two additional men now stand guard at the door. people are still huddled around, gossiping nervously. overnight, every man lingering near their motorbikes or around dark staircases are regarded suspiciously. nobody is at peace anymore. some have changed their daily habits, their way of life, to safeguard against the senseless attack.

now one lay wounded in the hospital, grievously hurt but not life-threateningly so. tendons and veins had been severed, months of recuperation and therapy lays ahead. his children is probably thankful that they still have someone to call dad. but he didn't do anything wrong. he did what he thought was right. and this was his repayment.

one action. one person. one vengeance. lives were changed.

yet this may not be the end.