Been quite busy for the last couple of weeks due to work. Only since the last few days I managed to find some time to actually laze around a bit, thanks to the raya season which will be this weekend. Most people have already started to be in the holiday mood, so it's been less meeting with clients and very little travelling for me.

Last month till now, I still have this disturbing scene in my mind. I was having lunch with my family one weekend afternoon. While waiting for our meals, I noticed a family at a table opposite of ours chatting away loudly. Everything looks normal then. But not long after, this man started to light up a cigarette and puffed away after they were done with their lunch. And by the way, it's an air-conditioned restaurant where we had our lunch. Typical Malaysian attitude huh? After 50 years of independence and we still have this sort of nonsense. Fifty years! Lima puluh tahun! Goh chap nie!!

Okay, nothing we could do about it but just look in dismay. Then he did something that I just couldn't get my eyes off that table during that noon. A little kid whom I assume was either his kid or nephew went to him just to play around or somethin. He took the cigarette from his mouth and put it in the kid's mouth. I thought he was only joking with the kid but he held it there long enough, as if to encourage the little boy to smoke. I swear man, that kid was not older than 6 years of age. And the aunties and uncles around that table laughed as though it's a cheerful sight. Wow... that totally made me lose my respect to those adults, even if there was a tiny bit left.

First they disregard the restaurant's plea not to smoke and then they disregard the health of their own child. Pathetic. I only watched them a while longer in disgrace before the food finally came. When they left, not only did they leave behind the smell of the cigarette but they also left behind a bad impression. An ugly one that is. I was asking myself, "what kind of sick parents were those?" I would feel very uneasy if my loved ones were to smoke in front of me (you know who you are). There's always a proper time and place for that.

If you wanna teach your kid to puff mini clouds, at least do it when he's/she's old enough to think for themselves. And also do it somewhere people can't see it so strangers like me could still have a little bit of respect left for you.