Hans was seated next to me.
He was only three years old then, now he is nine. The passenger vehicle we're in, picked up some passengers as it passed by the public market. Among the new passengers was a mother with her son. It was a grand entrance: the mother came in first then the son came after her running and crying. The child must have been 7-9 years old. Gut
The mother took the seat next to another lady beside me on my left. The child was frantic and wanted something from the mother. It was then that the mother grabbed the child by the neck with both hands, bit his face and kicked him in the stomach with all her might. The boy was thrown into the floor rolling and screaming. I felt all my blood rushed to my face. I felt the heat oozing on my both ears. I covered Hans' face and stepped over.
All lines are busy
I told the mother," Ma'am, do it again and you would see!" I felt myself in a low but growling voice. It was loud but not shouting. The people around us had mixed reactions. Some looked at the boy with pity, Some pretended they did not see anything and looked away, and others continued with what they did.
My Resolve
The lady between me and the mother tapped me and said in a very low voice, 'let's not interfere,' her voice was almost in a whisper. I answered, 'No!' I directed back my look at the mother again, and locked my eyes to hers. Sensing my deep resolve on the situation, she looked away and screamed. Again, the people around us simply continued with their own 'peaceful' display of impatience and awkwardness.
Final destination
It was then that the driver made a signal that I arrived at my destination. I led Hans to my right and walked passed her with my eyes still locked up to hers. She avoided it. Before we finally stepped out I took a glance of the people and the boy who was still on the floor, I felt so much anger and frustration. I felt so helpless...
When I think of it now, I felt less worried of the boy. He must have survived just like any other street kids I see everyday along the busy agora. What bothers me most was the vicious indifference of the people.
Gnawing question
They must have their own reasons why they refused to act. Those people may just want to protect their 'own' peace, or they were simply too lazy to respond to their feelings. I don't know. But I believe the whole thing explains the line I could hardly understand before: "The opposite of love is not hatred, it's indifference..." What do you think?
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