Can I Get You a Drink?

The term "Culture-shock" is used ever more frequently in the rapidly shrinking world, where more and more people are exposed to different cultures at an exponential pace. The simple, yet benevelont question of "Can I get you a drink" is practiced as culture in many parts of the world. To me, that in itself is a "shocker" not because it opens up countless posibilities between two human beings, but because of the sheer simplicity and innocence of it all.

Quite often but not exhaustive by all means, that question is initiated by a gentlemen to a lovely lady at the other end of the bar. This simple gesture of goodwill is what bridges two strangers together, who previously had nothing in common. Now that they each have a glass between and through the ensuing exchange of conversation, meant that it is quite possible the two have embarked on a journey together to forge a beautiful friendship. This same simple gesture however, has come a long way.

Reading the newspapers every morning, there is always that plethora of articles stating that persons xyz has either been robbed, raped, murdered, any of the said combinations or all together in a grim package, not surprisingly, these victims are usually female

Its an undeniable fact that clubbing and pubbing is a worldwide trend of late, the girls who go there, although each having their own agenda, it is safe to assume most attendees just want to have a jolly good time valving off all the pressure built up at work over the weekdays. These nights are usually innocent, but blood and malice taints the night air once too often.

Stories of men and women, both young and old falling to the old spiked-drink trick is heard too many times in the local scene. Some, just by being gullible, fall prey to the malignant perpetrator's mere persistent persuasion. Others, sadly were subdued by brute, barbarous force.

These heinous acts by all means are not limited to clubs and nightscenes; of late, even shopping malls have become a hotbed for these pests of our society to set in motion their atrocious deception- preying on just about anyone and literally, anywhere. To put my point across, a lady was raped several times as reported in a local paper on 23 Janauary 2009. Her mistake? The cab she hailed was driven by a parasite; IT even had the audacity to demand for the fare she allegedly owed the animal afterwards.

"Ideally" speaking, once netted by the authorities, these criminals, like the insects they are, should be eradicated.

Accounts like these has set the precedence for all men and women in the country, bringing everyone to the edge- merely the slightest contact with these germs of society can be fatal. This undoubtedly has pushed everyone to the brink of paranoia.

Maybe foreigners will be culture-shocked one day when they visit Malaysia and hit the local nightscene, where a simple, benevelont act is returned with a paranoid, delusional response, coupled with a free ride to the police station- just because he asked "Can I get you a drink?".

Keeper of Thorns and Splinters

Prometheus bears our world unannounced,
Apollo chariots its hold unpronounced,
Nay Scorpio yell “woe”, of its malicious tail,
Nay Achilles shout “foul”, when his mortal heels fail.

Creatures of Ur wield their lumber
Twas thus meaningful for all to encumber
Their lives with fortitude, with life,
With gratitude, with discord, with strife.

But all who are hellishly burdened need not halt
Their existence, seemingly thriving with heavenly fault,
For there existed earthen allies who outstretch
Their arms in own forfeit, to aid their links in wretch.

Those then who forsake their own abandon;
Who deemed aids and abets redundant;
Who judged amity and pity a mere specter;
Should sovereign their own barbed scepter.

In the pits, the relief descends a ladder
For the upturned-fanged adder
Already poisoned by its own venoms,
Denies respite despite righteous fathoms.


Keep thy own crown of brambles.
For it be thy own passion’s shambles.