You’re
cool. What does this phrase really mean to me? Mean to us? Personally, I think
being ‘cool’ is something extraordinary. Extraordinary in my eye, of course!
Maybe helping someone in a good way or figuring out something in a not so easy
way. Yep, they’re cool. I just don’t understand why other people think they are
one when they actually hurt or step on other’s foot. Let me share you a story.
I’m not sure if it’s lame but that event was the one that provoked me to think
about this.
The other day, we (me and the fam without dad) went to the Plaza to grocery shop
and buy some awesome stuff. My sister bought the Harry Potter collection and I
bought some chocolate. Yaay! After buying those, my sister bought the
ingredients she needs for her Home Economics practical assessment. I decided to
stay outside the grocery shop because I was asked to look after the other
things we bought. I sat there alone. Bored. So I stood up! Oh, an ice cream
shop 7 steps from where I was sitting. I bought cookies and cream, a happy kid indeed!
When I came back to where I was sitting, a family (mother, daughter, son [I’m
assuming they are siblings]) came to have a seat. The girl was about 7 years
old and the boy was probably 10. He looked condescending so it made me think
that he’s the elder one. Before leaving to go inside the grocery shop, the
mother told the two to not shout and don’t ever fight. She left. Both of them
were holding a plastic bag. The boy took out a pair of ballet flats; the girl
reacted and shouted, “Hey! They’re mine! The boy didn’t do anything. Actually
he did! He moved closer to where his sister was sitting. I think it was on her
arm? He hit her. And using those pair of ballet flats, he hit her in the head.
The girl just kept on shouting on him. He said, “Give me my shirt!” (since the
girl was holding a plastic bag with his shirt) She gave it in exchange for her
shoes. He held the shirt in his hands but didn’t give the shoes. He went back
to his seat holding the flats. She kept on screaming. The boy dropped the shoes
on the floor and told his sister. “Look! I don’t have it!” Scream. Scream.
Scream from her. He picked up the shoes and using that, he just continually hit
her. After every hit, I can sense, he’s trying to look at me so proud as if
saying, “Hey, look at me. I’m suuuuuuuuh cool hitting her.” Everytime he tries
to appear in my eyes, I deflect my view. NO. YOU ARE NOT COOL. What makes you
think that you are some BADASS being so awesome violating your sister’s right
to just be silent on the side? Seeing that, I started to question the mother –
how did you raise these children? I probably asked the wrong question. How did
the society, the people around them define what’s to be proud or not?
Disrespectful much? PLEASE. NO.
I’m
lucky (like what I always say). Even though I have a brother who’s nearly like
that, he’s still a good man. Even though I have this huge gap between me and my
parents, I know that I was raised really well and taught how to act privately
and publicly. I know I’m that “Hey, I’m cool” person but not in a way that that
boy has shown. And even though I know that I am a little bit annoying (I feel
it myself!) I know, somehow, I’m cool in my own way.
I
love my cool friends – they always there for me, I know that even I annoy them,
I still find myself being in that position where I am advised by them and
majority of them are God-fearing people. I love my cool sister. She does the
same – being with me through ups and downs, taking a photo with our
seedy/wacky/whatever face and letting me know that I’m loved.