The Carrie Moment

As i was walking home after my late night rendevouz with Tarnation (the SIFF film) on sunday, i saw this middle-aged lady struggling to lift her shopping cart up the curb. Perhaps it was the great music i was plugged into at that moment, or maybe it was chancing upon bingx and friends in the train on my way home, but i acted out of character as i went forward and offered my hand in marriage. No. Thats just a wishful thought. Instead, i offered help.

She looked glad and profuse thanks. I walked away nonchalantly as all guys will do. My head felt light and boy, was i happy to have helped another living soul. After ten or so steps, my mind derailed. Photographic imprints of her cart stared me in my face. Whoa wait! Wasnt that the ntuc shopping cart? Oh no. What have i done? I've helped a criminal get away with a cart. And so it set me thinking: Is it a crime to aid someone committing wrong, unknowingly?

As kylie continued to dance around and around in my ipod, my heart sank lower and lower as i knew now that i had not done any righteous, gentlemanly deed at all, but instead, may have committed a sin instead. Oh jon, save me.

Before he can, i had to save myself (since he lived so far and knows nothing of it as yet).

I reasoned. The person cant be in a wrong if he has no inkling of the crime the other person is committing. If he believes that whatever he is doing at that time, serves to help the other person in a way that is beneficial and does no harm in the act. Well, nobody has screwed the trainers at the Airman Flight School in Norman, Oklahoma for teaching Mohamed Atta and gang how to fly planes into buildings. Nor has anyone reprimanded J.lo's mum for encouraging her to act, for the matter of fact, to sing too.

However, other thoughts crept to my mind. (damn it. stupid brain) I suppose someone will have to be blamed. In a recent episode of Oprah, a poor young lady recounted that a month ago, she decided to bring her Oprah-crazed mother-in-law to one of her talkshows. After that wonderful event, she decided to let her mother-in-law rest and thus took over the driving duties for the ride home. However, a tragic accident occurred and her mother-in-law died in a crash while she fortunately survived. Fortunate or otherwise, she was blamed by the family for the painful loss. The lady was distraught and seeked suicide. So u see, someone does have to be made scapegoat or people arnt satisfied. Somehow or other, they feel that the matter has not been resolved.

So u see, being an accomplice unknowingly, doesnt qualify u to be shot on sight. What u did was in all aspects good. However the outcome being bad, makes u feel as if u are in the wrong. The emotional pain is enough punishment meted out. Nobody should make it worse. Well, nobody blamed Julius Robert Oppenheimer for destroying Hiroshima and Nagasaki with his atomic bombs, so i guess i shouldnt blame myself for what that evil lady has done.

posted by nick_xian @ 8:56 PM 0 comments