I can't believe this...

I was picking up wifey from her shop yesterday. Sales was really bad. Maybe due to the fact that some people has started their Deepa-Raya exodus back to their kampung.

It was drizzling lightly and we both offered R, wifey's fulltime worker a lift back home.

Though not very far away (She stay like 5 minutes walk away), but because of the weather and the fact that she was carrying some extra loads, we decided to ask her if she wants a ride.

She agreed and off we went in my small lil car. I was about to take the usual turning when Wifey told me that she shifted to the Condominium nearby. Well, the condos are running parallel to her old place anyway, so it not much of a differences.

But it kept playing in my mind why did she shift.

OK. A lil bit of history.

I knew that this girl, R, came from a broken family. Parents separated and she and her younger sister, lets call her S, which is 12 years old, stays with their father and the father's girlfriend (lets call her B).

Their Mum will only call R when she needs money.

OK. History lesson ends.

After dropping R at the guard house. I can't help but asked wifey what happened.

Stupe: What the F happened?

Wifey: Oh, i dind't tell you? She got chased out from the house by her dad and B.

Stupe: ??? What about the younger sister, S???

Wifey: She is staying with her father. But R did offer if she wants to shift out with her.

Stupe: What exactly happened, really?

Wifey: Her dad and B put up a notice on her bedroom door and gave her a week to shift out of the apartment.

At this point, R story about her past and her young sister's struggle to put up 2 meals a day just keep on flashing on my mind.

R rented the condo near the shop for RM400, inclusive of water and electricity. She don't earn much, about maybe twice the amount of what she pay for the room anyway.

Her dad, some 40 something DOM (Dirty Old Man) has a stay in girlfriend that has a baby, which B claimed to be her nephew. But R told us that it wasn't as she once read a piece of letter meant for B, that was left on the table, and it was clearly stated that the baby belongs to B.

The problem is that the DOM, never do cares about the welfare of his own children. He do not give two hoots if S did went to school. S, being only 12, needs all the support she could get.

I gathered tha S haven't even pay her school fees, least her transportation to school, which she was lucky enough to have someone picking her up, SHOULD she go to school. She has no breakfast, lunch or even dinner sometimes. Dinner came when B, cooks porridge for the baby to eat, and B lets S eat the leftovers. That said, B do tell her to watch how much she eats, if she gets to eat, that is.

R gives her sister RM5 or RM10 everytime she sees S. R says she would sometimes rahter starve a lil to feed her sister. Kudos to her. Being a good sister.

When i heard all those form Wifey, i could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

Never could i imagine that some 12 years old has to fend for herself this way.

R is only 19, and she is without a family, and it is not because her parents are dead, but because her parents are just plain irresponsible!

I always thought that these things only happen in movies or in some more out of town area.

But to know one that is of so close proximity to yourself, it is really bad.

The father, the DOM, oogle at all girls walking pass, as he was working near one of the newly open pub around the area. He even once made a pass at one of wifey's partner! How inappropriate!

After yesterday, my heart lurched. It pained to know that some 12 years old didn't eat breakfast today. It pained to know that R is struggling to face the consequences of her own parents being overly selfish.

i've told wifey that if S do come to her shop, just buy her some food. Afterall, life is too short to be calculative.

As i'm writing this, i'm trying hard not to let tears roll down my eyes. I felt that i'm very lucky, despite all my shortcoming and despite all the problems in life that i have...i still have a family, to call my own.

You should too. And don't tell me that the sun don't shine for you.