No. 15 (I think)

Yemeni

Police

I was on my way to 7-11 nearby when I witnessed a police tried to prevent a car-theft. He threw himself onto the front of the car to make the car stop. There were some other police officers came to help to stop the stolen car from being driven further away, too, by blocking its way with police vehicles.

The thief finally gave up. He opened the car door and ran away. I have to say he was smart, because the only person who could have caught him at that moment was immobilised. The said police's leg was severely injured by the car.

How severe was the injury? Well, I don't know. I heard a trained, tough policeMAN groaned in agony, again and again. He fell on the ground.

I was stunned and scared. For some reason I was afraid to approach the police, thinking that I might disturb his duty. Finally I ran to him and asked if he's ok. I didn't call ambulance because I knew the nearest hospital (the hospital I am working at) didn't have ambulance service. I didn't call police because his colleagues were around already.

Slowly, passerby gathered. Many were discussing how this policeman was such a brave hero. That was true, but apparently not the most important thing to do! I went around asking:

"Is anyone sending him to the hospital now?"

mumble mumble

"Hey, can we send him to the hospital now? The hospital is just right here, down the road, can we just send him there first?"

Someone asked:" Has anyone called the hospital?"

"No, we don't have to! That hospital here doesn't have ambulatory service and it's less than a 5-minutes drive. We only need a car to send him there!"

mumble, discussion, someone said they can use the police car to send, someone said the police was trying to see he can walk.

Eventually someone helped him into the nearly stolen car and drove away.

It left me thinking: many blamed the police for not protecting the best interest of the people during Bersih rally. But how many are aware of the protection that exists now? You have police that is willing to die to defend and protect you. Maybe not all police are as committed. But there are still police who wear the royal police badge with pride and dignity, who live out its sanctity.

The day after the rally, I read from NST an article by Zainul Arifin.

"Bersih 2.0 was attracting counter-rallies that suggested security would be an issue. The police must react in anticipation of trouble, and not after the fact.

If Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk S. Ambiga claimed that it was her constitutional right to assemble, then it must also be that if Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin and Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali, too. Now, the three would have been a volatile mix. Should the police not have acted?"

And I also asked myself: How many of us has an occupation that require us to constantly be ready to give up our lives for others? Are you ready to let go of your love ones, comfort zone and the like, every time you clock in to work?

I don't. I clock in, thinking about my swimming session after work. I clock in, thinking that it's time I apply leave for debate tournaments during the weekends. I told myself not to cut my fingers while doing sectioning because that is the biggest hazard I can think of. And compare cutting my finger to losing a leg or even, life.

We do have heroes in Malaysia. Heroes without datukship. But Lord, please let them live long enough to tell their courageous tale themselves.

Mr. Chef

Thank you for taking the time to explain to me the concept and philosophy behind your cafe which was opened for business since May 2010. Being a fan of your cafe, I am interested to understand more about the hard work behind the scene and every thoughtful decisions that pave the way to your success today. Thanks to my past experience as a waiter, I can somehow comprehend how it is like to run a  busy dining place.

Going with the idea of simple and, to an extent, typical, I guess what makes your dishes extraordinary is your attitude in serving your food. You said you'll never serve anything less than excellent, and I can testify that. I need not to tell you how your cafe has managed to make patrons pass great reviews to their friends and families. They adore your cakes and other confectioneries to bits ever since the first time they try it. And they keep coming back for more. They love the ambience so much that they'd like to bring friends there for a cozy hangout place. They write about it in blogs and twitter. They post pictures.

To me, what I find most interesting about your cafe in this area is the fact that there is no other cafe like yours in Subang. Starbucks cafe cannot rival your cafe because they don't serve as many proper and delicious food like you do. I love the pastas and sandwiches, even though I did suggest you to add more variety to the existing menu. Yet I also look forward to your every new menu that comes the way. Secret Recipe cannot rival you either because it clearly doesn't have the jazzy environment to go along well with the cakes served. And the rest of the eating places in this area, well, they just don't have the civilised, friendly kind of crowd as patrons. It is interesting how your cafe stands out among the eating places in this area, without trying to be too fancy or expensive. Having a catchy name for your cafe does help. Coupled with what I've mentioned above, it's just impressive.

I'm totally fine with your idea of wanting to keep it a cafe style and not wanting to cross the line of being a restaurant. Thanks for enlightening me. I've never put much thought to differentiate your cafe from other well known restaurants. I guess the main reason is because your cafe has achieved what ordinary restaurants would want to - reputation and consistent flow of customer wise. I am also fine with your way of running the restaurant - having to pay upon ordering food at the counter, and food be served later. And we seldom get to talk to the chef-cum-owner at other well-reviewed cafe, unlike how it is at your place.

So please, don't change anything that you feel you've got it right, or what makes you hold on to at the moment. Because you are doing a fantastic job by introducing your unique ideas through your cafe. And I'm not the only one that likes it this way, too. Thanks for giving me this comfort zone in Subang. Though I'm quite an adventurous eater, I feel very much at home now.

I wish you all the best in running your cafe and achieve more than what you've expected. Yes you cannot please everyone. But remember, this is your cafe, your idea, your blood and sweat, in every inch of flooring, every sieve of flour and every fiber on the couch. It is outstanding in your own way, so keep what is uniquely yours.

Mr. Chef

With me staring at the cover of the book and read the title out loud:

"Inside A Man's Brain, hmm..."

You replied:

"Oh, please don't believe in what the book says."

I hope you're trying to imply that you are different :)