The Hatchet Wounds Deeply, But How Willing Are We To Heal?

It's not everyday you get a racist remark. And when you get it, two things strike you. One, the reaction. Two, the clever comeback. At least, that's how it is for me. To ration things out and ease the tension, or give them a smack in the mental conscious till they go black out. Often times, we come across conditions that allows us to use both options to make a sly and clever reaction to get the most out of everything.

Take situation A per se. I was selling some goods at the recent PC Fair. I approached this woman (who happens to be a Muslim Malay) to promote my goods. Surely, as customer, they are my "boss" and I should rain every compliment I could onto them. She was carrying her baby with, and right beside her was her old mother, wrinkles upon her face, reflecting every single experience and intelligence I can pick off her. I always have the utmost respect for the demure elderly, particularly this old lady and you shall see why. As usual, I threw every single information about my product at the young lady with the baby. She gave me her attention at least, so I thought, "Here's my chance to pitch a sale." Then, she gave indications that her HUSBAND is the real "boss" so, while we waited for the guy to come, I kept them company, complimenting her beautiful baby with big eyes. I said her baby have lovely big eyes. She snorted, saying "Of course my baby have beautiful eyes, unlike Chinese." That pricked me a little. See, I'm a pure Chinese but not your typical Chinese with small eyes. Hence I gave her a shot back, claiming that not all Chinese have small eyes, and took myself as an example. (And I swear my eyes was bigger than hers, and better cause I have double eyelids. =P) The instant she heard this, out came another racist statement.

"You, mata sepet la!" ("You, you have squinted eyes!")

Surely that made me a little angered, as you see, I've been known in my settlement as "The kid with big eyes" or "大眼仔" and what not, the racist sediment utter by her. Call me petty but I think it's stupid and ignorant of her to just shoot her mouth off without even using her brain to compare and realise that my EYES are bigger than hers in the first place. I think she kinda forgot that every stall in the PC Fair, regardless of what we're selling, is managed by Chinese people. (Malaysian economy is largely dominated and fueled by Malaysian Chinese people) And I let that slipped pass me.

BUT, there was a halt, as her elderly mother, the demure old lady, tapped me on my arm and said,

"Tak ada la. Ah boy ini hensem, mata besar cantik, orang pun sopan.." ("Not really. This young boy is handsome, with big beautiful eyes, and full of manners..")

I don't know about you, but I really felt like I could float with those comments. Haha!
The old lady smiled so sweetly and asked again,

"Ah boy, orang Cina? Cina tulen?" ("Are you Chinese? As in pure Chinese?")

"Ya mak cik. Cina tulen." ("Yes madam. Pure Chinese.")

I replied with full of confidence about my ancestors' background. She gave me a nod and smiled again, then proceeded to look at the products around. The young lady was already entertaining her baby who is starting to wail like a siren while waiting for her husband to approach.

At least, I knew, this old lady, despite her wrinkles and her age, was the wiser and the politer one compared to the post-independence generations whose brain has been muddled and politically brainwashed by idiots who only cared about their own well-being at the expense of his people.

And so I ask, the hatchet wounds deeply, but how willing are we to heal? Do we stay the same and let the pain linger on until it's infected by maggots and start to rot? Or do we apply medicines, cleanse and heal the wound and start all new again?