I thought I saw
my ex classmate today.
I remembered him
very clearly in school.
I used to think,
boy, this guy is really dumb.
He is just not good
at any subject
in school.
He could not play
any sport either.
A total loner,
nobody likes you
when what you're good at
amounts to shit,
and your parents
are not even rich.
Rich kids
have this confidence
in themselves.
I guess it comes
when there is nothing
you really want
that your parents can't
buy for you.
It comes when
as a growing child
you can buy food
at the tuckshop
till your hearts content
without having to worry
about not having enough
bus fare
to go home.
It comes when
you have all the tutors
to help you
at your school work.
It comes when
you are afforded
tennis and squash rackets
while the rest of the poor boys
kick a football around.
So I saw him,
sitting alone
staring at his Tiger beer,
and his half eaten
chicken rice.
All alone,
no wife to cook for him,
no kids to come home to.
His tanned face
wore a look of
quiet resignation
with life.
He is probably
a bus or truck
driver.
I hear of the indomitable
human spirit
who overcame enormous odds
to excel
in life.
In him,
I see
another loser.
We always admire
all the winners
in life,
but we are completely
surrounded
by losers.
For every winner,
there's got to be at least
a hundred losers.
I know,
my Dad was
a bus driver himself.
Damnit,
I should have at least
bought that guy
a beer.
I bought drinks
for women
who deserve
a whole lot less.
