Sigh....

Family's Taste of Freedom Short-lived

By Ignatius Stephen

She watched the clock in great fear since morning that day. Soon it will be high noon. Once again, for her, it seemed, there will be no escape from a return to bad days. There will be a knock on the door any minute now. She knew it deep down. But could time be better?

"Your father will soon be here," she said managing a smile. Her children huddled in a corner. They sensed that something terrible was going to happen.

She and her eight young children will suffer in his hands all over again. There will be blows and incessant demands. There will be ugly scenes. He would ask for money and for more money. If he failed to lay his hands on the cash quickly, things would escalate quickly. The children knew that.

She earned just more than a thousand dollars as a junior government servant. But her husband had been jobless for many years. His worsening drug habits ruled out any chance of work. And, in the meantime, there were so many mouths to feed.

Money, indeed, was scarce. And her husband's non-stop bullying made life almost impossible. Many a time she and her children went hungry. Her husband mercilessly grabbed most of the cash to satisfy his incurable cravings.

But things changed for the better. One day the man failed to return home. He didn't turn up the next day either and the following days. And when she collected her next salary no one was waiting to take away her pay packet.

Such a relief.

A few days later she learned that he was in jail for drugs and would be locked up for some years.

She tried to get a divorce but that took a long time. It was so complicated. It ended up in a series of futile trips to the courts. It was such a frustrating process that she, like so many others in a similar situation, gave up in the end.

She realised that she was a victim of the cultural and dogmatic trap from which there was no easy escape.

And now, for the present moment, while he was away, life improved. "I feel guilty to say that we are happier now than ever before. But it is a fact," she told her friends.

Yet, amidst all the fears, she still harboured a ray of hope.

"May be, there is still a chance. He could be a changed man now," she said trying to console herself.

She was now determined to face the coming storm calmly and make the best of the situation when the time came for his return.

And the day at last came. Minutes ticked by and then seconds. It will be anytime now.

The moment was upon them suddenly. Because there was a thunderous series of knocks but before anyone could open it, the door gave way with a crash and the man burst into the room.

She looked at him for a moment. She even managed a smile. But she instantly knew that she had hoped in vain. Her fears were confirmed beyond any doubt.

There was no change in him despite the years behind bars.

In fact, he had become hard and bitter.

"Why didn't you visit me in jail more often?" he thundered. The children watched in absolute fright. But he apparently did not notice them.

He took a step forward. He then grabbed her by the neck and he knew exactly where she kept the rest of her money because he wrenched it out savagely from the inner lining of her dress and when she struggled he pushed her so violently that she landed in a helpless heap on the floor.

Then he turned around and left.

Once again her endless trip down into the dark deep hole of suffering and humiliation had begun. How is she going to feed the children? How are they going to survive?

But she is not alone in this situation. In Brunei Darussalam, you hear such tales again and again.

What can we really do?


I read this article on the newspaper today. My mom told me to read it. Some of you would know how this article relates to me. So yeah. =)

Slept just now in the afternoon/evening. From 4pm till 8pm. I wanted to wake up early but when I sat down on my bed, I just fall back into sleep. My head was so heavy. Had a seriously scary dream. Dreamt that I got some kind of disease and that I have a limited time to live. It's not the first time either. Had this dream like few months ago. Not the same one though. Just similar. Disease - Death. *brr* Scary.

Anyways, I'm really tired already. Not tired as in sleepy tired but yeah. I'm tired of everything thats happening around me. Sighhh.... This way can't that way can't.