Kain Pelikat Heroes

A burglar broke into my neighbour's house last night. Hubby was on the way out to pick up Adam from Kumon when he got the call. He was in front of the house in 2 minutes. Dad, with tongkat and track pants and pagoda T-shirt, bravely made his way to that house. Bro-in-law, upon hearing the news, jumped out of bed and ran straight to that house, bypassing dad-with-tongkat-and-track-pants-and-pagoda-shirt along the way. Within 5 minutes, the whole neighbourhood was in front of the house. Apparently the burglar was still inside.

Hubby and bro-in-law, idiots that they were, climbed over the gate and hollered for that burglar to come out. As if lah that hardened criminal will buckle and pee in his pants and willingly come out because these two not so strong looking men were yelling for him to come out.

The point I am trying to ponder is, is it better to be a live coward or a dead hero? I was kinda angry with the two of them for jumping over the fence and trying to challenge the burglar. What if that guy had a gun or something? What if there were more than one of them in the house? The rest of the neighborhood are made up of people resembling dad-with-tongkat-and-track-pants-and-pagoda-shirt. One came out with baju melayu and kain pelikat and a stick. Another got as far as his own gate before panting and went back in. So I guess I can forgive these pensioners for waiting outside the gate while those two idiots were inside playing Batman & Robin. (btw, once the police came, suddenly all these pensioners became brave superheroes and went into the house, stick, kain pelikat and all).

But if I were those people being burglared, I would like for someone to actually try to do something, rite? My house is being burglared! What are those people doing just ogling outside my gate with their kain pelikat, pagoda shirts, tongkat and stick? Help me, damn it!

It was an exciting night though. Two police cars came, branding pistols and M16s. Flashing their flashlights in the longkang. Climbing up the roof. Going through all the closets. It also showed how caring the neighborhood was. Within 5 minutes we had a nice crowd on the street already. Kinda makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside thinking that these pakciks are willing to come out when an emergency arise.

Anyway, the guy got away. Probably laughing all the way at the super heroes wannabe. He climbed over a neighbor's fence and fled. Or maybe climbed over the neighbour's fence, took a walk, and came back to join the onlookers / heroes wannabes, and calmly lending hubby that flashlight. Who knows?