Heartached

Was out real late the night before with Superpig running an errand, we ate at a coffeeshop that is surrounded by pubs and nightclubs. Sitting at a table, was a little girl, most probably 5 or 6 years old. She was having her dinner too. She looked bored. She is the daughter of the Thai food stallholders.


Looking at her brought back memories of myself sitting at a school canteen trying to entertain myself when my mother was tending to her drinks stall. At the early years, she works from 6 in the morning till 9 into the night. I spent most of my childhood in schools... my own school during school hours and then the school where my mother worked after my school hours.

I saw that little girl and my heart ached. Her childhood is spent in the coffeeshop looking at her parents sweat to earn the dough. She spent her childhood looking at the 'ladies' working at the pubs. She spent her childhood trying to survive in a very adult world, trying to make sense of what is happening around her.

At least for myself, my childhood surrounding was still rather innocent. Hers is more complicated.

My heart ached for her... and her parents for their needs to work hard for the dough.