The Trade

After that incident, Sally didn't go to school. In front of my very eyes, I saw the confident and vivacious Sally become a shell of her former self. Although I landed in hospital with a broken nose and two fractures, the pain I felt couldn't compare with the void in my heart each time I saw Sally's face subsequent to that attack. Despite being my girlfriend, the furthest I had gone with Sally was to hold her hand. Understanding her chaste ideals, I cannot even begin to imagine the shame and embarrassment she must have felt...

For many days, I agonized over the incident, I had nightmares every single night and I felt powerless. I knew that the five had been forced to transfer schools but other than that had received no punishment. "Where's the justice?!" I asked myself each and every night. Many times meeting Sally in her home, I couldn't hold her gaze knowing that I had failed to protect her when it mattered. Finally I made a decision. I would steal money from my parents and pay some thugs to beat the crap out of them.

That night, I stole all the money I could find in the house, a total of 7000 dollars. I took a cab down to a shady area of Katong where I'd heard money lending activities and indecent massage parlours were rife. As I alighted several calls of "Xiao di di, come here I make you a man" "Come special price" and more were directed at me. I wandered around until at a nearby coffeeshop, I saw a group of about 12 mean looking guys with several tattoos. Bracing myself, I approached them " I want to pay you to teach some people a lesson" Every one of them laughed at me. A man with a crew cut and an impressive tiger tattoo on his right arm turned to me "Xiao! Eh boy, this area not for you. Go home to your mama la!" I stood my ground. Some of the guys started to spit at me feet and one even threw a beer bottle. Still, I wouldn't leave. Finally, two of the biggest guys stood up "Ask you to leave don't want. Want to die is it?" Crew Cut put up his hand. "Wait.. this boy got some guts. "

Crew cut led me into a dimly lit KTV. It was my first time ever in such a place. I saw many drunk old men fondling nubile young ladies in ridiculously short skirts. Finally, I was hustled into a spacious office. In the vast chair sat a very odinary looking man in a long sleeve shirt and pants. He looked nothing like a gangster but rather a successful executive or manager. Yet every one of the guys that hustled me there seemed in awe of this petite man. Crew cut spoke up " Boss, this young boy ask us to take care of business. Say can pay. I think he got balls" The man slowly swiveled and looked me straight in the eyes. It was then that I understood that he was a gangster. I could see nothing in his cold eyes but I felt that he could stare through me. I could fear in my heart. I had the desire to look away but I held the gaze.

 "Boy, how do you want us to help you?" he finally said.
 "I... I... want some guys to suffer, to land in hospital and I want to be there to watch." I stammered
"How much can you pay and how many guys?" he asked.
"I only have 7000, I will pay you all of it to take care of five guys"
He looked away. After a moment he said to Crew cut "Tiger, handle it" Then, he turned to me and said
"Boy, I will only do it if you pay me the money AND work for me. I can make your troubles disappear..."
Shit I thought... Me?! Join a gang? I am a decent boy. I half turned to leave but at that instance, the image of Sally with her skirt held high like some obscene flag raised demons in my brain.
"Fine" I quietly said.

It was a done deal.