Nahhhhh ! The I wannnnn! I wannn! Generation

I was at home when a shriek pierced the air. Rudely and loud it crashed my nap time with its wailing. Doors banged and still more screams. I rushed down the stairs and opposite the road I saw another neighbour peering out of her window. " Hah mi su ? ( what's up ) ha mang kow kau an neh? ( Who is crying until like that )?" . It was coming from my adjoining neighbour's house. The bliss of semi-detached urban living.. you get to hear every minuste detail of your fellow neighbour's life.. and I mean everything!! So when the volume is tuned up as it is now.. you hear !

The sounds began to receed to the back of the house and so I went to my kitchen to see if I should be calling the local police soon. Bang Bang Bang " I no wannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn !!!!!! "
sreamed the owner of a pair of lusty lungs.. " Darling darling.. dont cry.. dont cry.. " I heard my neighbour say.. then a deep voice ," ah yah son, you want some ribena ? Come Daddy make ribena for you." Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Bang Bang Bang something flew across the room.. " I no WANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!! "

My curiosity was peeked . The parents were'nt scolding the child and they sounded as if they had no conflict.. what on earth was causing the kid to wail in this manner? !

Bang! Bang! Doors slam! Glass shatters.. Piang! By now even my kids are standing with me in the kitchen wondering what all the commotion is about. " I don wannnnnnnnnn!!!! " shrieks shatter our lazy afternoon and by now I am prepared to go ask my neighbour what it is the kid dosent want. But my daughter wisely puts a restraining hand on my arm and says " Mummy , dont kapoh ( be a busy body ) ". " Maybe they need help " I say. " It's just Andrew.. he's always like this. Just wait." says my daughter who has obviously heard all this before.

" Son son darling dont behave like this. Daddy got to finish some work first then Daddy take you" drawls the unflustered Dad from next door. " I WAN NOWWWWWWWWWWW. YAHHHHHHHHHHHHH.. I WAN GO TO THE PARK NOOWWWWWWWW. DADDY YOU TAKE ME NOWWWWWWWWWWWWW AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"" SCREAM SCREAM
bang bang somemore!!

My daughter rolls her eyes " See I told you.. it's nothing. He always like that. He just wants what he wants.. ah go back to sleep lah he will stop now because the Daddy will take him in a little while." and with that she walks off to her room

What? all this fuss to go to a park? It's 3pm on a Sunday afternoon !! And in a little while true enough. The whole family emerges at the gate with their sniffling 4 year old and head for the park.. silence decends and the estate is at peace again. I look up and my other neighbour bangs shut her windows in disgust. Opposite a group of kids had gathered but perhaps when they discover the action has died down , they break up and drift off towards the park hoping to catch the continuation or a fresh saga. A few doors down an old uncle comes to the gate.. " Ah yoh, if that fella my kid ah. sure lah I whallop man.. my whole Sunday afternoon gone ! I thought someone murder the fella ! chech! "

I renter my house and I cant help but think.. I could make millions if I could just capture that moment on Desperate Housewives. A four year old controls his parents with wails , shouts and screams. What will he do when he's 14? Now that to me is something to be Desperate about!