It was in December, the exact date I had forgotten. During that end of the year period, The Great World Park in Penang during those years, was the place to be. There was the usual trade expo and live shows with well-known artistes rendering their latest songs.
It was in one of those halls that this young teenager found himself with a close friend pushing their way to a more vantage position. As they moved forward the teenager stepped on the foot of one big-sized youth who had refused to make way for him and his friend. The teenager appologised to the big-sized youth. Thinking nothing of the matter, the teenager moved on. Then, he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He turned round just in time to see a hand lifted to hit him. he blocked that and, just to show the big-sized youth what he thought of that action, he stepped on the youth's foot again. Of course, the youth was angry. That in no way cowed the teenager as he was already flabbergasted and looked fiercely and tauntingly into the eyes of the big-sized youth. His friend told him to forget the matter and to move on. Unfortunately, the teenager's ego refused to back down. His face strained forward, he demanded what the big-sized youth wanted, glaring at him and waiting for his next move.
The youth hesitated upon finding himself face-to-face with someone who obviously would not buckle under threat. The youth, clearly angered by the situation, turned round and rushed off to the door.
Upon seeing the angry youth's action, the friend knew that that youth had gone to gather man-power to avenge the slight suffered. He told his teenaged friend his apprehension. Realising that his friend's anxiety and fear were not unfounded as that area was known to be the home-ground for a group of well-known gangsters, they decided to leave the place.
They were out of that hall, at another corner of the fair, when they noticed the big-sized guy leading a group of people into the hall. At the sight of those gangsters, they knew that those people would search high and low for them.
Understanding the danger they have put themselves into, the teenager and his friend bolted out of the trade expo and into another street and then into another street again so as to move out of the gang's territory.
In the darkness, with their strength and stamina, they managed to evade the gang's search by moving into shadows and stopping to mingle amongst the crowds, going towards places where their presence would not be too obvious. Eventually, they boarded a bus to take them far away from the area before moving back towards their homes.
What was the teenager's problem? It was ego! It was stupidity! In that stupid moment, he had allowed his ego to put him into a dangerous situation which could have caused death to him and his friend. If not for the escape, it could have resulted in a beating, at the least!
Our ego is important. It is ego that makes us want to improve ourselves every step of the way. It is ego which causes us to strive to be the best.
But, just like fire, ego uncontrolled can lead us astray in more ways than one.
Ego also have us say that such stupidity can only happen to others. Is that true?
Looking back, what a relief it is, to have escaped the consequences of a moment's uncontrolled ego. And as I have said before, no one is infallible. I know for I was that stupid, fearless, egoistic teenager.
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