the five K s

"ki ki ku ki ki" - literally translated from cantonese means 'self take care of self'
well in other words, selfish
the word typed out looks weird to me
but it is far from extinct
frequently see that as the reason for the things or situations encountered daily
just look at the amount of rubbish strewn in many varied places other than its rightful place ie the garbage bins

in the back lanes - food remnants such as rice, dhall curry, stale bread etc scattered for pigeons, cats and dogs and even little sparrows not to mention the aggressive eerie-looking crows!
flies and fur and stench will assail your nostrils and ensure your windows permanently shut

in the drains - plastic of all kinds - food wrappers, detergent bottles, cooking oil containers, styrofoam packs, polythene bags of all colours....clogging the flow and retaining the enriched outflow of domestic waste water which adds to the potpourri!...what a collection!
this is often the drive to pray for heavy rain to flush everything away so as to get some reprieve before the cycle begins...
i personally witness a lady opening the window of the back room and flinging some rubbish out direct into the drain ....oh how convenient ... a giant garbage 'bin'

any corner patch esp when the corner lot is vacant will quickly be designated as the 'official' garbage patch and the mountain of refuse will build up over the week...it begins with pruned branches (well at least this is organic and biodegradable) then the game 'follow the leader' begins - soon old containers, bags , polystyrene insulator, and even an old couch, wood pieces join the gang and lo and behold the newly installed garbage collection point is official.
what an obnoxious sight! ...the finale of the episode - a council lorry was despatched to clear the pile recently but the joy is short-lived cos the root is still there.

a neighbour keeps an alsatian which seems too large for a tiny terrace home - with no kennel for him, no 'toilet training' and no bath routine
so the 20 by 20 compound of the house becomes a gold mine of faeces and urine daily
and what does the owner do?
ya, a water hose assists him to clean his compound but the 'gold' is conveniently swept into the drains
out of sight out of mind for him yes
but by mid day with the heat the stench from the drains will definitely put him in my mind!!!!
infuriating , exasperating......till the night when the cool breeze comes a blowing into the living room...guess what bonus comes along with it???? patience, forbearance, tolerance to the highest degree URGENTLY WANTED!!!!

a bus zooms by- be it a public or school bus
plop! out flew the plastic bag of finished tea or syrup with straw and rafia string attached
through the window out to the ....dont know where it was aimed at
some invisible garbage bin i guess
tailing a proton wira notice some UFO s (unidentified flying objects) from the left front window
wonder what they may be
make a wild guess
husband driving with wife beside him - enjoying her ice cream peeling off the cone wrapper and letting the wind take the refuse on a carpet ride!!!!
many many 'live tales' of the same been encountered
go to the magnum- 3D, toto or cant-remember-their-signage shops and observe....
a carpet of ...slips of paper galore - autumn fall scene lah
the moment customer leaves the counter after putting in their bets
lo a little 'leaf' naturally falls from their grip and join dozens on the floor!!!
how can this be???the establishment just stay passive and condone this irritating habit of its customers???
oh yeah they do something about it - they have a lady who will sweep the mess as it comes!!!
that s 'nice' - i call it pampering

i really wonder why it is so difficult for folks, young and old, to just place any rubbish in its proper place?
the irony of it, the homes are clean and well swept but beyond their 'territory' a different story unfolds.
cleanliness - personal and environmental, is a core element in the school curriculum primary to secondary and also in families and homes
what has gone wrong?
schools are kept clean with enforcement - so any littering bug will not be found doing it openly
maybe stricter enforcement is required from school to community level??
i really dont know
or joint responsibility to keep school and community environment free of indiscriminate littering
imposed on folks would work better to inculcate the good and desired habit and ensure it gets deeply rooted???
i once advised a neighbour not to throw food remnants directly into the drain and that s the end of good neighbourliness between us - one sided of course
i was on the verge of doing something in response to the growing mountain of refuse ...lost courage and was pretty relieved when the lorry came to demolish the mountain
your good intent may actually run a risk of being interpreted as 'nosey',' not minding your own business'- after all it is not on your property and who make you their boss???? ooh cant imagine the consequences and response...
and these folks are those who have no qualms at throwing whatever and wherever they like
who are you to question???

so in conclusion it boils down to the 5 ks?? so sad isnt it?