the stare

i had heard on numerous occasions that that the government was conducting a new high level experiment, but had shrugged it off as i am quite sceptical about most things that involve the government. but what i witnessed today makes me think otherwise.
stuck in traffic, i watched a cop in my rear view mirror, weaving through traffic on his motorbike, stopping right behind my car.
he started staring up ahead, and continued to do so for a good two minutes.(his colleague at the junction 100 metres away continued to let cars from the same road proceed, until the road up ahead is so clogged that we are unable to move when it was our turn - but thats another story.
miraculously, as he continued his stare, my row actually moved at least three feet. i know it was his stare that caused the movement. it was the confidence in his eyes. it was the same confidence that made him stop and stare, instead of assisting his colleague up ahead.
this was the experiment that i had heard people whisper about in the corridors of most of our government offices - nicknamed ops renung - to create a new breed of people who could get things done by staring at someone or something. apparently many have been selected for the programme, and there are rumours that some have shown results.
the participants apparently go through several stages of training. the first phase involves them doing undercover work as guards at government offices. do you ever wonder why there is a drag in your car when you drive into a restricted area, and the guard just stares at you? he is actually working at stopping you from entering by just staring at you, but you just dont realise it.

old

.. is how i feel lately, as complacency slowly sets into my being. so much so that i have started accepting the shortcomings around me. there is a fear that it may grow on me, and i may end up adding to the prevailing lackadaisical attitude around me.

im also jumping to conclusions. when i picked up a newpaper today, the headline - "ministers benched" - got me so excited that i celebrated with a strong coffee at starbucks. i thought all ministers were giving up their posts in sports associations.

but that is not the case. firstly, the statement itself came from the sports ministry, which should be the first to be benched. secondly, the directive excluded chief ministers and menteri besars. and thirdly, the ministers involved can still contribute by becoming advisors or patrons? so whats the deal here? stop messing with my life just because i am getting slow.

i should be on my guard and not be taken in again. should be more careful before spending on expensive coffee. could have had a beer at the same price, with some money to spare.

i should be my old self again, ie not act my age.

i should curse and swear when i am unable to move faster than 3.2km/h in the smart tunnel despite paying the toll, instead of just switching channels on the radio until i actually find a song and not djs with fake accents talking about themselves.

i should stop frequenting restaurants with foreign waiters who keep getting my orders mixed up, instead of guzzling down what they mistakenly serve me to save my limited time and energy.

i should speak at my own pace and get totally riled up when i have to repeat myself time and again, if the person i am communicating with still doesnt get it.

i should refrain from controlling myself when dealing with govt servants who derive their salaries from my tax money, instead of smiling and taking things easy, and joining in their trivial conversation about how busy they are. i should ask these government servants to get off the phone and start working faster.

or maybe i should just cool down and act my age. maybe ..