Have you ever been part of a group of people who were unkind to one or some individuals? What was the circumstance? How did you act? What did you feel?
Yes, I have been in a group of people who were unkind to some individuals in my Primary School. In my Primary School, I had 3 other good friends; we have been friends since Primary 1. We were mostly naughty and mischievous and were labelled "black sheep" . As such, calling names behind our classmates backs, or even in their own faces, hitting them hard, then denying it, was a very normal occurrence.
This acts may be considered unsuitable just for the plain term " unkind" , it should have been named worse judging by the vast and numerous occasions such misconducts occurred. There was once, my 3 good friends and I went up to one of our classmates,Bryan, and started calling him a "frog". At first, he shook away this label as he knew in his heart that we did not mean it. On sight that he did not seem to pay much attention to it, we unknowingly intensified the situation, by advertising to the class the new "Frog".
The whole class started chanting "Frog Frog Frog" , or make noises , or started stretching their tongues , clearly imitating the actions of a frog. Bryan tried to control himself and calm himself down, but his efforts were fruitless as the chantings went from loud to deafening. It was a matter of minutes before he would burst into rage and we would burst into a satisfying, achieving laughter.
As tears started to well up in his puffy eyes, he exclaimed out loud, " Stop calling me a frog!". For once, and just once, we felt a silence. A sepulchral silence. It lasted for seconds, before the Discipline Mistress entered into our class with a step of fury. I knew , that no matter what happens, I was in hot soup. As my other 3 friends stared amongst themselves, I stared at the ground- which looked "attractive", ( in an attempt to shift gazes).
"Bryan, May I know what the fuss is all about? " Bryan started telling the Discipline Mistress on the class, and the 4 of us calling him frog, and throughout this seemingly long explanation, my 3 friends were thinking of ways to escape, while I was repenting. I thought that in fact it was my fault, out of mischief, and immaturity, that had caused harm and hurt to another. Such intolerable acts should be punished and I was all ready to face up to the punishment. Bryan felt indignant and I was here laughing at him. What more harm can I do to him? Such repentance came rare throughout my 6 years in my Primary School- once again proving that naughtiness and mischief had the better control of my mind.
Of course, the Discipline Master caught the 4 of us and sent us to detention. While my 3 friends were whining and sulking, I was determined to change my ways, and went on my own to apologise to Bryan. He accepted my apology readily and told me not to do it again- to him or others.
Yes, I have been in a group of people who treated individuals unkindly. But that was very immature, and I try not to commit mistakes like these again. I think maturity would take very long to get its full grasp on me considering my childhood background, suffused with mischief.
Hence yes, I have been in such a group, but to be in one now, in Hwa Chong, would be relatively rare.
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