“Daddy, daddy, is it true that the world was cooler many years ago?”
Yes, dear, it was.
“Daddy, daddy, is it true that the world was once much bigger than now?”
Why, yes, in a way. There was much more land than it is now.
“Daddy, daddy, is it true that there were less people dying from cancer many years ago?”
Yes, it is.
“Daddy, why do I need to bring an oxygen pack with me to school?”
Huh? The air outside isn’t clean, my dear.
“Daddy, why is our soil so barren?”
Don’t you like it so?
“No, daddy, I want to see beautiful trees like those in storybooks! I want to breathe in fresh air like that of your days. I want people to remain healthy. I wish that it isn’t so hot now. I want to go into the green fields that my teacher always talks about. I wish I could see the fishes and frogs that used to swim in the rivers that Grandpa used to tell me so frequently.”
My God, what have I done?
“Daddy, why can’t I see them anymore? Please tell me why.”
Because… because…
“Daddy, why do you just throw that plastic bottle into that river? Why don’t you put it into a rubbish bin? Daddy, do you know what that black liquid coming out from that factory is? Oh, daddy, look! That building opposite Aunt Mary’s office has collapsed! It must have been because of the rain eating up the cement, right, daddy?”
Hush, dear, there’s no such thing as rain eating up the cement.
“But daddy, our teacher says that our rain is acidic, and she said that the acid in the rain gradually eats up the cement.”
Not “eat”, but “corrode”.
“Daddy, I thought rain is just water that falls from the sky? Shouldn’t it be neutral?”
Don’t ask stupid questions anymore!
“But daddy, you haven’t told me what did you throw the bottle into the river not long ago! And what that black liquid from the factory was!”
That… that… that was wastewater loaded with lots of heavy metals and other toxic and carcinogenic materials.
“What is ‘carcinogenic’, daddy?”
It is of cancerous potential.
“But if it is able to cause cancer, then how could they simply flow the liquid out into the river? And if it is toxic, wouldn’t the fishes in the river all die? Is it because of the liquid that all the fishes and crocodiles have died? Is it why so many people are dying from cancer?”
I’m afraid so, my dear.
“But if it is so dangerous, why do they still do it, daddy?”
Because… because… the most important thing is money, right? The river is not so important, see?
“But daddy, our source of water comes from the rivers, too! Is this why I always have diarrhoea and food poisoning, daddy? How can they be so irresponsible? Daddy, you are the leader of this city. Can’t you do anything to stop them?”
But… but… how can I do it? They have paid me to allow them to do their business here without any interference.
“But I don’t want to see my friends die anymore, daddy! I’m losing more and more friends every month! And daddy, I miss mummy very much! Daddy… daddy!”
Don’t cry, dear. I’m sorry. Darling, are you all right? You are not having another asthma attack now, are you? Did you bring your inhaler? No? Oh, no, try to breathe in deeply – help, oh help! I need a doctor – now!
Henry Yew
