Sheep City

I was sitting down at a bar the other day after a hard day’s work and I overheard a conversation from the people behind me. They were discussing about Mas Selamat the alleged terrorist who is famous for his jailbreak over at Whitley Road. A younger man was telling his drinking buddy that Mas Selamat no longer existed on this planet and the other, a ruddy-faced plump drunkard was vehemently refuting his claims.

“No lah, bro,” the drunkard waved his hand. “That bugger is still in Singapore lah! You never read the news meh!”

The younger man snorted. “I where got read news one! All biased.”

I smiled and attended to Mr. Hoegaarden.

Apparently despite the blackout of any Mas Selamat news from the media, local folk in this sheepish country are still talking about it. Despite seventy-seven days of his escape and non-capture, the ambiguity and controversy never did actually die out. With each passing day, many are still hoping to see any Mas Selamat update on the local papers. There is nothing more but shreds of revised versions of more good years, how foreign talents can contribute to the economic pie and blah blah. 

After 77 days of nothing, we could almost taste the ashes of incompetence in our mouths and that humble pie tasted almost like it came from somebody’s behind. One limping terrorist who has been denied trial, completely eluded security forces and everyone including our friendly neighborhood prata-man- which they stubbornly claimed Selamat still in Sheep City.

77 days of unsuccessful recapture, 77 days of excuses and 77 days of failures. We might as well issue bounty hunts and rewards to help track down this elusive terrorist. We are also suffering from an acute shortage of wild berries thanks to Mas Selamat’s veracious appetite and his days of living up as Tarzan in our breezy jungles. But then who needs rice when we can have berries?

Seventy-seven days. Berry good!