Helpless

Yesterday, I was driving home from my ex-flatmate’s place in Elephant Castle when I found myself getting stuck in some ridiculously heavy traffic as I was approaching Wood Green Town Centre. Cars were everywhere, as were people on foot. I looked at my wristwatch and could not help but to notice that it was 3:15pm on a Sunday afternoon. It’s Sunday for crying out loud! Why don’t everyone just stay home!!? Tomorrow’s a Bank Holiday!! Oh-er… tomorrow IS a Bank Holiday. Most shops and stores will be closed. Hence, people out gallivanting and philandering today. Oh well, can’t win them all.

I tried to calm myself down by humming to what was playing on Capital FM; I Don’t Wanna Know by Mario Winans. As much as I would like to enjoy this popular tune, I could not help but to notice that my bladder was slowly losing its ability to retain water.

“Great.”, I thought to myself.

As if it wasn’t enough that I was battling against other motorists and pedestrians, I now had my own overflowing bladder protesting against me.

As the cars painfully progressed inch by inch, a small signboard located on the 1st floor of a shop house caught my attention:

DENTAL SURGERY
Dr. M Makan
Dr. K Makan

I smiled sheepishly. What more befitting names for a pair of (possibly related) dentists?

Alas, that was what I have been doing for the last week or so. Makan, makan and more makan.

Christmas Eve – Makan
Christmas Day – Makan
Boxing Day – Makan
New Year’s Eve – Makan
New Year’s Day – Makan

Ok, so there were periodically the odd sessions of “makan” between those days as well…. but you know what I’m getting at.

No matter how many acts of “makan” I performed, however sinful they may be, I simply had no appetite. I could not help but to feel sad and depressed, as the thought of hundreds of thousands of people; who lost everything, including their loved ones, kept lurking at the back of my mind.

How do they “makan”? Are they getting any at all? Are they getting enough?

I find myself glued to the TV all day and night, watching Sky News reporting on the Tsunami disaster. As depressing as it gets, nothing else seemed to interest me.

With all the thousands of dead bodies, they are taking every possible precaution to stop a disease outbreak, preventing one tragedy following another.

At times like this, I couldn’t help but to feel utterly… helpless? What knowledge or skills do I posses that could possibly contribute, even in the smallest form, to help those people who are currently suffering?

Back in primary school, I was a member of the Red Crescent. Among other things, we learnt basic first aid; how to apply a tourniquet, how to make a shoulder sling, the different recovery positions, the Heimlich manoeuvre, CPR, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation… We were taught quite a lot of things. Alas, over the lengthened years, all these invaluable knowledge, without much practice…. were deeply lost, sunk beneath the endless depths of my pitiful excuse for a brain.

Like many other individuals, I can only make donations and pray that they get all the much needed help that they so desperately need, as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

I honestly wish I could do more to help.

There are fears that the final death toll could reach 200,000.