This conversation happened between me and my mum a few weeks ago. Out of the blue. Without warning. I think we were in the kitchen making pasta.
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Mama: Boy, what is ice?
Me: Ice? It's that stuff you put in your drinks to make it cold. Seriously ma you need to get yourself checked out.
Mama: I know what is ice la! I want to know what is the other ice.
Me: Other ice? What are you talking about? (at this time, I was getting a bit uncomfortable)
Mama: It's a kind of drug isn't it? (By which she is fully facing me by now)
Me: Yea.. Why la?
Mama: Your aunt found it in your cousin Charcoal's bag. Do you know anything about this?
Me: Excuse me, why do you think I would know anything about this? And how does her mother know what ICE look like? Ha?
Mama: I don't know.. but what is it?
Me: It's just a drug that gives you an unnatural high. That's all.
Mama: Cos your aunt and me were discussing about it and we think the best solution is to send Charcoal to rehab. (her face at this point was dead serious)
Me: REHAB?! Are you insane? Why are you sending the poor girl to rehab? OMG. Your jumping your guns here!!
Mama: She's a druggie la. She needs help.
Me: You don't even know if she's addicted. You don't even know if she did it more than once. You don't even know if she's done it yet! Besides, not everyone who does ice is addicted.
Mama: How would you know? Have you tried it?
Me: Who hasn't?!
Mama: Boy, don't play play. This is serious.. You could be destroying your life.
Me: Ayoh Ma.. Everybody does it la. No one talks about it. Can you all stop jumping to conclusions and think everybody who tries it are drug addicts. Welcome to the 21st century.
Mama: What nonsense. 21st century my foot! (at which the conversation abruptly ends cos the pasta pot has overboiled and is spilling over).
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Now.. my mind was reeling after this conversation. Send the poor girl to rehab? Parents these days are even worst worrywarts than they were 5 years ago. I just could not believe they decided to send Charcoal to rehab after which could possibly be just a one-off thing on her part. Poor girl.
But I'm glad to say that Charcoal is not in rehab. She's still at home. Perhaps under tight scrutiny from her mama. I for one know she's not addicted and she did try it out only ONCE. Heck, I was the one who gave her money to get it ;) Don't get me wrong. I'm not an advocate of party drugs but I am an advocate of you-should-try-anything-once and I've tried to instill that into everyone around me.
Don't do drugs and drive.
