A mature man in a thin, dirty white apron asks the 7-year-old boy in a student uniform. He was eating a fried egg on top of steamed rice with stir-fry pork in chili sauce on the side. It was a small pop-up restaurant near the hospital that opened every evening from 5:00 pm to almost 11:00 pm. The young man, looking in his early 40s, was cleaning dishes on the side of the road. This is typical for an Asian street food shop to prep the meal and wash the dishes on the side of the road. It was around 8:00 pm when the man had some time to clean up, and there weren’t many customers at the time. The portable TV near the boy’s table is broadcasting a debate show between 2 parties with different political views. The boy watches them talk for half an hour, with his eyes fixed on the TV screen.
“Not really, but the tone is quite similar to how my parent talks to each other the other night.”
He replies as he is chewing a piece of grilled pork, then swallows it.
“It's about the economy and health care service policy, right?” The boy asks.
“Yeah. It’s pretty serious. One party proposes to give tax money to lower-income workers like us to stimulate economic growth. In contrast, another party seems to focus on circulating data statistics without ever getting to the point of what benefits one could actually gain. At the same time, another goes straight to the point, but the evidence is inconsistent with the current economic situation.”
The man says as he carries newly washed dishes and wipes them with a paper towel.
“The healthcare service, too. How can we access immediate treatment without being burdened with bills and waiting time at a public hospital? I really wish to stay healthy, so I don’t lose money from closing the shop.”
He mutters to the little boy, who has already finished the whole plate. He walks to the man, pays for the bill, and suddenly asks the shop owner something.
“Can I sit here until my mom leaves the building? She told me she would have finished up half an hour ago, but she hadn’t gotten out yet.”
”Did she know you eat dinner here? Well, I guess you can if she knew, Cause i didn’t want any trouble with those young parents today. They are overprotective and spoil their kids too much. Even bail them out and bribe the victim to withdraw the lawsuit!”
He speaks back to the boy in a loud voice before standing back to take the order from another customer. The boy tilted his head, turned back to sit and watch the TV, and he drank the water from his personal bottle.
The screenplay in front of him is an intense conversation that has people’s futures on the line. The commentator and experts have a brief discussion on the movement of both parties. One party shows a promising long-term plan where all parties gain benefits, while improving life quality at the same time. As another party with much experience, they show popularity among followers with a questionable reputation. Some experts criticize the new growth party as a party full of jack, which refers to the famous idiom “Jack of all trades, master of none.” However, others appreciate their determination and standing for people. In the same manner, another party was subject to a trial for corruption and a rumor of power play within the party.
“What do you think of those people on TV?”
The boy turned to his right to see an older man in his 70s sitting at the table next to him. He has been observing the boy’s reaction for quite some time.
“They dress in a very niche suit and speak politely. Everything they mention seems possible, but it just felt off?”
“Why did you feel like that?” An elder man asks a little boy.
“I just don’t see how their speech is going to make up for my parent. They had been in an argument for some time now, and I always get anxious every night when I hear the yelling.”
The elder's face turned pale, then he made a coughing sound in his throat. The owner walks to the elderly table, takes an order, and then returns to the cooking station.
“Well, it’s more of a chain reaction. If the water valve is open, it will allow water to flow in one direction. If it were closed, those who rely on that valve will be affected first. There are pros and cons to this reaction; it's just that they had to find a way to maximize benefit for everyone, and it’s up to the receiver on how to make use of it as well. ”
The boy seems to understand a bit more of what the man is saying. He just needs more time to learn the truth of how society functions as it is.
“Your word is a bit complicated, but I will think about it when I grow up. I want to change the world someday.” The boy answered with a cheerful tone.
An elder man laughed with a bright smile. The shop owner, who just walked by to serve food to the man, giggled when he heard the boy’s words.
“Well, I hope you make it to the parliament before you turn thirteen then hahaha.” The man gave a sarcastic look to the boy before turning back to his station.
The little boy looks confused, then the elder man turned to him and asked something important.
“Hey kid, what's the difference between those on the TV and that shop owner?”
“Their job? Their dress? Their origins? Their education?” The boy answered an elder, but none of them seemed to be correct.
“The difference between them is 'Dream'. One seeks to change, while another seeks to survive. As you get older, you will face responsibilities that become so overwhelming that you lose sight of yourself. Money can bring about anything you desire, and even manipulate a person's identity.”
The man coughed for a moment. He drinks water to keep his throat refreshed before continuing.
“So what I am saying is don’t you ever let stigma hold you from surviving, and when you know you have enough to support you and people in your family, then you probably figure out how to change things around.”
The boy nods his head. Even though it sounds too complicated for a student in grade 3 to comprehend, at least he knows why dreams matter.
A woman in a nurse’s uniform walks by to greet the boy. It turns out it's his mother; she has an emergency case and must attend the operation because the ward doesn’t have enough staff at the time, which is why she got out later than usual. She thanks the shop owner and offers to pay him extra for looking after the boy, but he refuses, instead giving her another meal in exchange. He said it wasn't much of a favor for him to help people when he could.
Both mother and son bid farewell to both men and walked away into the distance. The owner, who has just finished cleaning the cooking station, walks to sit at the opposite side of the elder.
“That boy ain’t going to live long if he’s still daydreaming. Why did you insist on him following his dream like that?”
“I didn’t encourage him. I point out the reality. It's up to him entirely whether he wants to blame the world for being unfair or accept it and rewrite the story.”
The elder man replied as he turned his head toward the TV. The situation in the debate program appears more relaxed as the closing screen begins to roll.
“I guess you’re right. It's not our time anymore, so there's no use in intervening in their dream. The future is what they make of today.” The shop owner replied as he took a remote control to turn off the TV in front.