The Two Aunties on Highway

On a four-lane highway, there’s a block of wood.  It’s only the size of a brick, but it’s as visible as a dead politician on Stadium Merdeka.

Yet, the MPV in front of me managed to align it’s right wheels with the block, and then with Ivan-Khong-kind of accuracy, ran over it. She sent the block up flying. Splinters shot everywhere like shuriken.

It’s particularly scary because I was in a cabriolet with the top down. Fortunately the block missed me. The shuriken missed as well. As I pass the MPV, the driver, an auntie, gave me an apologetic look. I didn’t react, as I was busy praying.

Aunties, I thought.

Later, I was tailing an SUV at 160km/h. Eventually, I overtook it. But after a short moment, it caught up and overtook me again. I glanced at the car and saw a auntie driver. Then she took a left-hand turn-off at high speed. Very composed. Nothing scary. That’s when enlightenment hits —

Don’t stereotype.

Stereotyping is a lazy way to draw conclusion about people. While a certain group may share similar attributes, every person is unique. If you pass judgments based on stereotypes, there’s a good chance you’ve mistaken. You might even miss out business opportunities, especially if you are in the sales line.

Take the aunties as examples. One’s clumsy. The other fiercely competent. Aunties were once young ladies. At what particular age do we start labeling them as aunties?  I know some excellent young lady drivers, like Jane, a drifter and a mom. And Charlene, the fastest lady in GRA autocross. When they inevitably become aunties, they’ll be the aunties that overtake uncles like me.

Then again, there are uncles, and there are YS Khong, Ivan and Mohan. Stereotyping never works.