Confronting the Empire

Tonight was one of the first few nights I’ve witnessed a sense of progression. Aside from the activities in line for awareness-raising from the volunteers, L shared about the possibility of reporting cases of mismanagement of power from the police. This means, an officer using vulgarities and other verbal abuses will be dealt with. In a bid to confront the empire, L showed a spark of heroism. A long-time coming, or is it just me perceiving a brief encounter?

H brought a friend who summed up her experience well. She focused on how the space made her felt, more specifically for areas where the ‘fish-tank’ is and other darkly corners. The feeling of being on the edge and alert of one’s environment adds a layer of mystic to Geylang. The space feels like a township on its own, a character misunderstood by many. There are spots distanced from the main areas of visibility, suitably created for different dealings. A barber, a dealer or a teary woman. What’s their story? Tonight, the group felt that much closer to confronting the empire.