My cousin was kidnapped three days ago, along with his other friend.
This isn't the breaking news. Because he has returned, safe and sound. He was kidnapped, dragged into a car, beaten up and robbed. His cellphone and wallet were gone. Not heavy beating, though, so it was okay. It was quite a big deal, but not huge. When I heard the news, I was a bit surprised but it was not a crisis enough for me to spend my whole day worrying about. So I continued my day, knowing my cousin is now safe and it was probably a regular case of robbery and he was only mugged.
Today, my cousin came to my house. With my uncle and aunt, and some other relatives. I listened to the stories. My uncle told me how my cousin (and his friend) was cornered and dragged into a car. My cousin added how he was beaten (not very badly) and how his friend was very badly beaten. Then my uncle continued the story by expressing his suspicion of my cousin's friend's involvement in the kidnapping. Apparently, my uncle thinks that the other boy, the one who was kidnapped with my cousin, might be involved in the kidnapping plan. I was listening until I realized a big part of the story was missing.
Where the hell is the other boy right now?
I blurted out the question with uneasy feeling swirling in my stomach. The answer turned out to be the truth I don't want to hear. The other boy was nowhere to be found yet. He hasn't returned, and no one knows where he is right now. No one knows whether he's still alive, or not. Now, this is the breaking news. This has shaken me greatly, far greater than the news of my cousin being kidnapped.
So has anyone told the police yet?
Guess what. No, no one has. No one has told the police yet because my cousin has returned safely. I was perplexed. I couldn't think straight. I feel, almost disgustedly, sick. I mean, they were sitting in front of me, guiltless faces with happy smiles, telling how fortunate my cousin is compared to his friend. How in the world can someone do that? The other boy, the other boy, has not returned!
I tried to calm myself as best as I could when my uncle explained the reasons behind his decision of not calling the police. He said that he had a theory. A theory. He suspected that this other boy might be the part of the kidnapping plan and he was pulling the act in order to rob my cousin. So my cousin is the victim. And therefore, my uncle felt no obligation to worry about the boy. He tried to phone the boy and said there was someone picking up the phone, but no one spoke. He then said that it confirmed his theory, that the boy must be terrified of him finding out about his fake kidnapping act.
Did it ever occur to the narrow-minded selfish brain of my uncle that the reason why no one spoke at the phone was because it might be the kidnappers who picked up the call?
No, it apparently didn't. It never has. I spent the next 30 minutes explaining, frantically, about the importance of telling the police. I tried my best to point out that the theory has no solid base and we should not hold on to it. We could be doing the biggest mistake in our lives by not telling the police. We don't know if the boy has returned yet and we don't know how his condition is right now. The boy, his father has passed away and his mother isn't in Indonesia. She's in Taiwan, working for her son's education. I can only imagine how she would feel if she heard something has happened to her son, let alone if we must tell her a really bad news. Let's say, his death.
I can't imagine how someone could come up with a decision like my uncle did. I just don't get it. I wouldn't hesitate, not even one second, calling up the police the minute my son returned from the kidnapping to explain that the other boy hasn't returned yet. I wouldn't hesitate reporting up right away that the other boy might still be in danger and the police should look for him. I would call up his mother to inform the news and tell her that I had reported it to the police and she shouldn't worry and I'd keep her updated. The boy is only a boy and he's out there in danger. Helping him, acting as his parent because his mother isn't here, is what it's all about. It's about responsibility of an adult, to protect a teenager who might be in danger. Regardless whether the teenager is taking drugs or not. A matter of life-and-death should be treated as a priority, regardless what consequences it might yield. Especially if the so-called consequence is only about your fear of your son being too exhausted to be questioned.
It really isn't only a matter of life-and-death. It really is about helping other people. What should be done is very clear and it's out of question. It's out of discussion.
I'm right. And my uncle is so wrong.
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