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creative<br />
pieces<br />
www.ghn.amsa.org.au<br />
“It was in the news. He<br />
jumped off the bridge last<br />
qweek. He died.” My old<br />
school friend told me in<br />
tears on the phone. The sunlight<br />
is so bright. I sit, feeling a little<br />
nauseous. In that country, it is<br />
the coldest time of the year. Did<br />
he drown or freeze to death?<br />
“Does anyone know why he killed<br />
himself?” We used to go to the same<br />
primary school. We were in the same<br />
class although he was 3 years older<br />
than the rest of the class. Kids used to<br />
laugh at him, because his legs looked<br />
funny. He had poliomyelitis. He would<br />
never catch anyone after being teased. It<br />
would only cause more laughs. And he<br />
walked in the most awkward way, too.<br />
“They said he was a psycho, he went<br />
to see a shrink a few times.” The last<br />
time I heard about him was last year.<br />
He published an article on a famous<br />
magazine, named “A sad river”. I can<br />
just remember the words he used in<br />
that book. That unbearable sense of<br />
sorrow floods my heart even now.<br />
“Was he depressed?” He never really<br />
spoke to anyone. I supposed we were<br />
all immature and didn’t want to hang<br />
out with a kid who couldn’t play with<br />
us. He dropped out of school after high<br />
school. It was simply too far away. His<br />
parents couldn’t afford anything after<br />
paying for his expensive medications.<br />
“Depression. Emm… Maybe. But it<br />
is not a problem for poor people. People<br />
have enough trouble paying for food,<br />
it’s not at the top of their agenda.” It is<br />
true. Who would pay money to see a<br />
psychologist when that same money was<br />
enough for a month’s worth of food.<br />
He didn’t have a job as far as<br />
I know. So many people who had<br />
good legs were still unemployed.<br />
The boy who<br />
jumped off<br />
the bridge<br />
Words Mengying Su<br />
Medical student, University of Tasmania<br />
“Couldn’t he apply for government<br />
support?”<br />
“The government? Are you kidding?<br />
I don’t think it is rich enough<br />
to look after everyone here. The<br />
hospital wouldn’t treat anyone who<br />
can’t pay the bill up front.”<br />
// Image by OmirOnia (sxc.hu)<br />
Outside the window, children walk<br />
across the street after school. They<br />
are young, healthy and happy. Just<br />
like how we were like. I feel sorry<br />
for that boy. I wonder if it would be<br />
any different if we were young today<br />
or if he lived somewhere else. <br />
18 vector november <strong>2009</strong>
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