Mr. Krish
Okay Yusop, impress me. Tell me something about you that is different or unique from anyone else. Make me want to know more about you.
Yusop
Okay.
Mr. Krish
Go.
Yusop
One day, when I was walking home from a very tiring and boring meeting at my least favourite building, the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), I saw... no, I met a... I mean I happened to encounter a... hm, I witnessed a tragedy. Well, it involved a man with the idea of committing suicide as a way to make the world a better place. He was standing right on top of the Monorail station, threatening people that he would jump.
He cried, "The world now is a damned place! The world now is a damned place!". Then a man shouted from below, "What do you mean by that?". The guy replied, "The world used to be so peaceful and free of materialistic ideas! We used to have lives without any sort of unhappiness caused by money and stuff! But now everything is about money! Everything is about power!"
"Then... um, what do you suggest in order to change this world?", he asked.
"My death will remind every single one of you! That money can't buy happiness, and your power will never save a life! Prove me wrong, and I'll live! But if you can't, then I'll die on you people! All of you! My blood will spill on your hands and face!"
"You want me to prove you wrong? Well, first of all, how do you think people will react and change by your death? I mean, who are you? Are you someone important? Are you a public figure or something?"
"I am a nobody! I am a nobody! And that's why you people will regret this! Because a nobody like me is willing to sacrifice his life in order to put some sense into your polluted brain! I don't need to be a somebody in order to influence people! I myself am capable to change the world! With my death!"
"That's true! But the problem is, if you're a nobody, then people will forget you! They will never want to remember you! It's true, Mr... what's your name, eh?"
"My name is... Jumper! Just remember me by that name!"
"Now that's a bit of a problem. First you're a nobody, now you're saying your name is just... Jumper? It's not that...catchy."
"Shut the hell up! I don't need you to tell me what I should do or what kind of names I should have! I'm going to jump!"
"Wait! Wait! Please wait!"
"What?"
"What if. What if you hang on to your life a little bit longer, try and be a more significant person, then you kill yourself."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Trust me. The effect will be better!"
"I know what you're trying to do! You're trying to persuade me not to jump, aren't you? Like that's gonna happen!"
"Seriously! Ask yourself, what if Mahatma Gandhi or Abraham Lincoln killed himself in front of the civilians? Don't you think they were going to remember that? Yes?"
"Who the hell are they?"
"Owh, okay. Okay. You don't know them. What if... any important figure in our country kills him or herself in front you...don't you think you're going to remember that for the rest of your life? Look, my point is, people need to know you before they can listen to you."
"I don't know you but I'm listening to every word you say. So your point is ridiculous."
"Are you sure you're listening to me? Because if you are, then by now you should've walked down here and stopped thinking about committing suicide."
"You're... you're confusing me! To hell with you!"
And he jumped and died right away. End of story.
Mr. Krish
I... I don't get it. And I don't think I'm impressed... at all. What, are you saying that you are ACTUALLY the guy who tried to persuade the jumper?
Yusop
Nope. I'm the guy who witnessed the tragedy. Like I said.
Mr. Krish
Then... how should I be impressed by this...?
Yusop
Well, there were hundreds of people at the scene on that day. Most of them were taking pictures of... or recording the incident. Probably half of them were just standing. And half of that half were hoping that he would jump, while the other half wanted him to survive. A few of them called the police or the ambulance. Maybe three or four of them felt they shouldn't be there and left. And only two of them were making an effort to save the guy.
Mr. Krish
Two...? Did you include yourself in that number?
Yusop
Yes.
Mr. Krish
How? What did you do that made you think you were trying to save him?
Yusop
I provided the other guy with the dialogues.
Mr. Krish
What?
Yusop
The other guy was talking to his girlfriend, on the phone, during the time of the incident. They were having a fight. He didn't realize about the Jumper. When he shouted "What do you mean by that?", he was actually shouting at his girl, on the other side of the phone. But the Jumper heard it and thought the guy was talking to him. Hence, the conversation.
Mr. Krish
So... you happened to be next to the guy and provided him with... what to say?
Yusop
Yup. He wasn't really in the mood, you know. But since everyone started looking at him, he had to play along. So I helped. And that's the part where you should be impressed. Because I came up with those words spontaneously. They came out naturally. Even though they failed to save the guy, but that's not the point. My brain is full of words, that's why I am perfect for your magazine.
Mr. Krish
Wait... wait. Why didn't you say those words yourself?
Yusop
I was having a sore throat.
