BREMEBIL KUBLE is gravely disturbed following a chat with a promiscuous
young lady
"I do it for fun, not to make babies" the loquacious 21-year-old young lady
states self-assuredly.
She is tall and sassy and carries herself with finesse.
Ambai Du (not her real name) resides in a settlement in the nation's capital
with her family and has just completed Grade 12 this year in a reputable
church-run educational institution.
She swears a good deal throughout our little chat and does not seem at all
perturbed when I raised the topic of HIV/AIDS.
"I (****) for fun.
"I go around with very old men, middle age men, young men and boys," she
announces flippantly, of not proudly.
Her eyes level with mine; I see no hint of concern in those brown pupils.
"As long as they have the money and wheels (car) we go boozing from one
entertainment centre to another," she said.
And where does she entertain her boy friends?
"Certainly not at home. My mum would **** the **** out of me.
"You know where? In those offices and in their cars and hotel rooms," she
said pointing to some high offices here.
When she names her boyfriends, I struggle to believe my ears. But with her
beauty and amiable frankness, I did not doubt her.
"Some times the men pick me up on my way to school during school days,"
pointing at the pick up points as the PMV we were riding in came to a halt
at the next bus stop.
I jumped out but I can't help but mull over her words.
"Using condoms is not demonstrating the real act. Using condoms is not
human.
"And I know I will not be pregnant as I know myself well," she had said.
"I do not fear contracting HIV/AIDS because I know the men I go around with
do not have the virus," she said.
How does she know they are healthy, I asked?
"They look neat and healthy and wear good clothes. They are highly educated
and rich."
After her graduation recently she went out partying with her classmates.
Their sponsor for the two nights was a host of men.
Ambai told me she intends to pursue her studies and become an engineer or a
journalist.
But right now she is like a bee pollinating or stinging one flower to
another. She has no use for them once they withered away with the setting
sun.
Comes dawn and she will be out early sitting from one petal to another as
they open up until she dries up their nectar.
One day, I saw her walking down Boroko. And I wondered whether she actually
had it in her to earn a living for herself through a proper job. And to swap
her promiscuous ways for a decent, safe and stable life.
But what if she contracted the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) which
leads to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) before then?
"Who cares!" was what she offered.
She asked whether I have some bucks and I shook my head real slow.
Outside, in front of Tabari Place, a preacher was blowing out his lungs:
"Silver and gold I have none but what I have I'll give to you.
"In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk!"
Papua New Guinea cannot get up and walk if its young and productive people
are ignorant about the immediate and grave threat of HIV and AIDS to the
future of this country.
- Published in The National "Weekender" (December 15, 2000)
Yeah I read the article as well. Firstly, a minor point but I thought the writer of the story appears to lack experience - he/she had a powerful story line there but he/she failed to project and "dress" up the story to achieve maximum effect with the readership. The story lacked design and intent relative to its impact on the community.
Nevertheless, one message got through loud and clear -PNG, as a society, as a people, as a nation is slowly being eroded of its social and traditional values. It is clear from the story that this young school girl, who had just completed Grd 12, comes from a household where there appears to be no parental control - again, the story failed to highlight her family background except to say she lives in one of the squatter settlements.
This young girl epitomises hundreds and thousands of others like her out there who are unashamedly plying their trade as prostitutes. They do this because there is a growing market out there. Both these incidences (ie the prostitutes and the markets/customers) are reinforced symptoms of a society drowning in moral decadence. Girls like her will always be around so long as there is a open and willing section of the community ready to pay for their services.
It is truly sad.....
You couldn't have said it better. The scary thing is that these girls used to be obvious around nightclubs and hotel bars late at night tasol now they are everywhere including restaurants, car rentals, secretary colleges, just anywhere and everywhere and in any group you'll be able to find one of these types.
Moral decadence. That's what it is. The lure of easy money and cheap thrills. Hell, we already gat plenti HIV's. What next? A dramatic increase in suicides in our citiies and villages? God I hope not.
