Yesterday, I received an anonymous sms from a stranger. Now, mother (and fathers, too) always tell the kids never ever talk to strangers, be it SMS or the MSN via the Internet. Well, the only difference here in my encounter is that the kid was not me. The other party was, or claimed to be. I can't be sure. Anyway, our exchange in the SMS goes something like this:
Kid: hey. i changed my number to 90xxxxx. take note & thanks (:
Me: Aduh. Who is this?
kid: Justina. lol
Me: Oh dear. I have a friend called Justin. But not Justina. Did you just change sex? Sorry but I have no recollection.
kid: aha. no. 'm pure female. then you're probably not who i think you are. nevermind then. sorry for disturbing you x=
Me: It's ok. Misdirect SMS happens all the time. Hope you're not offended by my joke. Cheers
kid: aha. only if you're not disturbed by my smses. take care then (:
Me: Not at all. Still trying to figure out who, though. Hee.
kid: I think we don't know each other. unless you're 15 x=
Me: Haha. Then definitely wrong number. My friends are all much older. Ok nice knowing you. Take care.
kid: somewhat flattering I guess. aha. thanks. I'm so sorry I'm 15 then. I don't like it either. lol
Me: The young can't wait to grow up, and the old will give anything to get back their youth. The irony of life. What's wrong with being 15?
kid: it's tradition of d young I guess. to complain about everything (: but d thing that sucks most about being 15, one more year before i can watch NC 16 movies (x
Me: NC 16 movies? Is that very important?
kid: nope. tsk. darn my shallow-minded, materialistic & superficial teenage brain -.-
I decided not to respond after that. When I related this to BAGUS, all of them have their interpretations of my encounter:
a. The only rose among the thorns commented that I was "leading her" on which is nonsense of course!
b. Victor said it was obviously a solicitation.
c. VT added that they way the "kid" changed the topic from her being 15 years old to her unhappiness at not being able to watch NC16 until she's 16 sounded rather fishy.
d. MJM said blatantly that I should have called the number immediate and asked "how much?" He then quipped that maybe it was a guy pretending to be a girl.
What do you think? Did I read too much into the SMS exchange? I hate to think this is a solicitation as suggested by Victor. But you could see how the conversation could have led to something unthinkable and unlawful (think statutory rape). Being a father of two, I fear for our kids if this is truly the work of a kid with some hidden agenda, more so when she mentioned she's "materialistic". Sex sells, and the sale of sex provides materialism.
Is this what the kids are up to behind the parents back, despite what we parents warned them about the dangers of talking to strangers? Technologies have advanced our lives to a level that was unimaginable years ago. The Internet and mobile phone technology connect people in a flash. But therein lies the danger, too. Especially if it involves our kids. We parents really can't afford to be too lax.
7 comments:
Chris, you are reading too much into that sms. Can't it be a genuine mistake by a truly innocent 15 year-old girl who happened to have her phone numbers mixed up? For all you know, those suggestive vocabulary could be just what her concerned parents have been drumming into her head all these while and she was just regurgitating them out.
Oh dear, did I say it was obviously solicitation? Darn my narrow-minded, unrealistic & over-critical old-age brain.
If it's a genuine mistake, the sms would have stop at 2.
Somehow all these messages of procreation on the media is going to the wrong age group.
Before I read the comments, I wanted to say, Victor misunderstand, I can understand; but you?
That statement is as slanderous and defamatory as what the SDP said of the gahmen, Chun See.
woah chris, i cant believe u actually bother to reply so many of the sms...seems like u r rather comfortable knowing strangers hor...LOL!
what is NC16?
Hi famil,
Thanks for popping by. In Singapore, we have a film rating system shown in the cinemas. NC-16 means No For Children Under 16. The ultimate one is R21 - restricted to those who are 21 and above, meant more for films with nudity (sex scenes), violence, and may contain religious issues. But it's all for show only. R21 films can be censored too, if the govt thinks the film is not suitable for the Singapore audience entirely. It's a joke.
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