A trigger-happy memory

Choices. To step back or forward. To venture into the unknown or to stay put. Mee goreng or nasi lemak. Like a sprite-rendered character in a point-and-click adventure game (I'm showing my age here) we have to make a choice, lest we get stuck on the current level. In life, however mundane or trivial the things we decided on - it will impact our lives one way or another.

The 'point-and-click adventure game' aspect above refers to my fond memory of playing an old game (or 'retro' if you prefer...I hate that term) called Police Quest III: The Kindred. It was back in 1991 or 92 - my first original PC game. One particular scene haunts me to this day:

A madman was running wild...in some kind of park, I think. Armed with a knife, he terrorized members of the public and injure some of them...I stepped in, trying to calm the blood-thirsty nut down. Maybe perform a love song or two.

"Chill out, crazy dude. Put the sharp pointy thing down, and let's watch Bob the Builder together..."

"FUCK YOU, COPPER!" screamed the madman as he assaulted me, blinded by rage. Maybe he preferred Barney the Purple Dinosaur.

In that instant, inspired by the action movies I watched at the time, I whipped out my gun and SHOT THE BASTARD DEAD. And before I could dance a victory jig over my slain enemy, I was greeted by the 'bad end' scene...Jim Walls, the creator of the game (a former policeman himself) lectured me on my inability to be a proper policeman and the game ended at that point. All this because I left my goddamn baton in my locker.

So, yeah...in the end, I made a lousy choice. The choice at that moment may not be the best/right one - or not resulting in a desirable outcome. But hey, I applaud those of you who had the courage to just go ahead and try something...rather than do nothing. To be honest, I don't always possess this courage.

So to those who chose your path and fought bravely, I salute you. Even if you fell this time around...it'll work out. Somehow. I think.