Repeat it slowly for me

There's an earlier post with this painting, but it seems more apt here now

The principal I work quite closely with was telling a couple of us this story about a boy hauled into her office for shouting a string of hokkien vulgarities at a teacher (as part of her larger tale of gangs resurfacing at her school).

Principal: Ok, Ah Huat (let's just call him that, the name of my favourite Potong Pasir Cheng Tng seller) What did you say to Mrs So-So?
Ah Huat: [Still somewhat agitated]...
Principal: What did you just say to Mrs So-So that made her so angry?
Ah Huat: Er...I...
Principal: Just repeat it for me...slowly, nevermind, say it slowly.
Ah Huat: #^@...$!...%....* ...

How we had laughed during lunch. Ah Huat stopped after a few phrases, I think, realising how his words sounded. But as story went on, rest assured the laughter stopped. His was another story of abuse, poverty, broken relationships and a kid bottling up his own sense of guilt about the violent mess of life in his 20ft by 30ft apartment.

I reckon she'll make a good principal to the precious young artist types who are bound to appear in the school my department is helping to set up. And hopefully, if meritocracy works, the school will be a place for talented kids from many different socio-economic backgrounds.