De javu

Just before heading out to the restaurant, I heard a loud crash at the front of my gate. Pacing myself to see what was happening, I saw an uattended mountain bike right in front and some giggling voices. As I opened the gate I could see 3 young kampung boys looking from the bottom of the street. They had fear in their eyes. I motioned them to come over. Before I could even utter a word, one of the boys apologized. Obviously I had put on a stone cold face. Why shouldn't I? One of the slanting bars on the gate was bent out of its original state.

One of them was rubbing his forehead as an indication he had collided against the gate. I could see tears streaming down his face. So I asked what were they thinking? One of them replied their brakes had failed them. My house is situated on a 45 degree slope and from their story, were actually decending without any brakes whatsoever. So they decided to turn into my gate!
One part of me was furious, I mean knowing their brakes were not in order, why go down the slope? But the other part of my was a bit relieved because had they gone down that slope, they would have no way of stopping and would meet with oncoming traffic like a T-junction. Come to think of it, they could be hit by a car going either way, or crash head-on into my neighbour, Dr.Saw's wall!

I got angry, but it wasn't at my gate anymore. They were just kids, around 15 at most. I then proceeded to tell them they could have been worst off than just a few bruises. They were all looking at the ground while I lectured them, unable to contain their guilt for wrongdoing.
As I dimissed them with a warning to be careful, they all turned and said "Sorry and thank you, uncle". As I walked back into the compound, I couldn't help but laugh lightly at their remark.
I remember not long ago, I was the one courting mischief and having to say thank you and sorry to an elderly for teaching me a lesson.
Feels just like dejavu...