Superman in the Mirror

It was Monday. The morning’s gloomy and cold. I woke up late so I rushed. After alighting from the bus, I walked towards the company gate as fast as I could and went straight to the locker room to wear my uniform and PPE. As I was about to step into the blue line where complete PPE are required, a voice shouted at me.

“Hey, hey. Is your head now as hard as mine like steel? Wear your hard hat. Go back. Get it!”


It was Superman with his loud, intimidating voice that stresses my eardrums.


“Thanks for reminding me.”, I quickly uttered.


Tuesday and Wednesday passed safely. He smiled.


“Good job!”, he expressed.


“I know.”, I replied back with pride.


Thursday came. Meetings here and there. With only 5 minutes left before an important meeting starts where I need to report first, I almost took the shortcut when Superman stepped down and stopped me.


“Hey! Where are you going?”, he asked.


“I’m rushing for another meeting. Please get out of my way. I can’t afford to waste any minute or else I will lose my job.”, I insisted.


“Ha! But you can afford to put your life into risk by taking this route with all forklifts maneuvering. Take the safe walkway!”, he commanded with his finger pointing to the nearest one.


As usual, he is Superman so I followed.


Friday passed. Again it was safe. Again, he smiled.


Saturday. Time to rest. I woke up around 10AM and went to the shop for my groceries. On my way home, I realized I forgot to buy my favorite ice cream. I quickly decided to buy from the gasoline station shop just across the road. I was about to land my first leap to cross when Superman pulled me back.


“What’s wrong with you? You are taking a risk by not using the pedestrian lane. Do you really want to end your life soon?”, he shouted with voice coming down into my nerves.


“What are you talking about? Of course I want to live longer. You are too serious about this.”, I answered back.


“This is a serious matter, man. Safety has always been a serious matter. One quick step in taking risk can end your life. That’s it. No turning back. If you care for your future and your loved ones’, be responsible.”, he advised.


I was speechless. I decided not to buy the ice cream anymore so I walked back home. His words kept echoing back in my ears and in my dreams.


Sunday unfolds. Bright and shiny. I was about to hit the shower when I suddenly looked into the mirror. Superman is smiling. Realization sank into me that safety is a responsibility…that if we care for our future, then we need to be safe at all times…that if we cherish life, then we need to act safely…wherever we are, whatever we do.


Our own superheroes are ourselves.


And Superman is no one else but YOU.



(This story was my entry to Singapore WSHC's Safety Starts with Me Competition 2010-Creative Story Writing Category. I just received a call from the organizer that my entry won as 1 of the 3 Commendation Winners. Yahoo!)