Scouts are supposed to be smart and resourceful. Every tool in the hand of a scout will be used with purpose and with tact. Scout law #3 dictates: A Scout is to make himself useful and helpful at all times.
In 1992, I went for my first scouts camp outside school. Most of our scouts camps were held in school because it was safer, we had water supply and our parents could come and visit us. Well, in this camp, we were tasked to hike through the rough terrain of Templar’s Park (a famous park in Rawang for a family-weekend getaway).
Excited, the concoction of adrenalin and testosterone brewing in every scout on the bus led us to do stupid male stunts. I was the first casualty at camp. And I did so in record time (before the camp even started!). I was showing my scout-buddies how the scout should salute. I mean, how the scout should salute with a penknife in his hand. (FYI, scouts don’t salute with penknives in their hands).
Forgetting scout law #3, I positioned the penknife in my right hand. Instead of fully opening the blade, I left it at a 45degree angle. My fist clenched the rest of the penknife while the blade waited above my fingers. Failing to realise that movement and impact can cause the blade to slap back into the groove, I proceeded to educate my pre-Tenderfoot-badged buddies about the penknife salutation.
As soon as my fingers reached my forehead, the blade slapped back into its groove and got my little finger. I bled. My pre-tenderfoot friends looked shocked. I felt shy. Then I went to the front of the bus to receive first aid from the troop leader. “Wow so fast got injury ah? You’re the first one to injure yourself.” I wasn’t sure if I should have felt proud or stupid. But when camp progressed, I didn’t feel that stupid anymore.
We pitched camp upon arriving. That evening, each patrol (patrols are working groups) had to cook their own dinner. Still running high on testosterone and adrenalin, our quartermaster (aka. chef) boasted to us and we boasted to the next patrol (camped next to us) that we were having FRIED RICE FOR DINNER. That night, we ended up eating porridge.
Lesson: I would rather be silent and thought of as an idiot than to speak and confirm it.
