Besides the halls housing the Singapore IT EXhibition 2003 was a fair featuring products targetted at households and families.

Health products, vacuum cleaners, food products, seasonings, spices were just some of the products featured. The design of most booths were spartan and functional, but a few were particularly extravagant.

Prudential had the most outstanding booth. It was of a moderate size located in the middle of the hall, with a pretty conservative design and simple decorations. It was pretty much devoid of eye catching colours, the only thing that drew attention would probably be the female agents, for the adults, that is.

But for the kids, the booth is a dream come true. Located in the middle of the booth, between the tables and the simple, earthy shades was a sand bar. It would have been easy to miss if there were no dirty, noisy, irritating, obnoxious, hysterical, slimy little kids throwing sand around since it is blocked from sight by the human traffic and the furnitures. A few feet away was a small section sealed off by low fences. Within the enclosure were chicks (young chickens), which surprisingly did not attract as much attention as the sand.

The theme of the day was: life insurance and the study saving plan.

The kids were happily playing with sand while all around them, their parents were being slaughtered and hacked to bits by the insurance agents. I had the mental image of the beach landing scene in Saving Private Ryan with the kids playing with the sand, building castles and throwing plastic spades, oblivious to their parents getting shot down, having limbs blown off and getting blown up by evil capitalist and mercenary agents.

When they grow up, they might not even remember what happened that day. When they grow up, they might not even be grateful. And from the way things are going, when they grow up, they might not know anything.

So of what price is the next generation worth?

Of what price is hope worth?