My classmates were chatting about their pets.

Chris: "Oh, they can do so many tricks! I'll show you if you guys come to my house."

Ai Lin: "Oh, mine is better. It always protects me. Once, I was mugged, and it rescued me."

Ben: "Mine just ignores me!"

Hearing all this, I got curious and wanted a pet too.

So, I went home and asked Ma.

Me: "Ma."

Ma: "No."

Me: "You haven't even heard what I'm going to say."

Ma: "Shoot."

Me: "I want a pet."

Ma: "No. You can't."

Me: "Why not?"

That was all Ma needed to unleash a whole TED Talk.

Ma:

"Oh dear, who's going to take care of it when it poops and pees?

And how are you going to take it for a walk?

You can't even wake up in the morning!

Pets need fresh air once in a while, and don't even think about getting a dog.

Do you even know what to do when it gets sick?

And how are you going to feed it every day when you're at school?

Weekends are fine, but what about weekdays?

I'm not going to help you.

If you can't even take care of yourself, don't think about taking care of another living being."

I stood there, helpless, as Ma rambled on and on.

Defeated, I nodded and went back to my room.

Ma, satisfied, thought: 'It wouldn't be you taking care of the pet—it'd be the other way around. I'm not letting you torture another living being.'