Behind the veil of civility

Everything on the surface looks fine and nice. All the pleasantries and heaps of praises poured in. Everyone has something good to say, so refined and well mannered, so cool and measured. Everyone is so sweet. Why am I seeing things? Behind the veils of niceties and civility I am seeing the face of a beast. I can’t really figure it out, could be a tiger, a wolf, a hyena or a crocodile, but a beast alright. The great pretence is first class, betterer than anything MediaCorp can produce. It even beats the best make up artistes of Hollywood. The battle will soon be fought. The daggers are hidden for the time being. Occasionally a little blinding reflection flashes across the scenery when a knife is unsheathed prematurely, only to be quickly put away. Brutus, where are ye? Brutus, my good friend!