THE ADVERTISING WHICH KNOCKED MY HEART.. (1)

I have to admit that I forgot about the product which made such advertising..
But the point is, the advertising on the TV told us about ‘possessive girl’. On the scene, it was situated that a man was avoiding the phone call from his girl. It has been described that the girl was phoning him over and over again (obviously, more than 1 times in a one day), and the man was so furious, until he made a record of his voice in an answering machine, "Sleep, at my house, alone.." To be easily visualized, here is the scene of the conversation by phone:

1st Scene
The girl:
(while dying her hair after taken a bath) "Honey, what are you doing, and who are you with now?"
The man:
(answering machine, but seems that the girl didn’t know that it was an answering machine.. yeah, it was silly, but hey, it’s an advertising.. you will not be punished for being silly all the time) "Sleep, at my house, alone.."
(the man was playing guitar at the room)

2nd Scene
The girl:
(while having lunch) "Honey, what are you doing, and who are you with now?"
The man:
"Sleep, at my house, alone.."
(the man was fixing the bike in the garage, manly activity)

3rd Scene
The girl:
(on the beach, and sounded furious) "Honey, don’t you miss me? Why don’t you call me?"
The man:
(the man was playing the video game), "Sleep, at my house, alone.."

4rd Scene
The girl looked so furious, and she went to the apartment of his guy, knocked hard the door, looked at the Cockatoo near the door saying, "Sleep, at my house, alone.."
And the guy opened the door with the face of 'Caught in the act-style', and the girl just silent while throwing her angry face.. and then appeared the letter on the TV, "Do you have any possessive girl?"

Maybe.. the right question is, "Did you ever have any possessive girl?"
Yeah, that’s meeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;P

Since I have had a comfortable situation with my previous girl (around 6-7 years of our relationship), who could be driven by me (I'm a bad guy.. he..he..), I have been shocked with the two next girls that I had after that. My previous girl didn’t dare to demand nor ask me to phone her or see her often. Enough just by SMS.. not more than 10-15 times a day, and seeing her just once a week, every Friday night, so I could spent my entire weekend by myself.. OK, you could say that it was wrong and very stupid thing to do.. it was my dumb perhaps, but I’m kind of enjoy it well (I'm bad again.. he..he..)..

The circumstance has forced me to leave her (long story).. and I had to find another girl..

The 1st another girl:

My friend has introduced me with her. She was nice (the 1st impression), and rather pretty. Wearing veil (v), rather plump, looked smart. Even that it was not the kind of girl that I dreamt about..
I think I have to tell you my own reason, because a lot of people said that, "Hey, don't wait to long to end your bachelor status, nobody's perfect, please, you will never get anything you want.."
So, when the time brought someone who was 50% closely to my will (later on I thought, I have to increase the level of tolerance until 70-80%.. he..he.. ABSOLUTELY!), I thought, that was the time for me to accept it without any hesitation..
I still want to try to have a relationship with her.. I thought, perhaps God has shown me the way..
To eliminate 'the bad sounding and gossiping' from other people (especially in my 'f***ing' office and 'f***ing' big family.. he..he..),
To make my parents happy (in a wide terms, my oh my..)..
To end my loneliness..

Yeah.. you could tell me that, I’ve been eaten by my own wish.. it was a kind of boomerang. I was afraid of being lonely, and then even that I was not sure 100% about this girl to be my pair, I forced myself to be with her. And, it was really kind of rather miserable for me. Let’s point it out:

1st:
She really likes to phone and hates SMS! She said that SMS could be emotionless. She likes voices. Yeah, well, I didn’t mind at the 1st time. But when the call has been touched my ear for about twice a day at least (could be more, of course, and always).. and each call at least spent 15 minutes at the 1st (and 2nd, and 3rd.. and so on) one, and the last one spent about 1 hour (and I really couldn’t reject it nor end it, it was hard, she forced me, and I really didn’t have any stand position to throw it back), I started to be VERY-VERY FURIOUS! I really had to skip so many other things to do since I have to accept her calls.. at car, at bookstore, at supermarket, at office, and each calls tended to be 15 – 60 minutes! ARRRGGGGHHH!!!! And, by so many calls, I felt the increasing of possibility from me to say something wrong to her, even I didn’t mean to..

2nd:
She really wanted to have me in her way. For example, she has ever said to me that she didn’t like the kind of metro sexual guy. Hey, I don’t feel that I’m one of them, but she accused me to. And when she remembered that I could play piano, she asked, "Why do you play piano? Why not guitar? I thought that it was common for a man to play guitar but not a piano." I was shocked. I defended myself, "Hey, a lot of great pianists are men! Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Liszt!" You know what she said? "Are they normal? Are they married?" I was double shocked! Did she accuse me to be abnormal?! She really wanted to create ‘another version of soul’ in my body! Did she like me as the way I am? Or she just wanted to catch me 1st and then ‘revised’ me later? What am I? Some kind of BOOKS?!!

3rd:
She demanded that I have to.. I repeat.. HAVE TO.. put her in my mind always, wherever and whenever I go. When I was in Bandung, I just dated her for 2 weeks. I always sent SMS to her everyday, but she felt it wasn’t enough. Instead of phoning me (at the time I haven’t got CDMA, which I could tell to be big problem for me considering her madness of phoning in a scale of hourly everday.. noted.. HOURLY EVERYDAY! He..he..), she just sent SMS, "I have to be ALONE for A WHILE!" As a guy who was panic to be left by a girl, I called her via my GSM celular from Bandung, even I was so tired, wanted to sleep, and spent so much money to call her. And, of course, something like that repeated again.. and again.. until.. I broke up with her..

I really couldn’t define well about ‘possessive girl’, but by looking at the advertising regarding to that matter, and remembering my case with v-girl, maybe we could say that she was the one like that. I couldn’t stand being under her position always (you know what I mean), understood her always more than she understood me, forced her willingness, and always tried to trig my dignity with her statement such as, "Should you not want to follow me, it would be better for us to break up.."

First, I could tolerate..
Second, I could tolerate..
Third, hhhhgggghhhhh.. I could tolerate it as well (be patient guy, be patient..)

Fourth?

JUST GO TO HELL WITH THAT!

;P

PS: It’s not that she’s not the right person for me, but perhaps, I’m not the right guy for her..

LEISURE TIME IN JAKARTA (1): AROUND THE MALL IN 80 MINUTES..

My head was so full of things and 'things'!
He..he.. well, it was hard to explain in detail..

So, one day, after office hours.. I decided to go to Gramedia 'Great Sale' in Grand Indonesia (one of the biggest malls in Jakarta, relax.. we have so many big malls around here.. he..he..), I decided to come there..
First, books is and will always be my second lover besides my girl and future wife, of course..
He..he.. nothing could replace that..
Second, I just want to eliminate this resentment feeling by shopping..
And, books or CDs will be a great subject to manifest bloody shopping that I wanted to do..

Then I went to Grand Indonesia..
I’ve seen the Gramedia Great Sale is held on the East Wing of the mall..

East wing?
Where the hell was it?

I’ve never seen East Wing before..
I’ve just visited West Wing so many times when I went to that mall..

So, when I went to the East Wing.. I was.. kind of.. yeah.. rather shocked!

In the 3rd level, There was a nice Japanesse Garden, surrounded with a big rock decoration, a nice fountain, nice trees and flowers,
and companied by the tune from traditional Koto playing Japanesse tune..
The light was so soft, neither too bright nor dark.. gave us a very warm and cold sensation..
The pavement was composed from the stone also.. I felt that.. I wasn’t in the mall.. but..
I’m ready to meet Oshin there (so 80s! He..he..)

And also,
In that 3rd level..
Besides Japanesse garden.. comes.. Chinesse style.. near to Fun Zone area..
So many Chinesse lamps, ball and red shiny, hanging on the the ceiling.. the high ceiling if I could say..
And It was also combined with the nuance of Dutch Style, not far from the Chinesse area..

Then, moved to the 4th level, it took me to.. New York in the mid 40-50s, completed with the decoration of old cinema theater..
Described by the posters from old motion picture starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and Clark Gable..
While you were walking along the pavement, the old tune of jazz style entertained you, and brought you to the times you’ve never imagined before..
Thus by seeing an old mini electric train (tram) as the additional ornament, stood along the way..
The street light, the stone pavement was so natural to build the nuance of New York in 40-50s..
It’s like traveling by time machine, and saw America in the golden days after the world war was over..

Still wanna have another?

Take a look at the 5th level. The level which Gramedia held the Great Sale..
The floor took you to the land of 1001 Nights. Middle East moved here, I thought!
The Arabic tune was surrounding the environment. I was ready to meet Aladin or Abunawas,
But instead.. I met so many restaurant employees who offered me to drop by in their restaurants..
But I was not in a good mood to taste neither food nor drink. I just wanted to use the time to walk as much as I could..

In a result.. I didn’t buy any book in Gramedia Great Sale..
Yeah, you could tell that! He..he..
Since I was not so much attracted to the offering (just 10%)..
And I bought English Classics in return at Kinokinuniya of West Wing..

But,
I really felt like Mr. Fogg in Around The World in 80 Days, when touring around Grand Indonesia..
Even that It couldn’t eliminate my resentment feeling 100%.. absolutely indeed..
At least.. Jules Verne could make another version of his novel..

By looking at my experience of 80 minutes there..

THE REVIEW (2): LANDED ON EARTH WITH SEX & THE CITY..

I have to say.. I don't like New York..
The truth is.. I LOVE NEW YORK!

;P

So, that's why, when the 1st time I've heard that Sex & The City was adapted to the big screen, I couldn't wait to see it through..
And.. wallaa.. I've watched it three times.. Once in another country.. please noted that, and twice in Jakarta. And I'm still eager to buy the DVD version (piracy from the original files of course.. he..he..) as soon as it will be issued to the market..

From every movie that I've seen regarding New York City, Sex & The City is the best! I mean, that's the best movie which could describe 'The Big Apple' in the whole. I've never been coming to New York. But by watching the serials, and also the big screen version, I felt that I was involved in the rhythm of the city.

New York.. my oh my.. when will you take me there? ;P

Anyhow..
Even though I was flying to New York by the movie, indeed the movie told us that we have to stay on earth. There was no 'Fairy Tale' like Cinderella that could happen in your life, thus you have to give the big effort in order to achieve something..

Look at Carrie Bradshaw, the centre of the topic. She had a dream to get a big wedding with Mr. Big, but Mr. Big didn't come to answer Carrie regarding that matter, and the big that she has imagined before wasn't 'big' anymore. Looks like that the small (even the tiniest) one that happened in your life could be big incidentally..

And how about Miranda? The ambitious lawyer? Who has a husband, whom working as a Bartender? She had to face the reality, that everything should be made, not coincidentally happened. She had to work hard, to save her marriage, since her husband cheated behind her..

Charlotte, the rich girl who really wanted to have a child.. After so many years trying with her husband. She got pregnant. Looks like that the tale came true at last. But, she really kept her big effort to guard her pregnancy..

Samantha, the woman of 50, who dated a hunkie Hollywood movie star.. felt that she lost her spirit.. getting fat.. and also.. not knowing herself. She really wanted to left his hunkie boyfriend.. but she remembered that the hunkie always guarded her when she had a chemotherapy during her cancer elimination process..

Carrie noted to Samantha, "Are you happy? Hey, remember.. you just compared your relationship with Chemo.."
Carrie noted to Miranda, "You have to forgive your husband.. it's the matter of forgiveness.."
Carrie noted to Charlotte, "You run everyday (Charlotte was afraid to jog since she had pregnancy which she has waited so long).. that's what you do.."

The point is.. Carrie invited us to land on earth. This is not a fairy tale.. this is life that you have to live on by. And she also invited us that we have to look for our life, bitter or sweet, to be tasted, whenever it passed us by.

The movie was too chicky perhaps for some persons who defined to have a high artistic taste. But, hey, don't care about chicky or beefy, as long as it could take me to New York and safely landing on Earth..

Of course.. I could not refuse that..

VACATION (8): TERNYATA UNTUK HAL ITU PUN.. KITA MASIH.. KALAH?

According to the opinion of my friend who has ever been in a lot of countries to perform his music, Indonesia has a great talent in music, compare to some of the countries around the world. Since I really love this field (i.e. music), and I’ve ever performed as a pianist in some local jazz concerts, or involved in an electone competition when I was in Bandung and Jakarta, I really wanted to make a comparison regarding this matter with that country..

Waktu malem minggu, karena sudah keok berjalan-jalan dari satu mall ke mall yang lain, maka saya memutuskan untuk duduk disebuah bangku di pinggir trotoar, dibawah pohon yang rindang. Walau pun waktu sudah menunjukkan pukul 23.30, saya masih belum mo beranjak menuju ke penginapan. Terlebih juga masih banyak orang-orang yang duduk-duduk di pinggir trotoar tersebut. Ternyata, didekat situ ada live performance, tepatnya suatu grup band yang memainkan lagu jazz standar. All the performers were male. Ditilik dari usianya, mungkin sekitar 25-40 tahunan.. dan formatnya seluruhnya elektrik (kecuali drum dan perkusi), yakni piano, bass, gitar dan seorang vokalis.

Aha! Waktu yang tepat nih. Coba, sebagus apa sih band ini? Kalo dibandingin sama band saya atau band temen-temen saya yang di Bandung, kira-kira hebatan mana ya? Maka saya dengarkan baik-baik permainan mereka. Lagu-lagu seperti ”I Love You for A Sentimental Reasons”, ”One Note Samba”, ”Taking A Chance of Love” pun mereka mainkan dengan rapih. Saya sampai takjub mendengarkannya. Waduh, udah bisa nyaingin Indonesia neh, sama-sama ‘halus n berbakat’ sekali maennya (lebih bagus sih gak, gak iklas lah saya.. he..he..). Ato, jangan-jangan, sebenernya mereka ini udah ng-top? Kelas professional? Cuman sayanya aja kali yang gak tau..

Sekedar alesan untuk membela diri.. he..he..

Hal ini masih berlanjut keesokan harinya. Saya jalan-jalan ke salah satu mall yang berada di ujung pelabuhan kapal. Konsep mall-nya asik juga, karena disertai hawa angin laut yang segar. Tiba-tiba mata saya tertuju pada amphitheater terbuka yang ada di mall tersebut. They had a show.. orchestral performance. Saya buru-buru mengambil tempat duduk di amphitheater tersebut, dan langsung menikmati suguhan orkestra yang membawakan lagu-lagu instrumental cina. Jadi rupanya konsepnya adalah orkestra dengan alat musik gesek, tiup, dan xylofon (semacem marimba dan vibraphone) tradisional china.. dipadu dengan bass betot (contra bass) dan timpani, serta juga harpa..

Walhasil suara yang dihasilkan benar-benar mistis.. saya sampai terbengong-bengong dan takjub. Waduh, di Indonesia jarang nih ada yang beginian. Kalo pun ada, paling mendekati sepertinya cuman Nusantara Orchestra. Tapi itu pun juga cuman 1-2 pieces aja yang berbau tradisional Indonesia (terutama lagu-lagu aransemen dari alm. Yazeed Djamin). Sisanya ya nomor-nomor klasik barat yang udah biasa beredar di pasaran. Walah, mosok Indonesia yang jelas-jelas lebih banyak budaya tradisionalnya jadi kalah dalam hal beginian? Saya jadi emosi neh.. he..he..

Berhubung di negara itu pas lagi saya dateng ada program yang namanya ”Art Festival”, makanya saya coba untuk melihat skedul event-nya.. event yang mungkin saya tidak bisa menikmatinya karena sudah keburu pulang ke Jakarta.. kan duit udah menipis dan untuk mencegah dibunuh oleh rekan-rekan kantor yang ketimpa pekerjaan saya.. he..he.. Skedul event-nya pun unik. Ada penampilan orkestra untuk lagu-lagu ”Lord of The Rings”, melibatkan paduan suara anak-anak dan orkestra yang besar. Juga banyak pertunjukkan balet, opera (bahkan katanya Turandot karya dari Puccini bakalan dipentaskan disitu juga) dan juga teater-teater musikal atau realis..

Indonesia, tepatnya Jakarta, sebenernya juga gak kalah. Kita punya pagelaran Jazz.. 2 kali setaon malah, kelas internasional, terus pertunjukkan-pertunjukkan seni di TIM pun juga cukup banyak, mulai dari teater, musik, bahkan tari-tarian (style barat ato style tradisional). Hanya saja, kenapa kita gak bisa seperti negara itu? Yang mengiklankan ”Art Festival”-nya sampe ke luar negaranya? Bahkan sepupu saya aja yang saya ajak nonton orkestra Cina itu sempet ngomong, ”Di Indonesia mana ada yang beginian?” Saya jadi bengong.. weleh-weleh, dia tau gak sih bahwa kita punya Nusantara ato Twilite Orkestra? Yang juga suka memaenkan nomor-nomor unik (walo gak banyak) yang bernuansa musik lokal Indonesia?

So I guess, it’s not the matter of talents.. but it’s the matter of how you do the marketing of the talents..

VACATION (7): SEBENARNYA INDONESIA LEBIH BAGUS, TAPI KOK KENAPA..

When we’ve decided to tour around the city (of that country) on our vacation, we have defined some amusement places or heritages to be visited. Diantaranya adalah kawasan-kawasan etnis, gedung-gedung bersejarah, dan tempat duduk-duduk yang asik untuk melihat pemandangan di kawasan kota. Sebenarnya saya ingin menambahkan museum dalam daftar. Cuman, karena sepupu saya yang hobi dugem dan Ibu saya yang anti ilmiah itu menolak untuk ikutan dalam visit museum, maka saya pun dengan rela hati meng-out-kan-nya dari list saya..

Tapi, setelah saya liat-liat.. ah.. kayaknya masih bagusan Indonesia deh..

Misalnya nih ya.. kawasan pecinannya. Ya, sama aja kayak daerah Hayam Wuruk sampe ke Mangga Dua. Malah sepertinya gak ada yang bisa ngalahin keindahan klenteng di Petak 9 yang kalo pas imlek berwarna ng-jreng itu. Pasar Glodok juga rasanya gak bisa disaingin sama pasar kawasan pecinan di negara itu. Tapi, kalo boleh menambahkan, yang hebatnya negara itu bisa menjaga keindahan gedung-gedung tua di kawasan pecinan dengan sangat baik. Gak ada cat-cat yang terkelupas, atau suasana kotor dan kumal.. and when I thought about Glodok, kalo ingat-ingat bangunan tua-nya.. sepertinya malah cocok untuk syuting-syuting film Horror.. saking kumalnya.. he..he..

Diujung kawasan pecinan, terdapat Kuil Hindu-nya orang-orang Tamil. Rame-rame para turis berfoto disitu dan masuk ke dalam. Yang paling menarik dari kuil itu adalah, gapura-nya terdapat atap yang dihiasi patung-patung dewa-dewa Hindu ratusan buah, kecil-kecil, sehingga terbentuk seperti pohon cemara dalam ukuran besar. Yang menyedihkan adalah.. di Medan (Oh, Medan, hopefully my manager has a good intention to send me again for a business trip there on this year, he..he..). Di Medan, ada juga kuil Hindu di Kampung Keling.. dan.. juauh lebih buagus dan besar! But, saya sadar, dibandingkan ke Medan, turis-turis asing itu jelas lebih rela untuk mengeluarkan duit dateng ke negara tersebut dong..

Tapi mungkin kalo untuk kawasan India-nya.. wah.. rasanya belum ada yang bisa mengalahkan negara itu. Soalnya bandingan saya cuman Pasar Baru dan Mayestik aja sih. Dikedua kawasan itu banyak orang India-nya. Selebihnya, saya gak tau. Jadi, buat mereka yang tau ada Kawasan India di Jakarta selain 2 tempat itu, please inform me. Di negara itu, kawasan India-nya punya department store yang buka 24 jam. Dan jual segala macem barang! Saya sampe takjub. Coklat-coklat yang gak ada di Indonesia, bahkan DVD-DVD film-film klasik Hollywood (taon 40-50-an) dan 2 novel klasik (karangan Henry Fielding dan George Elliot) juga saya dapatkan disitu dengan harga murah..

Juga ketika ada slogan dari suatu wahana, ”Come and see the wonderful city light of this country from here..,” saya jadi mo tertawa. Soalnya, kalo dibandingin sama Sudirman, city light di negara itu jelas gak ada apa-apanya. Jauh lebih metropolis Jakarta.. itu pun juga belum digabung sama Kuningan, Thamrin.. wah.. kalah deh.. Tapi jangan tanya soal kerapihan taman dan tata kota-nya ya. Kalo itu Jakarta terpaksa mesti gigit jari, since that I feel there are no enough trees to cover the street of Jakarta nowadays. Beda banget sama di sono yang pohonnya masih rimbun-rimbun, tertata rapih, padahal di daerah Metropolis pula..

Juga pas saya diajak oleh sepupu saya untuk makan di kawasan yg namanya Si-Ke (disingkat). Konsepnya di tepi sungai, dan romantis. Memang bener sih, pas dilihat, it was so wonderful. Dan tiba-tiba saya teringat kepada Batavia Gading City di kawasan Kelapa Gading. Hmm.. sepertinya (lagi-lagi) kawasan ini masih kalah deh. Apalagi kalo ke Bandar Jakarta di Ancol sono, wah, udah makin gak ada apa-apa-nya yang namanya Si-Ke ini. Cuman, kalo di Jakarta, mikir ke Batavia Gading ato Bandar Jakarta, udah keok duluan, mbayangin transport-nya udah capek duluan (yang paling easy cuman pake mobil pribadi, kalo pake umum.. waduh.. no commento).

Gedung-gedung bersejarah di negara itu juga terawat rapih sekali. Saya sampai takjub. Ada satu kawasan, yang jembatannya bener-bener antik, kuno, dan juga gedung-gedung-nya (diantaranya hotel dan kafe) yang bersih, rapih, seperti sudah dipugar, tapi masih tidak meninggalkan kesan kuno-nya. Sementara di Jakarta? Cuman bisa dihitung 1-2 aja. Seperti di kawasan kota, gedung-gedung tua di pelosok-pelosok jalan kecil (muat 2 mobil) sudah hancur lebur. Di negara itu? Gak ada yang seperti yang saya lukiskan. Apalagi kalo inget Semarang, tambah mo nangis lagi. Banyak gedung-gedung antik tidak terawat. Mungkin Medan dalam hal ini masih sedikit lebih baik dari Jakarta, walaupun gedung antiknya tidak sebanyak Jakarta..

Terus terang, saya sangat betah di negara itu, karena keteraturan, kebersihan dan kerapihannya. Saya baru menyadari hal itu setelah sering berjalan-jalan dengan subway (yang kadang-kadang melintas di atas Jembatan karena bumi ini kan bulat) atau bus. Saya langsung jatuh cinta melihat suasana pemandangan tata kota di negara itu.. mungkin karena saya BT dengan Jakarta yang gak rapih, pohon-pohon banyak ditebang, jalanan banyak yang berlubang, belum lagi cat-cat grafitti (ulah pemuda yang tidak bertanggung jawab) yang sering mengotori dinding pagar gedung publik..

Maybe Jakarta still has a lot of things to be taken care of (e.g. criminal and economical problems), therefore they don’t have enough time to maintain its city scenery, heritages and cultural things..

VACATION (6): BIAR BANYAK YANG GAK MINAT JADI MILITER, TAPI KOK AMAN-AMAN AJA YA NEGARANYA?

Bukan rahasia lagi kalo misalnya di negara tersebut banyak yang gak minat jadi militer.. makanya ada peraturan wajib militer (saya sering ngliat anak-anak muda sekitar SMP or SMA gitu yang pake baju loreng-loreng ijo naek bus or subway di negara itu). Dari informasi yang saya dapatkan dari salah seorang penumpang bus yang saya ajak omong, personil militer di negara itu emang kurang. Dia bertanya, kalo di Indonesia bagaimana, waduh dengan bangganya saya ngomong, ”To enter the military department in my country, is like to enter the Harvard University in America perhaps!” Rasain lu! Lu kira cuman negara lo doang yang OK?!!

Tapi pas dibales, ”So, if you have so many military personnel in your country, why did my relatives (dia punya sodara yang tinggal di Surabaya) say to me that the security condition in Indonesia is unpleasant? Like rebellion, anarchies, murdering, robbing, stealing, pick pocketing?” Gantian saya yang bengong, dan langsung mengalihkan pembicaraan kepada topik laen dong.. he..he..

Saya pun jadi penasaran, hampir setiap hari saya coba baca di koran-koran yang ada di negara itu. Emang sih, jarang-jarang ada berita pembantaian, pencurian, ato kriminal-kriminal seperti yang ada di Jakarta. Tadinya saya sempet curiga, apakah ini jangan-jangan juga ’suara paksa’ dari pemerintah negara itu yang melarang adanya pemberitaan mengenai kondisi yang sesungguhnya? Terlebih lagi saya liat toh rumah-rumah penduduk dan apartemen-apartemen yang ada di situ juga full teralis! Sementara apartemen-apartemen yang saya liat di Jakarta, pada cuek-cuek aja tuh gak ada yang pasang teralis..

But at last, I saw it by myself..

Sebelum-sebelumnya saya biasa nginap di hotel kalo ke negara itu. Baru kali ini I’ve decided to rent an apartement. Soalnya biasanya kantor Bapak saya emang make apartemen ini untuk dinas bisnis-nya. Berhubung sehabis 2 hari urusan bisnis itu belum ada yang nyewa lagi, jadinya saya teruskan menyewa untuk hari-hari berikutnya. Dan tinggal di kawasan yang ’merakyat’ seperti itu, bisa membuat saya memahami kehidupan sehari-hari orang-orang yang tinggal di negara itu.

Sekitar jam 23, sehabis kalap belanja sana-sini.. saya berjalan kaki menuju apartemen penginapan saya. Sepi, gelap-gelap banget juga gak sih, tapi pokoknya kalo saya dirampok ato dicopet pun disitu sepertinya bakalan gak ada yang tau (tapi katanya sih di negara itu udah full CCTV dari setiap sudut.. jadi bakalan ketauan). Tiba-tiba aja ada pengendara motor yang bagus banget.. menghentikan motornya di pinggir trotoar situ, dan cuman mengunci motornya.. meletakkan helm-nya di atas sadel, tanpa mengunci dengan pengaman apa pun, dan melenggang kangkung meninggalkan motornya terparkir disitu.. Saya hampir aja berteriak, ”Eh, Mas, Mas.. kayaknya ada yang kelupaan deh..” he..he..

And it explained a lot, seperti misalnya sepupu saya kehilangan jinjingan belanjaan di salah 1 mall di negara itu, dia tersadar setelah 1 jam. Dia buru-buru balik ke mall itu, dan bertanya ke security. Ajaibnya.. jinjingan belanjaannya masih utuh! Berarti memang yang namanya keamanan di negara itu rasanya sudah mendarah daging ‘by philoposhy’ untuk semua penduduknya.

So, aman atau tidak, rasanya kita tetap mesti berbangga, bahwa untuk masuk menjadi Army di negara ini you have to be the best dalam hal fisik dan otak..

VACATION (5): PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THAT COUNTRY? OKE DEEEE.. IN INDONESIA? CAPEE DEEEE..

This was my first time to use public transportation in that country, since my cousin has joined me. I’ve never done that before. 4 times I’ve came to that country, and I always used taxi should I wanted to go to the place which was far away from my motel, or took a walk to go to the area which was nearly from my temporary residence..

Sepupu saya ini udah 10 kali ke negara itu! Karena dia sadar bahwa taxi fare was so expensive, makanya dia nekat (berbekal tanya-tanya kepada teman-temannya yang tinggal di negara itu) bagaimana cara menggunakan public transportation. Dan, dia juga yang mengajarkan kepada saya tentang naik bis, naik subway, kumplit beserta cara-cara membaca jalur yang saya pikir di negara itu emang OK banget informasi mengenai public transportation-nya..

Subway misalnya.. pas mo naik.. beli tiket pun juga gampang. All computerized. Bahkan ada petugas yang siap ditanya-tanya, serta memberikan petunjuk lengkap dengan peta kecil. Tarifnya pun juga murah (tapi tolong jangan di-kurs ke Rupiah ya.. he..he..). Dan, buset.. cepet banget! Karena saya pikir dimana-mana yang namanya public transportation pasti lama, seperti menunggu Busway (yang diproklamirkan paling ’cepat’ di Jakarta), makanya sambil menunggu subway datang, saya iseng-iseng membaca salah 1 buku yang baru saya beli. Baru saja setengah halaman, tiba-tiba subway-nya udah dateng, persis kayak kereta kencana Arjuna dari Nirwarna! Sementara kalo menunggu Busway.. pernah saya menghabiskan.. 3 halaman koran! Seluruh artikelnya sudah saya baca! Dan busway-nya baru datang.. itu pun juga penuh.. dan saya nggak bisa naik! I had to wait for another bus to come.. buset dah!

Bus umum pun juga sama OK-nya.. emang lebih agak lama dari Subway sih, tapi nyaman banget. Dingin pula (oya, subway itu dingin sekali AC-nya.. persis seperti di mall-mall deh). Cara bayarnya juga enak (tinggal masukkan koin ke tempat pembayaran), Halte-nya juga informatif. Gak perlu ketrampilan khusus seperti di Jakarta kalo mo naek Bus. Berhubung di Jakarta kalo naek bus harus gesit seperti tarzan kota, makanya saya sempet bikin orang-orang disitu melongo, pas mo nyegat bus, melambai-lambaikan tangan, padahal bukan di halte (bus di negara tersebut gak ada yang mo berhenti kalo bukan di halte). Ketambahan, pas mo turun di tempat tujuan, even itu di halte, saya kelepasan untuk menjentikkan jari saya ke atap bus seperti di Jakarta (memberi kode bahwa ada yang mo turun). Supir bus-nya bahkan sampai melihat ke saya sambil mengrenyitkan dahi seakan-akan saya perusuh revolusioner dari negara di belahan dunia ketiga! He..he...

Ya maklum lah Mas, terbiasa survive di tengah-tengah lembah belantara.. kalo lo yang di Jakarta.. gue jamin lo bakalan kapok naek bus deh Mas.. he..he..

Baik subway mau pun bus semua dirancang dengan baik, juga bersih, dan menjangkau ke daerah-daerah plosok. Coba seperti busway, manalah nyampe ke daerah rumah saya? Sementara naek kereta api, menuju ke stasiunnya pun juga penuh perjuangan. Belum lagi liat kiri kanan dan waspada takut kecopetan atau dirampok. Di negara itu semua orang cuek-cuek aja di subway atau di bus memaenkan laptop atau PDA bahkan! Di Jakarta sini? Wuehehehehe.. you are really INCREDIBLE HULK should you dare to do the things like that!

Jadi, yah.. kalo selama public transportation di Jakarta masih belum seperti di negara tersebut.. daripada ”cape deeee..” di hati dan di badan.. mendingan ”cape deee..” di dompet gara-gara BBM naik, tapi masih lebih nyaman naek mobil sendiri, walo kadang-kadang macetnya gak ketulungan..

Cape deeee..