Sunday Reflection

Do you know how I fill my five years plan? It's all written " Travel the world". Nothing more or less.

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A friend told me " Good luck getting your creative spur. Maybe just take a breather and come back to it later". I flipped my phone and closed my application. Just two minutes before I was about to turn it off, I saw an unknown number was calling. It is a habit. I never save a phone number, not even the so called family. I picked it up and trying my best to recognize the voice. Ta-da! , a familiar harsh voice. It was my adoptive father who was informing, he happened to be in town. I was quite ecstatic and surprised. It's been a while since I last saw him. Though not long ago, he dropped me to the train station.

Our conversation is always simple and short. I am quite reserved and so is he. We are stuck in a place where it doesn't fit our ideology. We fear of being judged with choices we intend to make. We are broken in ways that nobody understand how we function. Despite those, we enjoy small things, including observing people's interaction on the street.It's like we're one with the silence, while the street playing its best orchestra.

After I hung up the call, I rushed to book an uber to meet him. He was staying in a touristy area full of domestic tourist. I don't like that place, it is too crowded for my liking. Besides, I couldn't think of any other place to meet him for a dinner nearby. And he told me earlier, his car was stuck in between cars and he couldn't get it out the parking lot.

Fifteen minutes later, I arrived in the parking lot of his hotel. I greeted him and we shortly decided to have a walk before a dinner. I know a hidden convenient spot but it was nine past ten. We had to walk through painfully foot traffic. People in this area walk so leisurely. They gaze through the beautiful dresses, the food and the souvenirs, as if they have all the time in the world. The awe in their eyes and how they tried to capture moments with their phone was a common scenery. However, this city never left me in an awe, not as much as Bali did.

That day was considered a long weekend. The place was packed with people taking selfies and filling up the public bench. Since we found the dining place was closed, we decided to eat out at small food vendor, called angkringan.

Angkringan is one of the main attraction of this city. It said to give the visitor a humbling experience while sipping a glass of black coffee. So, I took couple of snacks and ordered a glass of coffee and tea for my father. Then, he lighted his cigarette and gazing at the street.

" I enjoy this city like this. I love seeing diverse cars, unlike what I see in our hometown". I nodded while sipping my coffee.

Smoke after smoke, we watched people pass by, the street musicians who tried to entertain the pedestrian just to make ends meet, homeless walking around with their rusty backpack or a sack of recycled trash. We also watched teenagers playfully flirting one another. It was a lively night.

" I am falling in love." I told him and paused. He looked at me rather confused.

" No, this time with a place." I continued my sentence. " I miss my friends,the scenery and atmosphere, and my unexpected days in Bali." He was smiling then inhaled his cigarette. He could see how I miss that place. During our walk, I kept comparing this city and Bali in so many incomparable ways. Even I boldly told him, " this city sucks".

I was slightly bitter that night. I had an argument with someone earlier and too exhausted getting caught up with mundane routine. I was lost again. Everyone moves on with their life while I am stuck figuring my directions. I don't enjoy writing anymore. It's very dry. As if I can throw this disgusting plate in front of the chef, shamelessly.

Twelve past eleven, my father asked me to return since I will be having a morning class the next day. I ordered an uber. We stood by the pedestrian walk while waiting my uber to come. "let's meet again tomorrow after your class" he requested, while handing me some cash.

"sure" I replied shortly.

My uber driver arrived. He was a young man, though I assumed he was elder by the picture. I couldn't recall how our conversation began. I only recalled the part when I mentioned to him about Bali. " I was living in Benoa for a year. Hadn't my parents told me to come home, I'll never return". I listened attentively while trying to get more information.

"what did you do there?"

" I was working in a project. Yet I return home without any saving. I come back only with my luggage and myself."

" I love it there. Though the food is tad expensive for a local"

" I think it's the same, but I go out often and so I ended up spending more. Even then, if I have a choice, I'll never leave."

It was similar with my situation. I came back from Bali with zero savings. I was there, collecting experiences at any cost. Even I was living frugally with my roommate, I still come back without saving and all of my accounts were even minus.

" How much does an indonesian make in this city?"

" I am not sure but it's lesser than Bali. I heard a shop keeper makes 900,00idr a month*"

" What?" I was raising my tone in disbelief.

" Yes, It's that much. I was offered an office job as a salesman. They offered me 1,700,000IDR/month"

" why didn't you accept that offer?" I asked

" I make more being a driver"

We reached my place and had another interesting conversation about the Indonesian minimum wage. We both wondered how people with those salary afford to be able living in this city. I am aware, things are cheap here but it still surprises me how people seem happier with salary they make. Perhaps I only see the surface? perhaps I never see their struggle or even ask them about it.

I bid him goodbye even though his gesture showed he wanted to talk more.

" Take care, have a good night" he said while putting his helmet back on.

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