K:
This crimson mug is full of spirit
S:
Are you drinking again?
K:
Uhm, uhm…
S:
So what’s the story?
K:
Like about 15 years ago
S:
Wow, long ago, eh?
K:
Don’t cut me! …. Like 15 yrs ago I went to Bukit and by chance, I
stayed at Pondok Bento.
S:
At whose?
K:
A student whose name I can’t recall
S:
How come?
K:
I was invited by a Kak Yer or Mas Totok. He often had fellowship with
Christian students at Unud. I met one student from Papua and he
agreed to let me stay at his room.
S:
you should’ve said “by the Grace of God” instead of “by
chance”!
K:
Indeed, my friend. So a day before the D-Day, the Nasution (?) girl
studying at FH Unud offered a ride that I couldn’t refuse. From
there I walked to Bento and find the room. It was smallish but
furnished with bed, small desk and I don’t remember if it got any
bathroom. It should have. I met him and we chatted a bit and perhaps
he went to campus. It was like 14.00 in the afternoon.
S:
Yes?
K:
I was left alone. So in the dim-lit room, I studied a bit of math,
language, etc.
S:
For the test?
K:
Ze test! In the evening still he din returned. The room was hot so, I
lurked outside. I saw, across the room there stood a boy with long,
Bob Marleylike, bridled hair.
S:
Who?
K:
I don’t remember his face or name. Or how we talked. I only
remember he inquired many things about me. And me being alone and
lonely, told him anything he wished to know.
S:
That’s so you
K:
Shut up. I inquired a lot about him too! We chatted a lot. About
anything until he whispered, “Don’t talk like that (about that).
He has ears!”
S:
Hmmm
K:
I wish I could remember the details but I do remember that he went to
his room to fetch two glasses of curious drink.
S:
what was that?
K:
Whiskey cola
S:
Cool!!
K:
My first time ever.
S:
How was it?
K:
Sweet and light. More cola than whiskey perhaps. But it was fun.
S:
You yessed his offer? Cheap!
K:
That was a nice gesture
S:
A drink a night before ze horrible tests! I cant believe!
K:
Yeah. Uhm, what were I thinking? Well anyway, we talked a bit more.
He asked how I came to know my host. I forgot to ask whether this
student of law faculty (perhaps he was) knew my host. and then we
parted and he wished me success.
S:
Very neighborly! But what about your host?
K:
I fell asleep on the bed. At night, I heard him coming. I woke up to
find I have weeted the mattress. The heat of the room made me sweat a
river. He said, “It’s ok. It’s very hot here. I’ve told you.
I’ll sleep on the floor. Never mind.”
S:
Wow
K:
So we talked a bit. Where have you been that you should come home
late? He said, he met friends from Irian (known today as Papua) and
we hunted fish at Benoa.
S:
Hunted fish?
K:
He said, they swam and speared fish and grilled them.
S:
Wow!
K:
And I was like, oh my God, you’re so primitive.
S:
How rude!
K:
It was unthinkable but then he was my host and that was so nice of
him to take me in.
S:
Yes he was.
K:
The morning after, I asked him to join me for breakfast. I felt I was
obliged to repay his kindness.
S:
You should.
K:
Back then a plate of rice with stir friend vegetable and a piece of
friend ikan gabus was Rp5.000. can you imagine?
S:
Expensive, eh?
K:
Yes, but I was and am glad my host joined me.
S:
So how was ze test?
K:
it went well.
S:
And so, the second night?
K:
I studied again. My host gone to his friends and the guy who gave me
whiskey cola was not there. Well, the day after, I finished the tests
and went home. I can’t recall how I returned the key or how we
parted.
S:
Sad!
K:
Then weeks later I got received at the uni. I shopped some cookies
for my host and I brought it to the student center where they had
fellowship together. He wasn’t there. I asked a long haired girl
there to give it to him when he appeared. Oh, oh, let me say this:
perhaps I met my host for the first time when there was two
Australians (husband and wife) who stayed at Canggu. Uhm, not sure….
S:
Don’t be sad. I am sure his kindness had been rewarded.
K:
I hope so…
