Long Time No See
I was thinking while driving in the rain last night. I didn't avoid holes and water; I just drove thru, like I used to do. But then I thought.. Hm.. Here should be different. Yes! I bear the consequence this morning. I had to wash the car!! Thing I hardly did the last 13 years. I forgot the procedure. I even did silly thing; turned the tap with nozzle pointed to dry car, and again later pointed to Mama’s window! Ha ha.. I didn’t tell her. I hope it dries before she finds out.
I like washing car but drying it..? Even using hi-tech absorbent I still feel tired of wiping the whole body – outside and inside. I did the inside thoroughly tho. It seemed that helper didn’t do well in that side. Now I feel like I have had an exercise; half mandi cos wet half body and red dots of mosquito n ants bites. I rushed finishing it before sun shines in carport. The girl who sells veggie came. The same girl (she’s a woman now) I met 25 years ago when we just lived in this house. She’s mother of three, even one in uni now. She looks the same! I love her laughter. So authentically loud. She said that I too look the same as 25 years ago. Ha ha.. Size wise probably. Others change for sure. Nice morning to start the day. 8:26
Mama and I started at 10:00. I went to florist to send flower to GA – it’s her 40th birthday tomorrow. She’s the last one who turns 40. There are four who turn 40 this year (the rest of the class was two years older). I just realized today when we met. Four of us were there. RAI, AM, and me are all born in January. And GA is in March.
It’s like a small reunion. There were eight of us. Only one – RAI – I didn’t meet over 25 years!! He is a German who spent his childhood in Malang. We were in the same class till 1980. He studied in Aus and NZ, then back to Germany for 12 years, before he returned to Indonesia and lives here the last 10 years. He teaches theologies and philosophy in Papua. German wife and three kids.
I didn’t recognize him. He laughed cos he knew me ha ha. Of course he is bigger now but no change actually. He’s still same RAI I knew. Three things about him: left handed, football, and.. cursing (in Javanese!). He’s very into football. It’s his life since kid. This coming holiday he’s going to take international license for coaching in Germany. He's going to establish a football school in Papua. His lil bro is also into football and lives in Malang. Other bro is in Jakarta. So nice to catch up..
We laughed a lot recollecting moments. It’s hard to believe that over 30 years has passed since we knew each other. Some stories were ‘new’ to me ha ha. It took me years to know what’s behind what. One example: I just knew that “Omega” (name of a small convenient store where we often went) means.. Oesaha MEnambah GAji. I never knew that. No idea at all. I told CG to not tell me a lie. He said that everybody knew that. Yaa.. where was I?
On the way home, four of us walked the area. Recollecting. My ‘old’ house looked different, plants go bushy. Sidewalk looked old with broken tiles. Omega is still standing. I saw it the other day, when I passed, that all remained the same. Same size (looks smaller now), same display cabinet,.. 
and I believe it’s same merchandise too. When we went there today, it’s closed. I also passed our elementary school complex. Trying to recall ‘its size’. It’s a dense same old buildings. Only looked bushy now I think. But it’s nice. I should give an idea to make a reunion at school! Must be nice..
Another two hours of gossiping was fun too. All is new after long time no see.
Note: Photos of Siti Khotimah; my 'old' house and its neighborhood.