Waiting to Exhale
When Mama passed away, many closed ones showed attention through text, email, online chat, or call. I was touched by any way they showed. Anything I can do? became a magic question, it touched my heart. And when one offered her/his time to be with me or listen to me, it knocked me out completely. That moment I knew that I don’t cry if someone does unpleasant thing to me, kindness that has made me broke into tears.
Why did I bring this up? Pak Agung had touched me this morning. He delivered a letter for me and brought a stem of golden shower orchid from his garden. He was so sweet! Said his girls liked to cook the flowers so he thought sharing me some would not waste the beautiful flowers. What a nice thought! He liked to mention he would like to share his plant collection with me and ensured me not to worry about the maintenance since he’s going to do for me.
The past months I feel frustrated by mobile Internet modem I have used almost half year now. I was very proud of its convenience and suggested many friends to consider. Now look at me. I am bound to the 18-month contract to use the service so there’s nothing I could do since the monthly charge would be on till the end of the contract.
I don’t mind slow connection. Well, I mind but that’s nothing compared to what I experience the past weeks. The connection could not last more than ten minutes! And to get a steady signal so could reconnect needs ten to twenty minutes. It is so frustrating spending time waiting especially when I’m engaged in a chat.
I had called Desk Help several times and all I got were the usual questions Have you reset your modem? Have you tried to turn off your laptop? Do you know how to set the settings? I felt like a novice. I could not get my message through that I didn’t have problem before the past weeks, that everything was so convenient, that I didn’t make any change in settings…
I took time to write a positive complaint email the other day. I think they would pay more attention when I filed a formal letter. They responded though but with the same sound the Help Desk offered me. I come to understand that it’s hard for people in office to understand what’s happening out there, in the field. They could not understand that I could not get connection in Malang and it’s been two months now. They kept telling me that there’s no change in their service and all looked normal (in their monitor I guess).
Well, now I sound like a desperate woman. A friend reminded me that this is broadband in Indonesia while a friend in Houston said that her Jakarta connection was much better than in America. Holding it too long, we are all waiting to exhale!
Picture of the orchid from Pak Agung that resides nicely on my coffee table.