Opa Johan's 73rd Birthday Present
Opa (grand-dad) Johan related his adventure to his wife
I started from Gobang about 8.30. I wanted to go over the hills as a shortcut to Jambu. Just imagine, if you don’t know the route over the hills. It’s not on a map. Just a path, winding and steep. I have to push instead of riding on my bike but it was still nice as it was cool beneath the trees. I almost met no one on my way, more over, no one on a bike.
The Ojek rider (the man who takes passengers on his motor-cycle), knows the way. He said: “go to Cilangkap first, then Panunggangan, Wates, after Cigudeg turn back to Jambu. Seems very easy. But the villagers along the path didn’t know anything about Jambu. Perhaps the Ojek man who knows it, thinks: ”this old man is crazy to take his cycle up over the hills. Halfway he certainly will return.”
I then asked some one: “Does it need an hour to reach Cilangkap?” He said: “ Oh, no.” I‘m feeling at ease since it is not so far away as it could be reached within an hour. Imagine my distress, after pushing my bicycle for two hours, I still didn’t arrive. I then realized that what he meant was, that one hour was not enough to arrive at Cilangkap.
I imagined Cilangkap, a village to have roads and more traffic. On the contrary, it was not a village at all. It was amid the hills. There were only some bamboo huts, no traffic. They knew nothing about Jambu except the Panunggangan village. Again a path, but still nice in the cool mountain air.
After exerting a lot of effort and spending a very long time I reached Panunggangan. How happy I was, as there was a road for motor cars. It should be near the main road now, I thought.
Well, If you want to know hell, you just have to go alone along this road at 12.00 am, when the sun is blazing pushing a bike, without provision except a half bottle Aqua water. After two hours didn’t I met a motor car, didn’t I see a hut. I’m afraid that if I’m riding my bike on such a bad road I would get a tire leakage. And that would be worse, pushing a bike in such circumstances as there was no repair shop along the road.
After walking, pushing my bike for hours which seemed like ages, like a never ending road in the hot sun, it was so hot, I pulled my shirt upward to cover my head and face. I didn’t care as there was almost nobody who would see me. It would be tantalizing seeing an Ojek rider passing by. “Hang on,” I said,” never give up, surrender, you certainly will arrive at Wates and Cigudeg. There is a main road.”
.
“This is heaven” as I reached Cigudeg at last, although I still have to ride 3 hours to cover 47 km passing Jambu village to the Bogor city.
At dusk, on the train back to Jakarta, a passenger, after hearing my anxiety of a possible punctured tire in the hills warned me: “Before you start you ought to pray first.” But at home, when I asked Boy, he said “I’m not worried about that. Just take along a tire in reserve and a pump.” So, now will I learn to open and fix back the tire of my bike to be prepared when that happens. I think it is shameful to have God watch over our troubles. He certainly would say: “You lazy fellow, you just want Me to work for you.”
But suppose I got into trouble because of an accident, or forced to have an overnight stay somewhere on the hills, it would even be more exciting, thrilling, adventurous. Perhaps there are people who would help me. I would be very grateful and happy, more over he, who has helped, saved me. If I die, it’s nothing at all, as I don’t have to trouble you or anyone anymore. What if I were helpless, sick of old age? But I’m not yet prepared to leave my fishes, and plants. Who will take care of them? You? I don’t worry about you. It’s you who have to worry, take care of me. Ha, ha, ha.
I’m breathing deep and freely, my feet seem to be very strong and light, my appetite keen and I slept as soft as on a cloud. I saw, felt, what no one would ever see and feel. I’m proud to succeed in overcoming hell. You could say that this is my 73rd birthday present I gave myself. How nice! Aren’t you glad, proud to have your husband like this? Now kiss me. You owe me a kiss.
Opa (grand-dad) Johan related his adventure to his wife
I started from Gobang about 8.30. I wanted to go over the hills as a shortcut to Jambu. Just imagine, if you don’t know the route over the hills. It’s not on a map. Just a path, winding and steep. I have to push instead of riding on my bike but it was still nice as it was cool beneath the trees. I almost met no one on my way, more over, no one on a bike.
The Ojek rider (the man who takes passengers on his motor-cycle), knows the way. He said: “go to Cilangkap first, then Panunggangan, Wates, after Cigudeg turn back to Jambu. Seems very easy. But the villagers along the path didn’t know anything about Jambu. Perhaps the Ojek man who knows it, thinks: ”this old man is crazy to take his cycle up over the hills. Halfway he certainly will return.”
I then asked some one: “Does it need an hour to reach Cilangkap?” He said: “ Oh, no.” I‘m feeling at ease since it is not so far away as it could be reached within an hour. Imagine my distress, after pushing my bicycle for two hours, I still didn’t arrive. I then realized that what he meant was, that one hour was not enough to arrive at Cilangkap.
I imagined Cilangkap, a village to have roads and more traffic. On the contrary, it was not a village at all. It was amid the hills. There were only some bamboo huts, no traffic. They knew nothing about Jambu except the Panunggangan village. Again a path, but still nice in the cool mountain air.
After exerting a lot of effort and spending a very long time I reached Panunggangan. How happy I was, as there was a road for motor cars. It should be near the main road now, I thought.
Well, If you want to know hell, you just have to go alone along this road at 12.00 am, when the sun is blazing pushing a bike, without provision except a half bottle Aqua water. After two hours didn’t I met a motor car, didn’t I see a hut. I’m afraid that if I’m riding my bike on such a bad road I would get a tire leakage. And that would be worse, pushing a bike in such circumstances as there was no repair shop along the road.
After walking, pushing my bike for hours which seemed like ages, like a never ending road in the hot sun, it was so hot, I pulled my shirt upward to cover my head and face. I didn’t care as there was almost nobody who would see me. It would be tantalizing seeing an Ojek rider passing by. “Hang on,” I said,” never give up, surrender, you certainly will arrive at Wates and Cigudeg. There is a main road.”
.
“This is heaven” as I reached Cigudeg at last, although I still have to ride 3 hours to cover 47 km passing Jambu village to the Bogor city.
At dusk, on the train back to Jakarta, a passenger, after hearing my anxiety of a possible punctured tire in the hills warned me: “Before you start you ought to pray first.” But at home, when I asked Boy, he said “I’m not worried about that. Just take along a tire in reserve and a pump.” So, now will I learn to open and fix back the tire of my bike to be prepared when that happens. I think it is shameful to have God watch over our troubles. He certainly would say: “You lazy fellow, you just want Me to work for you.”
But suppose I got into trouble because of an accident, or forced to have an overnight stay somewhere on the hills, it would even be more exciting, thrilling, adventurous. Perhaps there are people who would help me. I would be very grateful and happy, more over he, who has helped, saved me. If I die, it’s nothing at all, as I don’t have to trouble you or anyone anymore. What if I were helpless, sick of old age? But I’m not yet prepared to leave my fishes, and plants. Who will take care of them? You? I don’t worry about you. It’s you who have to worry, take care of me. Ha, ha, ha.
I’m breathing deep and freely, my feet seem to be very strong and light, my appetite keen and I slept as soft as on a cloud. I saw, felt, what no one would ever see and feel. I’m proud to succeed in overcoming hell. You could say that this is my 73rd birthday present I gave myself. How nice! Aren’t you glad, proud to have your husband like this? Now kiss me. You owe me a kiss.
December, 2003
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