Repay Loan With A Kiss

Repay Loan With A Kiss

“Well, repay this loan some day with a kiss” said opa Johan to his wife.

April 2011

My Home And Me

Welcome!

My Home And Me

This, right now, right here is my home and me. Just takes a minute to be there. Wherever you are, even at the end of the world, whenever you want to, dinnertime, even bedtime. You can come in your daily wear, barefooted, or on slippers. You don’t need to travel by plane, train, or take a car. Just ring my doorbell http://www.leisurelyreading.blogspot.com/ and there I am and so do I look like.

Leave anytime you like and in a minute you’ll be back home.

Chew GH

My Photo?

Why? Do you want to see my photo? Do you want to see a scarecrow?

The Scarecrow

Self Portrait

And I were jealous,

And I feared,

And I desired the forbidden apple

And I fell

And hurt myself.

Kin to those who’re so human,

To all creatures, all life.

I am Nature’s Child.

My Brainchildren

Blessed with a loving mother’s kiss, they enter into the world.

Better Know Or Not Know

Better Know Or Not Know?

What would you choose?

March 2011

Loaned In Ice Cream

Loaned In Ice Cream

“Hmm, how delicious” as si upik scooped her ice cream by little dainty bits. “Do you want some of mine? I’ll give you some.” knowing that I awfully like ice cream.

“I have had mine. No.” I said.

“Oh, don’t pretend, don’t lie” she said. What if you take this ice cream as a loan.” she insisted, persuaded me.

“What would you do?” I asked Pak Arif.

“Well, I would repay your little daughter’s loan with a kiss.” said he.

Form Berita Buana July 26, 1997

March 2011

Fit In Harmony Together

Fit In Harmony Together

A long shadow of a man and a woman in the moonlight is before me. How they fit together in harmony. It is the shadow of myself and a woman, my woman.

A man among men is no man, a woman among women is no woman, but …………….a dreary desert, dark night without stars.

December 1976

March 2011

Imagine The Adventures ...

Imagine The Adventures …

As I think, imagine about all the naughty adventures, desires, “sins”, which I enacted, thought, committed secretly in my mind, no detective, no one whoever could catch me, no one could ever forbid me, even I myself.

Could you enjoy food which isn’t tasty,  scent rose-fragrance, while smelling something very nasty, enjoy music when it is out of tune, believe what you don’t believe? So, how could I not love someone whom I love;  not hate, whom I hate? Who could ever forbid, prevent me from being so.

“Sure” said pak Arif. “How could I not love Bach’s Passions, Chopin’s ballads, Gershwin’s songs and so many great novels, films, kinds of fruits, kinds of dishes,…, but a married couple should  observe one love only. Otherwise they should hide them secretly, safely in their thoughts or commit a sin  when they fall into temptation. Oh, God, am I so lucky, grateful for loving not only just one but so many women. Ha. ha. ha”.  

1975

March 2011

Opa Johan May Look Like A Scarecrow

Opa Johan May Look Like A Scarecrow

Do you remember when Kartini said  “Your puffs don’t rise. Mine rises and is as big as a tennis ball but  yours is as small and as soft as a turtle egg.” But I insist that your puffs are the most delicious. Melting on your tongue like cream, though it might not be very pleasing to the eye.

Hearing her  exquisite voice on CD (that’s my kitchen secret) I fancied her as a slender beautiful little angel. Seeing her in a picture:  a corpulent lady.

Did you ever ride in Krisanty’s car? It is old, worn, faded from the outside, but its engine is powerful.

So, I may look  like a scarecrow but inside am I “jempolan”, (as he raises up his thump), ha, ha, ha. Aren’t you proud of your husband?

What, which, whom do you choose, like?

(Remember, this is Indonesian English)

June 2008

March 2011

"Dollar-ize" English?

”Dollar-ize” English?

“Why? Our ministers were answering in the English language as questioned by foreign reporters. Their specialties are financing, economics, banking not fluent English. And they were questioned so rudely  as though to interrogate someone at fault during the press conference on the 3^rd agreement with the IMF.” So said si Upik indignantly when she saw this on TV.

“What if we reverse and question them rudely in fluent Indonesian while they’re so polite to answer, though in broken Indonesian? How would that feel?”

“Well, shouldn’t we be proud of to speak Indonesian? Let them learn the Bahasa or have a translator do this for them. Why be ashamed, feel inferior if one doesn’t speak English very well or doesn’t want to speak in English? Would we ‘dollar-ize’ English as the dollar?” 

“No. We are dollar-izing, … eh, English-ing Indonesia, ha, ha, ha.” si Buyung jested.

“I imagine that Francoise Mitterrand, Helmut Kohl, Hashimoto, Yeltsin, Li Peng, certainly are capable of English but perhaps prefer to speak in their own mother tongue. During a U.N. Conference, delegates of different countries could have their speeches in their own language. It isn’t degrading the speaker or his country. I think that there are a lot of good, valuable works on science, art, business, trade, travel originating in many foreign countries.” said si Buyung.

“So, have the best, most valuable works translated from foreign languages into Indonesian for our own good, advantage, interests as soon as possible. The whole world would then be eager to learn Indonesian. What an honor. Ha, ha, ha.” si Upik clapped her hands.

“It’s a shame when we become so foreign-minded that we  are as though foreigners in our own country.”

From Bisnis Indonesia  May 2, 1998

March 2011

A Thought On War

A Thought On War

It’s sad to have even children join in war as reported in “Time” June  1990 “Child Warriors”. How they’re instructed to use the guns, educated how to kill the enemy and convince them why they should fight, kill. How they suffer, face losing an arm or feet or an eye, even life.

Does it then make any difference when not children but grown ups are involved, are sacrificed? 

Suppose it doesn’t happen far away in another country, or not just as shown on TV or in a film, a book or as is reported in a paper, but suppose it is really hitting you hard as losing your father, mother, sister, … your feet, … What a loss, what an ocean of sorrow, of suffering.

What’s a drop of consolation to be called a hero, granted the Cross of Honor. And  with regard to a hero, isn’t it him, who is so brave to disobey commands, duties to shoot, cannon, bomb, send missiles like raining fireworks to kill, destroy his neighbors and brothers in war? 

“If no one obeys, there won’t be any war. Well, let him fight, invade, raid, commit the atrocities, and justify  himself and not instigate, involve so many innocent people  in a war to win a dispute with a large army to force, realize  his ambitions. Ha, ha, ha.” So said si upik.

From Bisnis Indonesia, June 26, 1990

March 2011

Wonderful, Unbelievable!

Wonderful, Unbelievable!

Just within three weeks an egg is hatched and changed into a living, breathing baby chicken, complete with feet, wings, eyes, ears, a beak, flesh, bones, intestines, lungs, heart, brains which isn’t there before.

A caterpillar just has to change itself into a pupa and sleep to awake as a beautiful butterfly with other properties without learning it. A chameleon changes its color without paint. A firefly carries its living light without batteries for life.

How perfect a snake is running without feet, squirrels chasing about in  trees. The spider climbs without effort  its spider’s thread, web,  a bird  sleeps perching on a branch and a bat doesn’t err flying even in the night while sleeping hanging on a rock with its head downwards without being tired or dizzy.

The sea doesn’t rise with the incoming rivers, then transported tons of water high up into the air without effort, without giant basins, trucks, so pure without distilling apparatuses and returns  it back as a kind of blessing to the earth as rain or snow.

Wonderful, unbelievable!

1972

March 2011

Syruped Snow-ball

Syruped Snow-ball

When I was a child  I enjoyed sucking shaved ice pressed on a stick with syrup on it. I never  saw snow except on TV, pictures. Children snow-balled and I thought it would be fine to have some syrup on a snow-ball or have the snow in a bowl with condensed milk, a bit of fruits, pudding as in a cocktail, we call it here in Indonesia “Es Shanghai” but with shaved ice, not snow.

March 2011

Opa Johan's Best Medicine

Opa Johan’s Best Medicine

“You certainly can sleep” said my wife. “Don’t force yourself to sleep. You certainly can rid yourself from the sleeping pills.” What an agony after sleeping using sleeping pills. And every time I could not sleep she always comforted, encouraged, convinced  me that I can.

So now am I freed of it. Her words, the thoughts were even better medicine than the sleeping pills.  That’s just one occasion, instance. There were occasions when I felt wretched. How depressing were words telling, sentence, condemn, doom you that you should remember your age, to stop exercising so “hard”. Those words made me depressed, ailing, unhappy. I don’t mean to ignore medical advice, or not respect it. Their knowledge certainly is invaluable.

Yet, I succeeded to recover my health (K. Cooper) and still bicycle as before some 50 Km. I’ve improved my sight (W. Bates), my voice, my memory, my feet, fingers, by exercising them, at least, they don’t decline so fast. Have you heard of Lance Armstrong who exercised himself and succeeded to floor his cancer and became the Tour de France Champion 6 times  - if I’m not mistaken - in succession? Meir Schneider who regained his sight when he was declared legally blind before?  Thanks to encouraging words, thoughts, the best therapy, medicine for me.

Remember the song Home On The Range?

…Where seldom is heard a discouraging word

And the sky is not cloudy all day.

June 2008

March 2011

Election For The Worst Ad

Election For The Worst Ad

“Every time I saw that ad on TV. the first thought was an election for the worst ad. Certainly, this ad could be nominated for a prize in ugliness and might  be the champion, ha, ha.” si upik laughed. But which ad, no one will know. It’s si Upik’s “Kitchen Secret” (Rahasia Dapur) as not to hurt, offend the owner.

 

So, when there were really such an election one would exert his best to have his ad attractive, pleasing to the eye. Who would want his ad to be nominated as bad, ugly, unsightly, hateful to the viewer?

I like the ad with a crippled, hopping plane who luckily landed safely on the ship  and the pilot limping, luckily falls safely in a net instead of in the sea.

“It’s a pity” said si Upik. “If I were the designer, I would make him fall, and fall, and not realizing, he wouldn’t fall in the sea, but fall, just guess, … in the arms of a goal keeper, eh, helplessly in the arms …  of a lovely angel. That would be really lucky” said si Upik.

Berita Buana, August 13, 1996

March 2011

Musing On My Digital Camera

Musing On My Digital Camera

One day in the future, I believe that the camera will be so supreme that we could wear it on our head or our face as glasses which could “see” exactly as what we see. Then would I wear it on my bike travels and anyone, my wife my sons, daughter, friends could “bike” with me, share the wonderful views, the joys on my biking trips, tell you where I am just by clicking to my camera “station”. But that’s in my imagination.

Yet, with my digital camera now, am I content as I could  have my photo’s in my  photo blog.

March 2011

Remember It Without Torturing My Brains

Remember It Without Torturing My Brains

When I was a child, a boy, I was forced to learn, - they say - of things of great value, but I got me almost nothing except a lot of brain burden, of which I’m not proud of and gladly would forget. Now when I’m over eighty and free to learn, am I almost doing nothing, yet I got me precious things, remember it without torturing my brains.

March 2011

Things To Remind Myself

Things To Remind Myself

Take your time.

Never rush because of short of time, except, unless you eagerly want to:

run into an accident,

produce, turn out poor work, poor writing, poor performance, ...

become stressed

be unhappy.

Take your time.

To well prepare whatever you do, be proud of and be happy later as a valuable present to yourself.

March 2011

A Delight To The Eye

A Delight To The Eye

See the silhouette of a tree at sunset as a wonderful painting in black and gold.

See the lovely waving shadow of a flower on the wall.

See the smoke of obat nyamoek (a slow burning stuff to keep away mosquitoes) delicately appear, ascend artistically and vanish in the air.

See the mango tree blossoming as a wedding veil.

See the moon peeping behind the clouds.

“And especially, never miss to see your sweetheart’s smile to you, you dumb head.” Si Upik added a note in si Buyung’s diary.

     

Ekonomi Neraca, February 25, 1997

March 2011

As Though I Were A God

As Though I Were A God

Not even live, but watching the match on TV after knowing that Croat was beaten by Turkey in the European Cup 2008 was stirring, as though I were  a God knowing beforehand of what was fated, what was in store for them.. To pity, to have compassion for the players and thousands Croatians who cheered and rejoiced, with their first goal not knowing that they were to cry. While seeing Turkey and their supporters under tremendous pressure and anxiety, not knowing that they were to rejoice. Isn’t it fortunate that the Gods do not reveal to us, who would be weeping and who would be laughing hereafter? What do you think?  So said Pak Arif to me.

March 2011

A Thought On Mishaps

A Thought On Mishaps

Joey our dog wouldn’t be lured, tempted by a little bit of meat to enter his chamber as he was excited seeing another dog.  Dismayed, we had to postpone going out and I feared that my daughter who would  drive the car would cancel our outing. After about ten minutes, which seemed a very long time, he became calm and she succeeded to have him enter his chamber, quickly shut his door, afraid he was going out, enjoying himself on the street as we intend to go to a small special fried chicken restaurant enjoying ourselves, took the car out, satisfied,  breathing freely.

“Nothing left”, a waiter welcomed us as we arrived. What a disappointment, we felt dismayed again. Yet my wife and my daughter insisted,

“Is there still rice?” 

“Sure.”

“Sayur asam?” (Indonesian vegetable pot)

“Yes”

“What is there still left?”

“ Two portions of fried shrimps.

Then another waiter passing us softly said:

“There are still two chicken pieces.”

“No”. said the one on duty.

But on insisting to look again, they indeed found two chicken pieces left. So we  happily ordered a simple meal of one portion fried shrimp, two chicken pieces and sayur asam as our dishes. How we enjoyed this simple fare.

As we went home I said “What a splendid outing this evening”. It was full moon seen through the front glass panel of the car, the moon was rising, sailing as fast as we drove, before me and I remembered when more than 45 years ago, we, with three little children sitting crammed,- no, not crammed - but triumphant, cheerful, happy together in an open Pedi cab (becak) on our way to have Italian ice cream, the children also said that the moon and stars were sailing with us.    

A similar happening occurred when we were visiting a puppet theatre “The Little Prince” of A. de Saint Exupery. We were in a queue and when it was our turn, there were only two tickets left while we need three. Now what? Not take it?

“Take it”, said my lady. “Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to get one. Just reserve a seat for me. People are more compassionate towards a woman.”

So I and my son, ­- imagine a man and young man, were rescued by a weak, old woman, that is, a daring, bold angel - went in saying good-bye, and good luck waiting anxious in the dark hall for her. Then she came.

“Did you got a ticket?”

“Yes” she said.

“How did you do it?”

She whispered, “There was, perhaps a French gentlemen of the corps. Diplomatic who asked what is the matter with me to the man in charge of receiving visitors and he told him that I’m waiting for a chance to buy  another ticket. ‘Oh’, he said and he turned to me, took out his pocket, said perhaps :’Here, take this ticket. I’ve more than one’ in French what I didn’t understand. I Couldn’t say anything except ‘Merci beaucoup, Monsieur’  the only words I know about French, but instead, I said “Thank you Sir” as I haven’t the nerve to say so, lest he should speak French to me.. He smiled and went away.”

How happy we were to be together again. Receiving such an unexpected kindness of a foreigner is even more than seeing the performance itself.

And I think that little disappointments, misfortunes, mishaps, accidents on the contrary are like  ingredients that make life sweeter rather than when it’s running perfectly, smoothly without disturbances, risks. It has something of an adventure.

May 2008

March 2011

A Good Man Covers His Goodness

A Good Man Covers His Goodness

It would be better when the demonstrators don’t plant paddy on the high-road in front of the United Nations head office in Jakarta, to be covered by the press, TV, and seen, by the United Nations and the whole world. Instead, not to plant just once but many times by going down the villages, rice fields, giving aid, information, … to farmers. That would be welcomed like a blessing, though not seen or praised by the people or the world.

Sure, a good man on the contrary covers his goodness, his merits, his concern, knowledge, accomplishments, his aid, donation, to his neighbor, as he would be ashamed of himself lest he should do this  for show. He follows his own heart’s dictates, conscience, instead of blindly obeying ethical teachings. As a firefly, he carries his own light, religion in his heart.

So comments someone when he saw demonstrators plant paddy in Jl. Husni Thamrin in the news papers.

From Suara Karya,, January 21, 1999

March 2011

A Dear Friend

A Dear Friend 

No need to talk to.

No need to be witty, interesting, smart, delighting, or entertain him.

I can think my thoughts openly.

For hours, days, years he isn’t bored with me.

He gladly, readily goes with me  wherever I go, in rain or shine.

He is delighted with my coming home, without asking distrustful questions.

He is my dog.

Suppose, when I on purpose leave him alone somewhere with the wish that he goes astray, yet will he return happy and gladly, joyfully  meet me without hard feelings.

When my acquaintances, my friends, my children and even my wife have left me, my dog will be the last creature to leave me and only then,  whenever he has the heart to do so.

Only in the eyes of my dog, am I forever rich, young and good. Where I am, there’s his home.

How I wish Eve could be so dear.

1977

March 2011

The Reformer

The Reformer

There’s a fine statue in Jakarta of Harjuna* and Kreshna* standing in their warrior chariot drawn by eight fiery horses. How it stirs the imagination of one who watches this artistic work for a long while.

Harjuna had just shot his arrow into the air, fighting, warring evil spirits which are hovering over the earth, whispering wicked spells into the people’s heart. When these spirits are among happy, cheerful people, unrest, envy, suffering, destruction, quarrels arise and tears are flowing.

“Evil spirits carry disaster, enlightened whisperings bring blessings” said si upik.

I remember Pak Arif’s enlightened thought. He said that he isn’t offended, doesn’t envy others who can afford to stay in a five star hotel, have a mansion as a palace, owning many giant corporations, tour the world, eating steak, ice cream, wine every day and he doesn’t. His feet are worth more than a Mercy, his brain and body are even more than computers and a space station. His health, freedom, happiness is turning the simplest foods into a heavenly meal.

He doesn’t have to trouble, to busy, to worry himself about reforming the country and the people as many people already chase, compete, busy themselves after it. He feels himself so rich, what, whom should he envy, ha, ha, ha, he laughed. In fact, pak Arif could only afford to buy himself a bicycle.

And where the chariot passed, where the horses ran, galloped and stepped, springs were spouting, welling up clear, fresh water. The earth became fertile, green, trees growing, heavy with abundant fruits, the paddy rich in golden showers, flowers bloomed, birds were warbling, butterflies, dragon flies hovering, … even when it was a dreary, dry, rocky region before.

When they passed through the ruins of a fire or the remains of a plunder, there was new construction, when they passed through poor, forlorn villages the villages prosper, there was no unrest, suffering, hate, jealousy, blackmail, And when they visited government buildings, there was no so called Corruption, Collusion, Nepotism anymore. Anywhere, any place they visited became peaceful and something of a paradise.

Following Kreshna’s divine advice, Harjuna traveled, rode the whole land to establish a dream kingdom, Indraprastha. “Oh, no, that’s not Harjuna, but he is the Reformer, building a new, prosperous, happy, peaceful, beautiful Indonesia!” whispered an inner voice and I waked up from my reverie. It’s a pity that this should just only be a dream.

* Note

Harjuna a hero, Kreshna a God in the Mahabharata

From Suara Karya, August 24, 1998

March 2011

Opa Johan's Old Bike

Opa Johan’s Old Bike



“Well, choose a fine bike that’s strong and low-priced. But sell the old one first. I will provide for the money. This is what your grown up daughter told, ordered me to do as I teased my wife. “ said Opa Johan to me.

“Well, it isn’t nice to be hurried, ordered, do this and do that, just to buy a new bike, as though I have no dignity anymore. If she’d like to give me money, let me decide what I will do with it.


The Creator has given us hands without prerequisites. He didn’t order us to use them for praying only. We’re free to use them, to work with, to dance, to paint, to embrace, to play the piano, to bless, yes, but also to hit, strike, hurt just someone else or an animal without reason. Only, could, would you do it?. Ha, ha, ha. Our hands can accomplish a lot of things, not to speak of our feet and our organs and limbs.

I haven’t the heart to sell my old bike which has carried me thousands of kilometers, served me for years and given me a lot of pleasure to a vendor. It would be ungrateful. I’d rather give it to some one who would appreciate it If the old bike should be sold as something old and useless to a vendor, well, don’t buy me a new bike. So I said to my wife.” said Opa Johan to me.


I kept silent, reflected and remembered the saying:. “Money is a good servant but a bad master.”


Suppose I’d like to help some one in difficult circumstances, perhaps it’s better to aid him or her with a sum of money as a gift to have him free to decide for himself, rather than giving him in the form of goods.


He certainly will make money his servant and spend it wisely, with care for the most important purposes without having to lower himself by begging or asking for it.


But if we make money our master, I then thought of the speculators who made their profits by “manipulating” the dollar rates, our forests that were cut down, our lakes, marshes dried-up, nature’s treasures exploited, our conscience corrupted and a thousand and one awful things for the sake of money.


From Sinar Pagi, February 22, 1998


March 2011

A Time Traveller's Visit

A Time Traveller’s Visit

According to theory, - this is no imagination of the mind - man can travel in time as travel in space; to the past or to the future, so Stephen Hawking in a lecture at the university of Oxford asserts some time ago.

Then, some one in the year 10.000 A.D., boards a time vehicle and landed in Jakarta of today, he points to the traffic jams, the “mountains” of garbage, the quality of water in the rivers which is as dark and foul as water in the sewers. I told him that our government did a lot to solve the current problems: has broadened the streets, the roads, building toll-roads, improving the quality of the working force, implemented reforestation, curb inflation, ... To every problem, of land, unemployment, housing, education, he again and again insists: “family planning; one child only. Not two or more.

We can support, provide a living for more than a hundred billion people of the earth if we want to, not just 6 billion as it is in this, your time. Yet, we just keep our earth population at about one million only, to maintain, ensure the welfare of our earth, of all living beings, including plants as well.

For, each child that isn’t born, a larger living space, a better livelihood is opened for the living.

The thought slowly dawned upon me and I saw the unwanted crying puppy which was left on a garbage pile at the road-side in the rain. Yes. It were better not to be born, instead of being discarded, neglected, die or starve from want of food or sickness.

“With a ‘one child’ family planning program, within one generation, the numbers of your Indonesian people would drop from 200 million to 100 million. All those pressing problems would become less severe.

Within two generations, the Indonesian people will number 50 million.

Within three generations, Jakarta will be freed from pollution, the water in the rivers clean, the environment green and the fauna prosper.

After four, five generations, Indonesia again will be as the former so called ‘emerald’ on the equator.“ so he said.

I started, as I remembered the FAO report, that forests in Java and Bali have been cut down till only 9,5 % is left. That was in 1995, what about today?

“If the theory of travelling in time were true, why aren’t there any time travellers of the future visiting us?” I repeated Hawking’s haunting question to him.

“Suppose I really am some one of the year 10.000,” he answered, “there will be no one who will believe me and think I am just dreaming or mad, including you and Hawking.” and he disappeared, leaving me perplexed, startled, uncertain, whether it is real or a daydream.

From Jayakarta, June 24, 1995

March 2011