You May Kiss Opa When You Are 17 Years Old

You May Kiss Opa When You Are 17 Years Old

So said Opa Johan to his grandchild, “but now you won’t, except you could steal a kiss.” And she “vowed” to do so, witnessed by all the family members. Can you imagine her eager to steal a kiss. He’s sitting in front in the car and she, from behind, waiting patiently for a chance by luring him into oblivion suddenly attacks. When she doesn’t succeed, she tried to force a kiss by tying him up with her hands and he said: “foul, it doesn’t count.” When she succeeded she triumphantly proclaimed her victory “One – Zero, Two … - Zero”.

But as she grew up into a beautiful girl she felt a bit awkward.

“Then I’ll free her of  her promise on her 17th year as her birthday present  and tell her that it was just to tease her, a playful deal between a little girl and an adult. Every time she, a little girl, so anxious to kiss an old scarecrow like me that was a lot more than when it were offered, given freely. But this was done, taken by force despite my prohibition. I was so grateful, I didn’t tell her, no one.  How great that was can you imagine. Ha, ha, ha.” he said to me.

And I mused to never promise, vow if you can’t keep your vow; promise to love, be faithful forever if later you’d be sorry, repent to be bound, tied by it as I remember Si Bhuta, our pigeon, so free, still giring, (passionate in love running after its mate), faithful without vows or severe oaths even in old age, though she’s crippled, old, “ugly” and can’t fly, and I felt ashamed.

July 2008

How To Steal A Kiss

Opa Johan’s granddaughter wrote a  letter how she succeeded, managed to steal a kiss of granddad without having to wait 10 years more. Her letter was  in Indonesian.

To Opa:

How kiss opa? Like this: talk about songs or music and wait, patient. And we must sit beside or behind (in the car). That’s the way. Want to kiss you must sit.

So my story, one day I, oma, opa papi, mami and etc. in the car. We talked songs, then he’s hit. Every time I always hit a kiss opa. (without first having to wait till 17 years old)

From Angela

March 2004

May 2011