This Lovely Weed

This Lovely Weed

How she, this lovely weed, rejoices as she grew from the dark undergrowth and saw the sun.

October 2011

This Lovely Weed

This Lovely weed (her neighbor)

The Baby Waringin

The Baby Waringin

And there’s no earth, soil to live on. How did she get her weight out of nothing but dust, air and almost no water, growing, standing, fastening herself in a corner of a wall?

October 2011

Wrong Again!

Wrong Again!

Little girl was drawing with crayon. Wrong, she wiped with a darker color. Wrong again, another color on it, wrong again. In her anger she swept through her painting with black. Failed, she thought, but it was displayed on the wall in the class room as good, valuable by her drawing teacher.

 1969

 October 2011

He Was A Prince, A Very Woman Lover, Lady Killer

He Was A Prince, A Very Woman Lover, Lady Killer

“And I thought of  Bill Clinton, Khadafy, Sadam Husein. But best in my eyes, opinion is our late president Soekarno.” So said Opa Johan to me. “He was  so manly, stately, brave, handsome, a prince, a very woman lover, lady killer. We, Indonesians may be ranking far below of other  nations in development, yet are cultered, civilized, humane. We don’t reproach, blame, impeach him for having so many wifes legallly or perhaps secretly. King Salomo had more than a hundred wifes, but I picture him a bit feminin.

“I don’t think Soekarno would very regret his down fall as when he reflected on his happy life before with the many beautiful women he had had, conquered.”

October 2011

I Thought I Was That Good

I Thought I Was That Good

“I thought I was that good” said Opa Johan to Pak Arif.

“But as I now think, what is there that does me credit? It started not according to my will but only afterwards it became my will because I accidentally encountered and so liked it.

“How can I want something that I do not know? What is beauty if I never knew it before? By chance I met a beauty and so knew and loved her. If I love music I also by chance heard beautiful music, otherwise I would not like and study music. If not by chance I knew the computer, I certainly never would learn to use the computer. When I wanted to study at the University I didn’d know about the many studies it provided before.

“I never thought, wanted to write, shoot foto’s, make recordings before, but as I  accidentally knew and later knew how exciting, engaging it was,  did I want it, learn it. When someday I am well versed  in it that does not do me credit but owe it to the occasion to be aquainted with.

“When I’m 81 now, without needing glasses and still be able to cycle some 50 Km, that was because by chance I read  W. Bates how to read better without glasses and read Cooper on staying healthy with aerobics.

“I’m lucky to be still alive going  through the dangerous times of riot and revolution, from running into accidents, ...

“Formerly someone said that life starts at 40, then someone today asserts, i. e. comforts himself,  that life starts at 80 as he celebrates his 80th year. Opa Johan whispered, I’m bragging now, I’m so sorry if one starts really living in old age,  I started living even when I was not five. Ha.Ha.

“Sure, you are very extraordinary, not by mere chance, or being lucky, as fundamentally, basically, each man and woman is very extraordinary created said Pak Arif. Ask Pak  Chew about it.”

October 2011

I Don't Repent My Wrong I Did On Purpose

I Don’t Repent My Wrong I Did On Purpose

“You pay me Rp 8.000.-. This is Rp. 7.000,-“ said the woman of the foodstall as she handed me my picnic.

“Sorry. It’s my fault but doesn’t matter.”  I laughed, it’s so cheap and don’t repent my wrong I did on purpose.

October 2011

You Blockhead

You Blockhead

Little girl said affectionately to her father who prepared her milk: “the milk isn’t sweet enough, you blockheeead” stressing on the word blockhead. How wonderful it was. It was much warmer than hear her say “dear father”.  There was no one who ever had the courage to say so to him.

1969

 October 2011