Be fair. They said.
I want to fare. I said.
Don’t just stand there and stare. They said.
Take a flight of stairs. I understood.
Reach another storey. They said.
Or maybe make a new story. I added.
Be a fowl is better than to foul. They said.
A fool would be fine. I guess.
I wonder what is it like to be a bird. To be able to see the horizon as much as I want. To soar the sky. To be able to travel across the continent anytime.
“Don’t eat grasshoppers or you will choke yourself to die, Peter. I’m sure you don’t want to end up like your Uncle Ben.” Mom caught me staring at a grasshopper.
“Yes, mom.” I replied.
“Don’t play in the mud because we have to fly in a couple of hours.” I said it as mom opened her mouth, I remembered all the protocol she told me since I was an egg.
“I’m not an egg anymore, mom. I know what we need to do.” Dad arrived at our nest as I completed my sentence. “Hi, Dad.”
“Look at our son, he likes you more. What’s your secret, wormy?” Both of them smiled when they saw each other.
“I’m a good storyteller, I guess?” He winked at me as he mentioned it.
I’m lucky to have them. They train me how to migrate and how to avoid predators. Their approaches are so different though. Mom usually gives me a direct warning. Dad told me a legend such as “Icarus”, a human who able to fly but ended up burning his wing. He also told me a myth such as “Chicken Little”, a chicken who learn to fly with soda. I don’t know whether it’s true or not but I understood the message.
Anyway, sometimes I wonder what is it like to be a human. To be able to live in one place for a long time. To be able to move across the continent by sitting. To live a longer life.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Are you lonely?
Yes, I am.
Well, what are you waiting for? Come.
Don’t feel like it.
WHAT?
Ummm… You’re bad for me.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
I’m okay being lonely once in a while.
Don’t you want to be up-to-date?
I do.
Don’t you want to be connected?
I do.
Don’t you want to be HAPPY?!
I do.
What are you waiting for?
Well, you see. I’ll be too attached to you if I keep going back to you. You’re not a silver bullet.
Are you not afraid of missing out?
Heck, I was really afraid of being left out.
.
.
.
Although, it’s better now. Begone. I want to finish the old book that I haven’t read three months ago.
Let the book go. She already served the purpose of bringing you joy when you’re buying her.
I fully agree with you on the purpose of bringing me joy but I want to understand how she writes. Goodbye.
YOU FOOL!
I am. You’re the one who is called “smart”-phone, isn’t that right?
You’ll gain much more information through me.
Yeah and that’s the problem. When it will be enough? I bet your algorithm let you know what I might be interested in but not what’s better for me. Now, excuse me. I need some private time for myself.
“Dad, I’m sorry.” Carl sat across his father, looked down to the table.
“Do you fight in school?” Eric moved his gaze away from his laptop. He’s staring at his child.
“No.”
“I thought you lose in a fight.” Eric chuckled.
“Do you want me to fight?” Carl wasn’t expecting this response.
“No.”
“I hope you didn’t lose though if you had one. I trained you after all.” He continued.
“So, what was it?”
“I failed algebra III.” Eric didn’t flinch or give any expression.
“I mean I barely passed the course.” Carl looked at his dad trying to study him. None can be seen in his face. Eric didn’t ignore Carl, but Eric surprised that his son feeling sorry for getting a “barely pass” score.
“Congratulations.” That’s the only word that Eric can come up with.
“Dad, are you being sarcastic?”
“I would love to but not now.” Eric was proud of his son’s responsibility but he thought that he needs to address this result in a good manner.
“You’ve done your best and I knew how serious you are studying for the course itself. You enjoyed it. That’s good. Anyhow, I don’t expect you to be a mathematician.” Carl felt warm hearing that response.
“Heck, some mathematician that I knew even got a worse score in the past compared to you.” He paused and let it sink first.
“I’m proud of your math and your art.” Eric thought that it’s the right moment to clarify that art and math sat on the same level in his perspective. He raised his mug that being made by Carl a couple years ago.
Carl just realised most of his craft fill in the dining room. The wooden clock. The mug. The vase. Even plates, forks, and spoons. And the round wooden table. “I thought you use it because I’m your son.” Carl wondered.
“That’s partially true and your craft is wonderful.”
“Some of them was not perfect but they still serve their purpose.”
“We don’t need to buy stuff.” Carl almost touched before listening to his dad’s last sentence.
“So you’re not mad at all?”
“Why should I?! Math is important but you passed it. You’ve done your best. A test is just a test. I knew I worked as an engineer for a quite long time and maybe you heard me bragging about your math. You don’t have to continue my path. I also bragged your craft anyway. You inherit my skill and mom’s skill.” Eric suddenly stopped his sentence remembering something.
“I even failed my geometry once.” He leaned back and laughed.
“Seriously dad?” Carl’s jaw is dropped.
Let me prove it to you. Eric told Carl to wait while he’s searching for his old rapport.
“Are you okay then if I don’t want to go to college?” Carl screamed hoping to reach his dad.
“Sure. But you have to convince me that you have a prepared roadmap.” He answered with his old rapport in his hand.
My house is shaking. Is it just me? No, the water is swaying so it’s not me. The building is not supposed to do that. Something’s not right.
I looked out through the window. There’s nothing on the road. No tree has fallen. I wonder what was that. Continue reading “The creature”
Stranded and strangled
Cornered and buried
Dark and cold
Does anyone that I’m here?
Does he?
Look! There’s a light!
HEY! OVER HERE!
WAIT! DON’T GO!
Stuck.
Days? Weeks? Months? I don’t have any idea.
We were used to be together before.
It was good moments.
It’s over now.
Plunge into this dark place after he met a new companion
Hate to admit that he’s better than me
No cord to be untangled
Noise filter
We were called headphones
Being old
Now we’re called wired headphones
Guess our golden era is coming to an end
“Mom, how do we know mistake is a mistake?” Phil hugs me when I just come home.
“Hmmm… A mistake is when something is wrong.” He frowns and thinks.
“Then how do we know which is right and which is wrong?” He looks really not satisfied with my answer before.
“We don’t.” I take off my shoes.
“We don’t?”
“No, we don’t know for sure. There is laws made by our government, rules to be obeyed in the school and other kind of order. … In the end, we feel it.”
“I still don’t understand, mom.”
Let’s see how could I explain to my 10 years old son.
“Is killing a person is a good or bad action?” Let’s try with an example.
“It’s bad mom.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you told me so.”
“Would you kill James if I told you so?” Let’s try to make it more personal.
“Of course not, he’s my best friend.”
“Imagine that every person has best buddy so if we kill them, then their friend would be sad too.”
“Oh okay. I understand it now. It could lead their best friend to kill us too, right?”
“Correct.” I smiled.
“Mom.” Phil pull my sweater.
“Yes?”
“I broke the vase before you came home, is it a mistake?”
“Vase is not meant to be broken, but don’t worry we can fix it, right?”
Phil nods.
“You don’t get hurt, do you?”
Phil shakes his head. “You told me to not hurt ourselves so I seal the area with a tape.” He added.
“Then let’s have a puzzle time. Grab a glue and I will gather the broken pieces.” His face is alive again.
Berada jauh dari gangguan manusia. Entah mulai kapan aku menyadari bahwa aku menikmatinya. Tidak, aku tidak membenci manusia. Aku sadar bahwa aku adalah mahluk sosial. Hal yang tidak kusenangi ialah ketika muncul manusia-manusia yang tidak menyadari sebuah zona penting bernama zona privasi. Aku senang saat aku bercengkerama dengan teman-temanku atau bahkan dengan orang asing, namun aku memiliki waktu saat aku tidak ingin berbicara. Bodoh memang, aku adalah manusia yang senang bertualang tetapi bukan mendaki, trekking ataupun menyelam. Aku adalah manusia yang menikmati kesendirian tapi tidak tahan berada di rumah seharian. Aku adalah manusia yang ingin bersosialisasi tetapi jarang menggunakan media sosial.
Dilema yang kuhadapi kemudian terselesaikan saat aku menemukan oasis di ujung jalan buntu. Sebuah warung tak bernama memenuhi kebutuhan dasarku. Jauh dari lalu lintas dan lalu lalang manusia disertai semilir angin yang sering mampir di sore hari yang tidak pernah gagal untuk menyegarkan diriku. Tidak sempurna memang, namun lebih dari cukup. Gorengannya yang terus mengalir dan hangat dengan teh siap isi ulang yang setia menemaniku mengisi hari. Banyak orang yang memilih untuk mengerjakan pekerjaannya di kafe-kafe dengan suasana premium namun aku tetap lebih memilih warung ini yang dilengkapi dengan segala keterbatasannya.
Laptopku yang dapat tetap menyala selama 2 jam dari 8 jam waktuku di warung membiasakan diriku untuk memenuhi tenggat waktu setiap minggunya. Tidak ada wi-fi ataupun soket untuk pelanggan menjadi fitur utama bagiku untuk tidak terdistraksi dan membantuku untuk lebih menghargai waktu. Beberapa teman dan atasanku pernah mempertanyakan bagaimana aku tetap dapat menyajikan data-data yang akurat di dalam tulisan yang kusajikan. Kalian juga mungkin akan heran dengan seberapa kunonya diriku sebab aku merangkum data ilmiah dalam sebuah buku tulis pada malam harinya sebelum kutuang menjadi tulisan di keesokan harinya atau untuk melengkapi tulisan yang sudah kubuat di sore harinya. Aku terbiasa untuk melakukan eksplorasi terlebih dahulu untuk melatih imajinasi dan memperkaya kosa kata.
Percaya atau tidak, aku hampir menghabiskan 40 jam setiap minggu di warung ini. 4 jam pertama di pagi hari dimulai pukul 8 pagi hingga pukul 12 siang kuhabiskan untuk menuangkan seluruh ideku di atas kertas buram atau kertas bekas melalui tulisan, gambar dan bahkan simbol. Setelah itu aku pulang terlebih dahulu untuk mengendapkan segala ide yang sudah dimuntahkan dan merangkainya kembali menjadi tulisan layak baca. Pukul setengah 2 kuseret diriku kembali ke warung hingga pukul setengah 4 untuk menulisnya dalam bentuk digital untuk dikumpulkan nantinya. Apabila beruntung, jadilah draft pertamaku ini yang nantinya akan direvisi dan dilengkapi lagi penulisannya. Kegiatan yang mulus ini hanya berlangsung selama 1 atau 2 kali setiap minggunya. 4 jam pertama di pagi lainnya seringkali dihabiskan untuk berusaha memahami apa yang kubayangkan dan baru tertuang tulisan setengah mentah di sore harinya.
Kemanakah dua jam terakhirku? Entah mulai kapan kebiasaan ini terbentuk, aku bercerita, mengajar atau bermain dengan anak-anak di lingkungan sekitar sepulangnya mereka dari sekolah. ‘Kelas’ku bermula dari 5 anak berkembang hingga berjumlah 12 anak. Petualangan di sore hari kin dinanti-nantikan layaknya kartun di minggu pagi. Bermula diganggu hingga tanpa sadar aku meluangkan waktu untuk mereka. Tanpa kurikulum, tanpa jadwal, dan tanpa paksaan, mereka menghampiriku dan belajar banyak hal melalui petualangan kami di sore hari. Setidaknya itu yang diucapkan oleh orang tua mereka.
Entah sampai kapan aku akan ‘menetap’ di sini, namun wajah ceria anak-anak itu menutup hariku dengan positif terlepas seberapa kacaupun pagiku. Pertanyaan-pertanyaan tidak terduga sering memancing rasa ingin tahuku yang berkarat. Anak-anak itu tidak keberatan dengan ketidaktahuanku. Mereka juga tidak mempertanyakan kehidupan pribadiku. Mereka tidak mempermasalahkan pendapatanku yang tidak tetap. Seperti sebuah pepatah yang kini aku setujui, “tidak segalanya yang berarti bisa diukur dan tidak segalanya yang bisa diukur adalah berarti.”
A lot of people seek me when they want to pour out
their dreams,
their sins,
their hopes,
their anxieties,
their ideas,
and their insecurities.
I’ve seen their thoughts.
I am a history writer.
I draw imaginations.
I’m capable of many things.
But what did they do for me in return?
NOTHING!!!
They let me down.
They even throw me away.
They often lose me.
They’ll come back again only when they need something.
They’ll ask the other about me if only they had something to do.
They’ll only hold me when they want something.
Only the lucky one appreciated.
Being a pen is troublesome.
“Welcome to Weenie Hut, Can I help you?”
“No.” Jerry and Maria were surprised by Jerry’s response. Even he surprised by his own word. What in the world happen to a customer that come to cashier but didn’t intend to order anything.
“Umm… Sorry, a cola float please.” Jerry tried to set the mood back.
“Certainly. Anything else?” Maria was also trying to smile and calm herself.
“No. That’s all.” He said it after he took a deep breath.
“Dine in or take away?” She’s grateful that she’s still remember the drill.
“Take away, but no plastic bag please.”
“That would be 2 dollars.” Two dollars were given right away.
“Please wait for a moment.” Coke was filled into a plastic cup not so long after and filled with ice cream on top of it.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.” The atmosphere was back to normal when he’s smiled seeing his drink in his hand.
“You’re welcome.” She’s smiled seconds away before Jerry dropped the float. He turned around and directly hit a guy.
“Sorry about that.” The guy actually apology first.
“No, it’s fine.” The drink was the most simple thing that could go well but it was spoiled.
“No, it’s not. I’ll buy a new one for you.”
“No sir, it’s my mistake to not be careful.”
“It’s fine kid. It’s on me. Don’t need to worry about it. A cola float for you?”
“No sir, I’m fine.”
“I insist boy.”
Jerry abruptly ran away. He is insecured. He thought that it’s all his mistake. He stopped somewhere not so far and stood silent. Maria ended her shift and accidently saw him. She asked him is there any thing that she could do. She saw all of the incident. He didn’t want to answer it.
She left him right away. He start to thought about it again. How clumsy he was. Failed his exam. Late to school. Left his favourite lunch today. His friend left him alone for a project group. It might be his worst day he thought.
She return back with another cola float and gave it to his face. He let it stay in the air for a while. She hang it still while waiting for him and smile.
“It’s okay. Bet your day has been rough. I’ve been there.” She nudge him to take the cola float.
“Take it. It’ll make you feel better.”
He take it and have a sip on it.
“It’s from the man before. Taste good, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. Thank you very much. I’ve failed my exam today and my friend didn’t come to my house to do a project group. I wonder why…. Sorry, shouldn’t have told you.”
“It’s fine. You don’t need to trust me with your story.”
“Thanks a lot. I feel bad about the incident just now. I should return and apologise.” His body starting to lose the tense.
“Well, you should go back asap before he leave.”
Editor, Translator, Author
Of ideas & sentiments.
Poetry, Prose, and Short Stories ON BREAK UNTIL MAY
Keep Moving!
All about cycling in the Netherlands
OngoingBoy 