Two Cents, Two Friends

Six years after our high school graduation, I finally met an old friend who used to be my partner in crime. We ran a club together, we became a champion together as a team. He was the most cheerful and hyperactive person I knew in school.

He was sitting with his son at the mosque when I arrived. I didn't see the cheerful guy that I expected. Instead, he greet me calmly while holding his son. We shared our stories after graduation. Apparently, he's been through a hard time during his wife's pregnancy. She was dying when she gave birth to their child.

Is it a hard life that makes him so serious now ?

I've seen some of my friends have changed. In the way they talk, the way they behave. While I still stay the same.

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"No, you don't", she said.

I try to believe her. Because I think the one who notices our change is other people not ourselves.

We sat in a long sofa - too long for two persons - in a cafe that we had just found that time. It's a quite comfy for me. The coffee also quite decent and I love the decoration. The place named "Two Cents".

Movies, politics, and social topics have been talked about during that 3 hours sitting. Then suddenly this question popped up her mind.

"Do you think we have to marry the one we love or the one we can have a good conversation with ?"

She never runs out of questions and most of them are usually interesting. I tried to understand the question and understand what I want to say before I speak a word.

"The one we love. Because, when two people love each other, they will have a good communication. But the person whom we can have  good conversation with, doesn't mean we love them."

In fact, I rarely have good conversation with people I loved. They though that I'm boring instead. But I guess, good conversation is a bonus from a good relationship.

"Well, I'm not an expert in relationship. I've been in one since last two years."

I shifted the topic that is not being my concerned right now and sipped my coffee till the last drop.

Suppression

Psychoanalysis : The conscious inhibition of unacceptable memories, impulses, or desires. [Oxford Dictionary]

When the word crosses my mind, it always brings a negative meaning. Something weak is restrained by a more powerful or greater thing. Mathematic says that when negative meets negative, it might produce a positive one. I might also apply to ourselves. A negative trait of me might be changed to a better one if we inhibit particular memories, impulses, or desires.

So, now I'm really working on suppressing those negative traits in me as well as inhibiting the affection from negative surrounding.

"He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still" - Lao Tze

No places for a loner on Satnite

If Mosby says "nothing good happens after 2 AM", I believe there is something good after that hour which is serenity.

What I wanted was just a quiet place to read while sipping a cup of coffee and green gea latte. But I might forget about something called 'timing'. Instead of serenity, Braga street was full of accesories and booths. It's Saturday, the day where the street is changed into culinary festival.

So I drove my motorcycles to Dago and other areas in Bandung. Still, I couldn't find a place where there's a peace empty single sofa in it. Almost all of them are full of families, groups, or couples. There's no place for a loner on Saturday night.

Finally, several hours to a dawn, I found a place where I can sit peacefully and quietly. Lesson learned. If I wanna have a me-time on Saturday night, I better wait at least after midnight.

SMS

''Lo tau kan, kata orang, kalo orang semakin tua tuh semakin kayak anak kecil dan sensitif ..", Kata Dayu mengganti topik pembicaraan setelah dua jam penuh menceritakan pacar baru nya kepada teman SD nya yang baru saja beranjak pulang lima menit yang lalu.

''Iya. Kayak bokap gue."

"Jadi mending lo jawab deh, kalo dia nanya atau SMS. Karena mungkin buat kita nggak penting, tapi bisa jadi pikiran buat dia."

"Iya. cuma ga tau kenapa gue tuh orang nya gampang bete kalo ditanya-tanya orang rumah"

"Walaupun bete. Mending lo jawab deh, ortu kita tuh udah tua. Mungkin aja mereka nggak ada ketika kita lagi di sini. Mungkin sekarang risih ya dengan pertanyaan - pertanyaan itu. Tapi lo bakal nyesel ketika pertanyaan - pertanyaan itu udah nggak ada lagi. Jangan sampe ternyata itu pertanyaan terakhir dari mereka dan lo nggak jawab .."

Glek! Aku menghentikan sedotanku pada strawberry milk tea yang tiba-tiba terasa lebih asam dari saat pertama aku meminumnya.

Anonymous

Jarang banget tertarik untuk mengobrol dengan orang asing di tempat umum. Tapi kali ini agak berbeda. Wajah ibu itu terliha sangat bahagia. Beliau kemudian memulai percakapan kecil saat aku menunggu kopi pesanan ku datang.


''Kerja dimana A ?'', tanya Ibu itu yang usianya sedikit lebih tua dari Ibuku.

''Kemarin sih di Cimahi. Sekarang lagi cari lagi, mungkin mau balik ke Jakarta''

''Oh Sama, anak ibu oge kamari baru pulang dari Jakarta. Abis sidang katanya. Minggu depan kelulusan nya gituh ... Alhamdulillah lah ahirna beres'', si Ibu bercerita walaupun aku tidak bertanya. Wajahnya sangat bahagia menceritakan anak nya yang baru selesai kuliah.

''Wisuda nya kapan bu ?''

''Oktober cenah''

''Lama juga ya.''

''Kan nunggu yang lain meureun yah''

Mungkin wajah Ibu tersebut akan jauh lebih bahagia ketika menghadiri acara wisuda nanti.
Semoga tidak sebaliknya.

Random weighted

Going to cinema and have a lunch together while waiting for the showtime. That`s what we always do when we meet up.

But I never get bored to have the after movie discussion or hours of talk during our lunch.

We talk about our recent activities until social issues.

We never run out topics to talk about.

And for the first time in 7 months of my idleness, I feel human. It's been a long time I don`t have that kind of random but weighted discussion.

All I hear is a friend who is bragging his blackbook, a friend who is complaining about their husbands, a friend complaining about their illness.

Well, even a good listener needs to talk.

That was quite a nice discussion today.

Mate, I hope my future partner can make me not stop talking like this.

Well, I will try not to stop talking when I meet that one this time.

Maybe that`s right what people say, bestfriend is a family we chose.