REVIVAL OF MYSELF

This winter is the coldest winter i’ve ever experienced my whole not-so-very-long life. Cold in the actual mean caused me freezing in spite of the warmer that is working already. All I hope I need to do is stay at home and get myself warm whether in the tub or under thick blankets. But i do need to do a hell lot of things today. I’ve told Lisa to expect me this morning for her extra lesson cause her mother asked me to. In the afternoon I need to visit Feinne, my fiancee at her house. She’s sick and she needs me by her side, hahaha. But I can’t stay there for the rest of the day cause my former band will play in the Shaky Rods, a nice bar just outside the town. At least i can show my appreciation by watching them play. Playing songs that i wrote. Singing lines that I used to sing. Pah, I remembered that I also need to pay some bills and buy three lamps. I really need to replace that garden lamp and two other. Hell, It’s one heck of a day. So I get myself ready and hurried to the front door. Usually, snow blocked my house’s door so i’ve got to do some extra work to open it. And that Sunday morning was no different. I sighed and turn the door key open.

“No Lisa, no. You need to put your index finger across the fretboard and hold it tight so the strings sound like this,” I give her an example. Have any idea of what am I? Yes, I am a guitar teacher. What do i do? Well, I teach people playing guitar. Little kids usually, and they’re not so easy to learn, oh hell, they’re not so easy to even listen! But i wouldn’t be like what I am now if only I was not being so hardheaded and leave my parent’s house to be a musician. A young one’s dream. Always seems to be so pretty and reachable. Before i realize my poor luck and choose something more realistic.

“Hey Mister, why do people plays guitar? Isn’t it hard?” ask Lisa suddenly.

“Hmm..,” I think for a second, remembering my youth “Yes it’s hard. But they like it. They like strumming the guitar strings and make some music, carve smiles on other’s faces,” Oh yeah that sounds cheesy but hell, Lisa is a third grader.

“Is that so, Mister? But I don’t like ‘strumming the guitar strings’ so why do I even bother learning to play?” Lisa shows her doll. “I just love playing with my Genie here,”.

I left Lisa’s house earlier than usual. I can’t really stand kids like Lisa. She talks more than she listen. And in order to learn playing guitar, someone really need to listen. I hasten my steps so I can catch up with the 10 o’clock tram at the nearby stopping place. I can’t wait to see Feinne’s pale face. I know it’s weird but i like her being pale better that her usual bright red cheeks and cheerful face.

“Hey Fi, how do you feel?” I kissed her forehead. My lips burned. “Wow, you’re so.. hot,”

She smiled, a heavenly smile, “Well thank you,” and then she giggled.

I sat at the side of her bed and said, “You know what, i brought you Shiitake mushrooms. Your mom is cooking it as we speak,”

“Mushroom porridge for lunch then I suppose. She would never give me anything tastier than that,” She said.

“Haha,” I laughed, “That’s for your quick recovery silly,”

“Hey i’m not silly. I’m not the one who pays ten bucks for a 50 cents chocolate bar,” Feinne touched my cheek. It’s burning. She really got herself severe fever.

I shocked, “Wha.., that’s an old story. Don’t think that you still remember it. But you see, isn’t only the silliest woman in the whole world who would accept a proposal from someone that silly? You get what I mean?”

She opened her mouth like she’s going to laugh but no, she cough. One deep cough and blood spurted from her mouth. I don’t really know what to do so I just took the kleenex on the table right beside her bed and wiped the blood clean from her face and clothes. I whispered, “Take a deep breath honey, I’ll go get you some help,”. I stood, but she suddenly held my left arm tight. “Just a minute, wait here okay,” I calmed her. I drew my arm out of her hand and went out. I told Feinne’s mother what have happened and she called the ambulance.

I escorted her to the hospital, waited her to be examined and i can’t believe what i heard from this Dr. Graff guy. All the doctor said was that she suffered some rare disease which I’ve never heard before which is highly contagious and that she needs rest for the time being and cannot be diturbed by anyone but her family. So not even I can see her. I called her mother and tell her what had happened. She seemed pretty worried and said that she’ll go to the hospital whe Feinne’s dad came home. And now I’m standing at the empty hallway of the hospital, wondering what should I do. I glanced to my watch and decided to go to Shaky Rods now, knowing the band will play in five hours.

Chivas Regal and Cola. The only alcoholic drink I drink and I like. So i have a shot of it and hold it in my hand, not really have any intention to drink it now. And someone touched my back.

“Hey Alf, long time no see,” I said. Alf was my bandmate. He plays drum.

“Yeah, dude. Quite worried you died or something,” He called the bartender and told him to give him something strong.

“Yeah.., I was afraid at first. Leaving the band and trying to live some ‘normal’ life. But somehow I can manage to do it. How’s the band by the way?”

“As same as it always been. Been hiring six different people to take over your place at the vocal section but nothing satisfactory. Dan will be singing tonight.” Alf drank his shot without really thinking what inside. All he knew is it ‘something strong’.

“Good for him. He was the vocalist before I took his place,”

“Yeah, and sure as hell he didn’t happy about that,”

I smiled. An awkward smile. “So, why’re you here already? I thought you’ll play at eight tonight?”

“Well, yeah.. but I practically live in this bar. You know they have rooms rented on the second floor? That’s where I sleep,”.

“Wha.. you live here? With your wife and kids?” I shocked. I thought Alf is still living in his small comfy house on Eiden Street with his lovely wife and two cute daughters.

Alf shook his head slowly, “.., there was.. a problem,”

I spent the next two hours talking about his problem. And we wouldn’t stop if only Dan didn’t come and greet me. Then the rest of the band came and they’re doing some sound-checking when someone caught my attention. An asian girl was sitting alone in the corner, staring blankly to the stage. No, she’s not Chinese, I know some Chinese girls but she’s not like any them. She has those round black eyes unlike slanting eyes like a Chinese girl should be. Her skin darker than my chinese friends, and her shoulder-length hair is black. And her face is.., stunning. As if God Himself came down to the earth and carve it out of the finest material. The curves of her face is so natural and fit her slender tall figure. Wrapped in thin black winter-coat with a little fur accents, she looked so damn gorgeous

BAWANG MERAH DAN BAWANG PUTIH

The story started in a big house where a mother and two beautiful girls lived. There was no man in that house because he was already dead. He left two beautiful girls from different mothers. First mother was dead and left him a beautiful little girl called Bawang Putih. Then after she became young girl, her father left her with a stepmother and a stepsister called Bawang Merah. It was a bad luck for Bawang Putih because her stepsister and her stepmother were not kind of person who liked her.

Bawang Putih was a maid in her own house. She did all the houseworks. She cleaned, washed and cooked. Her stepmother and her stepsister were the queens in the house.

In one usual day, Bawang Putih went to the river to wash her stepmother’s clothes. She accidentally washed away her mother’s shawl. That would be a problem because the shawl was her favorite. When her stepmother knew, she got furious. She kicked Bawang Putih off the street. She would not let Bawang Putih home if she could not find the shawl.

Bawang Putih walked fringing the edge of the river. Her eyes were looking for a piece of yellow shawl stacked on the rocks in the river. However, she did not see anything. Bawang Putih continued walking. She stopped in front of women who washed there. “Did you see a yellow shawl swept away?” Bawang Putih asked them.

“Yes. I saw it. Buto Ijo took it a while ago. Is it yours?” one of them asked Bawang Putih.

“Yes it is. I have to get there then” Bawang Putih said.

“Be careful Bawang Putih. Buto Ijo is crazy,” they warn her.

Buto Ijo was an old woman who lived alone. They said she was a little bit crazy. Her hair was like branches of tree, dirty and stiff. She lost almost her teeth and she liked talking alone. The rumor told Buto Ijo cooked from human bones. It was scary.

Bawang Putih came to Buto Ijo’s house. The house looked dirty and untidy. It is as no one ever lived there. She knocked the door carefully. She heard a walk came to the door. Bawang Putih was a bit afraid. The door was opened, a wrinkle face came from it. Her eyes looked sharply, she seemed did not like to be bothers. “What do you want?” the old woman asked suspicious. She did not smile at all.

“I’m looking for a shawl. It is yellow. The woman in the river said you had taken it. The shawl belongs to my mothers,” Bawang Putih said.

“Yes, I took it. “ Buto Ijo said. “But if you want it you have to stay here for a while and did what I order.”

“What do you want me to do?” Bawang Putih said.

“I want you to clean the house and garden. You also have to cook for me” Buto Ijo gave her conditions.

Bawang Putih agreed. She stayed there for a while, cooked and cleaned the house. Buto Ijo was not that scary like her thought. In fact, Buto Ijo was a nice old woman and funny. She liked her. After couple of days, Buto Ijo gave the shawl to her. Before Bawang Putih left the house, Buto Ijo gave her pumpkin. “These are pumpkin. One of them is yours, Bawang Putih and open it when you get home,” Buto Ijo said. Bawang Putih took the small pumpkin. “Thank you Buto Ijo” she said. Bawang Putih then went home.

In her house, Bawang Merah sliced the pumpkin. She was surprised seeing there was a bunch of jewelry in it. Her stepmother and her stepsister were surprised too. “Where did you get that?” her stepsister asked.

“Buto Ijo gave it to me,” Bawang Putih said. Then she told them the story.

Bawang Merah wanted to get a pumpkin with jewelry in it too. The she went to the river and washed away her shawl in purpose. She followed the shawl and she saw Buto Ijo took it. She went to Buto Ijo’s house and asked her for the shawl. Buto Ijo said if Bawang Merah wanted her shawl she had to stay there for a while and she had to do the housework. It was just as she asked to Bawang Putih. For a pumpkin of jewelry, Bawang Merah agreed to stay there and do the houseworks.

After couple of days, Buto Ijo gave her shawl. Before Bawang Merah left the house, Buto Ijo gave her a pumpkin. Bawang Merah was very happy. Her head was full with images of jewelry. Bawang Merah took the big pumpkin. She ran to her house. She could not wait to slice the pumpkin and get the jewelry out of it.

When she got home, she took the knife and cut the pumpkin. She got surprised seeing snakes came out from it instead of jewelries. She threw the pumpkin and ran out the house.

Malin kundang

Let me tell you the story about a boy and his mother. This boy is a very famous person in my country. No body knows his face but everybody knows his name. The boy was called Malin Kundang. Why Malin Kundang famous? Was he an Indonesian Idol? We’ll find out here.

The story began when Malin Kundang was a boy. He lived with his mother. He didn’t have father anymore. Some people said he’s dead and some people said he left for sailing and never came back. And because the father did not around, the mother had to work for the family. Sadly for the mother, even though she worked hard, still could not make worth living for her son. They still lived poorly and her health was not great either. Malin kundang realized their condition. He was sad. He could not let his mother worked hard in sickness so he asked permission from her to go abroad.

“Where are you going, Malin?” his mother asked.

“I am going to sail, mother. Like our neighbor, he sails and sells many things abroad. Then he comes back with a lot of money. Do you see things he brought?” Malin said excited. “I can be rich too. And you don’t have to work anymore. Please mother, give me permission to sail. It’ll only need couple years then I’ll come back here.” Malin hold his mother’s hand, begged her for permission.

His mother could not say no to her loved child. She knew Malin wanted it so much. When she said yes, he was pranced all over the room.

Malin left by merchant ship belonged to his wealthy merchant neighbor. He worked as one of the ship’s crew. It was very great. He loved the sailing. They sailed from one island to another, met strange people, heard strange languages, experienced adventures and sold things. During the time, he learned about trading from his merchant. Malin was a smart boy. He understood quickly. But the lessons finished when they met pirates at the sea.

The pirates attacked the merchant ship. When they closed enough, they jumped to merchant ship with weapons in their hands. The merchant’s crew tried to fight back but the pirates were too strong. Just in sort time, the merchant’s crew was defeated. They killed all the men and took the goods along with them, then burned the ship and sink it down.

Oh no. Was Malin killed too?

Don’t worry, the story doesn’t finish yet. Our celebrity lived. He hid in a place or pretended dead, I’m not really sure. The pirates thought no one lived and then they left the crime place. Malin hang on a piece of wood, tried to save his life. For couple days he was floating in the sea. His head was getting dizzy. He was cold and tired. His hands could not hold his body anymore. His vision started blurry and then he passed out.

Was he dead? Shark ate him?

No no. The man was not dead easily. He survived. He got cast away at a beach. He was unconscious when the local villagers found him. Soon he stayed with them, made friends with them and then married with one of their daughter. Malin’s wife came from the wealthy family and had a high status in the social community. Apparently that made him shame to admit that he was poor and he was nobody in the social community. So he lied to his wife and her family. He lied about who he was. He said he was alone and no parents.

Malin then started to sail again. With helps from his wife, he traded goods like his merchant used to do. After couple years, he succeed to build his trades business. He had few merchant ships with hundreds crews. He was rich. His dream came true.

One day, Malin sailed to his hometown. With his big ship, he tied up to the dock. He brought lots of goods to sell. Everybody in the dock was fascinated with his ship and his goods. Malin - the new wealthy merchant - suddenly became famous. Everybody talked about him and then the talks were heard to an old woman’s ears.

“Is it true what you say?” the old woman asked the story teller.

“Yes. It’s true.”

“Who was the merchant’s name?” she asked again.

“It’s Malin, ma’am. Malin Kundang.”

The woman was surprised. The words were just said charged her body with full of energy.
“That’s my son.” She yelled. The woman hurried to the dock. She wanted to meet his son that she missed so much. The day that she waited for long time had come. The day where her son would come home. God answered her pray. She met her son again.

At the dock, the woman’s head turned around. Her eyes were looking for a face of her son. When she saw two persons at the ship, she got stood. She saw her son with a beautiful woman. She called Malin but he did not hear. She called him louder and tried to get to the ship. But then two guards blocked her way.

“Who are you? “ One of the guards asked.

“I’m Malin’s mother” the old woman said.

Malin heard the noise. He came closer.

“What is going on?” he asked .

“This old lady said she is your mother, sir.” The guard explained.

When he saw the old woman, he got surprised. He recognized the old woman as his mother. She was older then he remembered. Her hair turned grey, her skin was wrinkle and her cloth was dirty and torn. Compare to him, it’s like sky and earth. She looked like beggar.

And now look what money can do to you.

“She’s not my mother” Malin said and turned his face from her.

“I’m your mother, Malin. Don’t you remember me?” she said. Her tear started to float in her eyes.

“No. you are not my mother. I don’t have beggar mother.” Malin yelled to her.

“Go away and don't come back.” he evicted the old woman.

“You are rebellious son, Malin. You are shame to admit your own mother because I’m dirty and poor. You are blinded by your wealth.” her mother cried, hurt and angry. “I cursed you into a stone. Let God be my witness” .

Suddenly, the sky turned to dark and sound of thunder cracked everyone ears. The sea billowed. The big waves came from the sea and threw Malin’s ship and his people to the ground and crashed it.

Malin got shocked. He realized his sin to his mother. “I’m sorry mother.” he kowtowed, begged her for forgiveness. But everything was too late. God didn’t give second change to Malin. He and the pieces of his ship turned into stones. That’s the power of mother’s words. Very powerful. Trust me. I’ve been there. So be careful when you had fight with your mother, you could be the next stone.

By the way, you can see the famous Malin Kundang and the pieces of his ship rock at Aia Manih beach, south Padang, West Sumatra