My Inspiration

By Nugrahani

Cake, candle, balloon

Cheering up in the air

Happiness paints lots of smile

Yes, it’s not for me…

I never feel happy when my birthday is coming. I hate it. Because at the same time my mom passed away, sacrificing her life to let me in into this cruel world. I remember nothing about her. Only the picture of her that I always kept wherever I go.

My dad is the only one who took care of me, who replaced a mother role in my life. He taught me how to survive in this wild world, how to be strong even the storm always comes. One of his line that I always remember – if you fall 9 times, you must stand up 10 times no matter what – makes me alive until today. Fourteen years after my mom’s dead, he opened his heart to a Chinese woman. Then they got married. I was happy about that since I understand his struggle to raise me by himself. Two years later my stepmother gave birth to a twin girl and we moved to Bangkok. And my story begins here…

March 23^rd 2016.

I stand up at the place where my real life began, where I found the hardest time of my life, where I met one of the most important people for me. Sriwitayapaknam High School’s board is welcoming me. I see a little tiny boy with messy hair standing in front of the class. I think he gets punished by the old woman with a blue scarf who stands beside him. He reminds me about little me and I see myself there.

“Wake up, Ricky! This is not your home!” said Mrs. Sarah loudly while hit my back. I was forced to open my eyes and saw others eyes on me. Mrs. Sarah gave me a gesture to stand I front of the class. I fell asleep at the class, again. I have to stand here until the class was over. Twenty minutes later the bell was ringing.

“Ouch! Thank God, I’m not standing here too long,” I said to myself while stretched my body. Then I packed my book and ready to go home.

“Ricky, can you please come to my office?” Mrs. Sarah said.

“Sorry Miss, but I...”

“I need to talk to you, now!” she was not giving me a chance to speak, I just followed her to the office then.

She opened the door and let me sit in front of her.

“I know who you truly are, Ricky. You are one of my favorite students. You were active, enthusiastic, and smart. You are on senior year; you are going to graduate less than six months. But what happen with you now, Rick?” she said.

I kept quiet for a moment and had a long sighs then began my story…

“In the last semester of second year of, my father business went down. He had to afford quite much debt to the bank. Until he decided to sell our home then we moved to the smaller one. I also tried to fulfill my personal needs by working at Mr. Jerry’s restaurant. Then my whole life was start changing.”

“The restaurant opened on Tuesday until Sunday from 10 am until 10 pm. I started to work after the school was over, at 1 pm, and then I ran about 2 kilos to get to Mr. Jerry’s restaurant. The restaurant always crowded especially at lunch or dinner time. People kept comes and goes, I often had no time to change my uniform. I did whatever I can; delivered the meals, cleaned the desk and floor, and washed the dishes. If I was lucky, the restaurant closed earlier so I could study. If I was not, I kept working sometimes until midnight. At a couple of months I survived and saved my scores up, but the rest?”

“I used too much energy at the restaurant. I had not much time to study. I also often slept at the class or came late to school because I had lack of sleep. And my score decreased significantly.”

After hearing my condition Mrs. Sarah kept her eyes on me, expressed an upset look.

“I know you’re a good boy. I know you will face the obstacles,” she said with a smile a moment later.

“I’m going to visit your mom and dad tomorrow and talk about your academic,” she added before let me left the office.

The next day, Mrs. Sarah came to my home and talked to my parents. She offered to give me an extra time to study after the class finished. They were thankful about that. Unfortunately, she suggested me to leave Mr. Jerry’s restaurant since I had to focus on my study. So I agreed with that and had extra study with Mrs. Sarah until 3 pm.

On the other hand, I still looked for money. I tried to find a job and chose to be coffee shop attendant. I only worked from Wednesday until Sunday at 4 until 9 pm; it was much easier rather than at the restaurant.

“Thank God, she’s still healthy,” I say thankfully while seeing the woman. “Ah, that scarf…” I can’t continue my words.

March 23^rd 2005, Sunday afternoon.

Another bad thing happened in my life. I was going to leave the coffee shop around 9 pm. Then my boss asked me to deliver a mini box to someone named Mr. Andy at train station. “Mr. Andy is waiting at platform 3. He wears black tuxedo and blue tie. Don’t talk to him, just give it,” he stated.  

I agreed since it was near my home and walked in hurry, didn’t want Mr. Andy waited for me. Arrived there, I recognize someone whose looks exactly same with my boss’s description. When I took out the box from my bag, the station’s security approached me. At the same time, the train was coming and I saw Mr. Andy went in.

“Wait Mr. Andy, this is yours. HEI!” I shouted but he didn’t look at me.

“I’m sorry kid, can I see your box?” asked the security.

“Yeah, sure. Actually this belongs to someone, but he just left.” I said innocently.

After checking the box, the security made a call through his handy talkie. Several minutes later, the police came to us and brought me to the police station without asking. As we arrived, the police told me that the box is full of drugs. Shocking, I couldn’t say a word. They suspected me as drug smuggler. I explained every single truth but they didn’t believe it; they thought I was lying and slapped me on the face, not only once nor twice… Then they asked me to call my parents, but I called Mrs. Sarah. I didn’t want my parents knew about this.

A moment later, Mrs. Sarah arrived. Realizing the blood on my cheek, she put her scarf on me then explained everything to the police. After an hour of explaining, the police released me.

Once again, Mrs. Sarah was helping me.

Three months after that accident, the final examination was held. I did my best on it and the result released a month later.

“CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PASSED THE EXAM AND ACCEPT AT BANGKOK UNIVERSITY IN BUSINESS MAJOR.” It was written in the enveloped that labeled with my name, Ricky Klahan. I was too excited then ran to Mrs. Sarah.

“I did it Miss! I passed the test! I’m a college student now!” I said it loudly with a bright smile. She said nothing but smile and swept her hand over my hair and shoulder.

I come with my successful story and tell it to some students at that school. Their eyes look into mine brightly, full of spirit. I see a woman with blue scarf smiling at me from the distance, Mrs. Sarah. I stop the story session and come to her.

“There’s no word to describe how thankful to know you, Mrs., thank you. I just…”

“Don’t mind about that Ricky, your successful is because yourself, you’ve work really hard, you’ve pass the obstacles. I’m the one who want to thank to you, for helping the renovation of our school after that earthquake year ago,” she says and holds my hand.

Yes, I’m that Ricky who suffered so much on my teen age. And I come here to pick Mrs. Sarah up, I ask for one more help from her.

After graduating from college, I opened coffee shops around Bangkok and until today I successfully own 23 shops. I also the founder of Ricky’s Care, a foundation which help children education.

Today, March 23^rd 2016.

My 9^th school is officially open by Mrs. Sarah. My life saver. My angel. My inspiration.

Cake, candle, balloon

Cheering up in the air

Happiness paints lots of smile

Thank God, it finally belongs to me,

as my greatest birthday present…

Life Goes On

By: Rizki Sulistya

I looked at the sky. A sky full of dreams, a sky full of hopes. As I look up, I remember those days. I was not the typical rich boy who goes around the school showing off their new stuff. I was far from that. My high school days were full of pity and misery. I lived alone in a world so cruel that you can’t even think of other for just a second, you just have to think about yourself.

I am 5 foot 7 inches tall, pretty tall for boys around my age. At least that’s what I’m most proud of, being tall. I grew up in an orphanage. No one knows how I ended up in an orphanage, some says my parents threw me away because they don’t have money to raise me other says my parents died so I ended up here. Anyways, I never wanted to know how I ended up here, just knowing the fact that I’m alive makes me happy.

“Edwin! Dinner is ready!!” Shouted a little girl.

“I’ll be right there Eriiin!” Said Edwin.

That’s my little sister, Erin. She means the world to me. We are not related in anything but I just love her so much, maybe because we grew up together and we are together twenty four seven. We depended on each other a lot. I was there when she needed a shoulder to cry on and she was there when I needed a source of happiness. She’s just so fun to be around with, even though she can be a little annoying sometimes.

“How was school?” I asked Erin.

“School was as usual” Said Erin uninterested while playing with her food.

Erin has been acting a little weird lately. She’s not her usual bright self. I’ve asked her several times but she never wanted to talk about it. She just sulking it in by herself. I started to get worried. Every day after I finished my part time job selling noodles, I decided to follow her everywhere she went until I found out what has been bugging her these days. I found out that she has been getting picked on by her school friends for being poor and not having parents. Every day I saw her suffering by herself. I tried to approach but every time I tried to talk to her she got really angry to the point she’ll hate me forever if I keep bugging her.

“Hey, are you okay? Talk to me…” I asked Erin worriedly.

“Go away Edwin! Unless you could give me a parent, a mom or a dad and money then stay, otherwise please mind your own business!” Said Erin annoyed.

“Hey! If it is money that you want, I’ll get it for you… tons of them, I promised! We got each other’s back remember? We are one of the few lucky people to be alive today. There are more unlucky people out there living in the street! We should always be grateful okay?” I said.

“I’m sorry Edwin!” Cried Erin.

“The next time your friend is making fun of you for not having a parent, tell them that at least you have a really cool, handsome and tall brother that is ready to jump for you in case there is a grenade…” I said jokingly.

She then ran and hugged me tightly and we both laugh out loud while trying to catch our breath from crying and laughing at the same time. We shared one of the sweetest moments of our live. From that moment I realized Erin is just a fragile little girl that needs to be protected at all cost. I promised to myself I will work hard to make money for her.

Every day after school I worked hard selling noodles until late at night. But all those money I made doesn’t seem to be enough. So I decided to sell pirated DVDs’ on the weekend. I’d do anything as long as my little sister is happy. The businesses were going really great. Everything was going according to the plan until one day it just started to fall apart all at once. My sister decided to end her life. She left me a letter next to her frozen body.

Dear Edwin,

I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. I don’t know why I decided on this path, but this is the easiest path to take. I’ve been having a really hard time and I know you are too. It was really hard on me to see you suffer for the things I’ve done. I’ve realized money isn’t going to solve anything. It was great at first but I was just getting more lonely and lonely each time and with you working all the time, I don’t think it’s going to solve anything. I’m only in the way for you to live your life the right way. That’s why I took this path, everything is solved now and I don’t want you to suffer anymore, so please live your life to the fullest. I am now in the brightest place high up above. I hope you don’t hate me too much. Even though our place is different now, we will still be together forever. I love you Edwin, my dearest brother.

Love,

Erin

As I read the letter my heart shattered into pieces. I fell to my knees, crying as hard as I could. The people started to gather in the room. They pulled me out of the way but I don’t want to. They tried to lift me up but I pushed them away. I hugged my sister’s frozen body for the last time. I hugged her tightly while screaming my lungs out.

“How could you do this to me?! I thought we agree, we’ll go through this life side by side?!” I cried loudly.

Two months have passed since the day my sister left me. I live my life like the usual, boring life, trying to balance out between school and work. My life has become more depressing after my sister is gone. I barely went to school. For me, working is like the only thing I could do to get my mind off of my sister.

I got called out by teachers a lot for having bad grades. This time was worse. Ms. Lillo even called me to her office to talk about how I failed my English test really badly.

“What happened Edwin? This is the lowest grade you got by far” Asked Ms. Lillo concerned.

“I’m just so tired all the time Ms. Lillo. I can’t seem to get her out of my mind. Everything I do is just reminded me more and more of her” I answered while trying to held back my tears.

Ms. Lillo seems the only person to know that my life has been going downhill ever since Erin is gone. She showed me concern and I feel grateful for that. She told me to have courage and that life must goes on. She promised me to help me get back up and get my life back.

Weeks have passed and I started to get my life back only until I got caught selling pirated DVDs’ by the police and was thrown to jail for months. I was so embarrassed to face Ms. Lillo that I promised myself not to meet her until I become successful.

Today, March 29^th 2016 marked the 5^th anniversary of my noodle restaurant. I now owned few of noodle restaurants that are placed all over the country. Not trying to brag or anything but I can confidently say that now I’ve become someone, a person. Too bad Erin couldn’t taste my hard work over the last few years.

I am now on my way to visit Ms. Lillo after so long. I promised myself to visit her after I become successful. I don’t know if she’ll remember me but I still remember her vividly. I remember she was the only person that showed me concern when nobody else was. She was the one that told me “people come and go but life goes on and so are you, don’t stay in the past, live for the future.” From there and on I’ve lived my life to the fullest. And there she is, standing across the room, the person I admired smiling like I am her most favorite person on earth.

TO YOU

By Debrina Ayu Virgoyanti

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 12 January 2003

Dear Mom…

Hi Mom! How’s life? I want you to know that I’m fine even though you might see different thing from up there. It has been 6 months that you left us and Dad already find someone else. He lives in our house now, having his own family. Dinda and I live in grandma’s house even though there is no grandma, grandpa, or you. Our house is no longer a home for us.

The new semester has just begun. Time flies, huh? I remember the time you brought me a lunchbox for my first day in junior high school. I’m in the 9^th grade now. Since you left, Dinda and I walk side by side to go to the school. She will go to Mrs. Triana’s house after school to help cleaning her house. Then, I will do whatever I can do to provide us food on the table.

Don’t be sad, Mom. I meet a new teacher at the beginning of this semester. Her name is Mrs. Farinda. I’ll tell you about her.

She is my new science teacher. She asked me, “Why did you get score 30 out of 100?” Sorry mom, you know I’m never a big fan of science. Then she kept asking me, “Why did you sleep during my class?” or “Why didn’t you attend today class?” – That sort of thing. I am not an extrovert person, I never will. But her determination of asking my condition touched my heart.

I’m never open up my life to her as I did to you. “I have to work in a restaurant, a shop, even a house. I have to have 3 part time jobs in a day”, that was my only answer to her. She didn’t pity me. She didn’t judge me. That’s what I liked about her. Instead, she helped me, mom. Every day after school, she would tutor me in the library. She was nice.

One day, she even invited me to join her family’s lunch at some good restaurant. It was not a glamorous restaurant like you and dad liked to visit. But it was good. The food was good. She even brought me a take away for Dinda. I asked her, “How could I ever pay your kindness?” The next thing I know, she just smiled. She said, “Don’t think about it. You can thank me later when you have achieved your dream”. I felt so grateful to meet someone like her.

Huh, Mom, I just got my mid-term test yesterday. I got 70 out of 100! Aren’t you proud of me? I even danced in the class this morning. This is because Mrs. Farinda. She has helped me sincerely. Ah, I wish you could meet her. Wow, I’ve been writing forever. I’ll be back as soon as possible.

Love,

Edwin Ave

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 22 June 2003

Dear my beloved mom…

I’m sorry I haven’t writing for so long. I miss you mother, more than you know. Things have been difficult lately. I want to share what had happened in school but promise me you won’t get mad.

Do you remember when our drunken neighbors stole our mangos tree? Then he used the money to gamble in the table card? Well, I might have done something a quite similar. I didn’t gambling though. I was the one they would pay to when the wrestling about to start. But as the show went on, the police came and captured me for involving in gambling. Then I realized, no! The police won’t let me go if there were no family member. Everybody that involve in this business was also captured. So I have no one else except for the fact I couldn’t let Dinda knew about this.

One person that passed my head was Mrs. Farinda yet I was too ashamed to ask her help. She had done so much for our family but I might have let her –or you down with this. But she came and asked me, “Why did I involve in gambling?” I couldn’t help it anymore. I just burst into tears. “I want to create a special gift for Dinda. She is in the 6^th grade now and will have a birthday soon. My 3 part time jobs are just not enough to buy the materials.”

She bailed me out, Mom. She didn’t yell at me nor got angry with me. She just kept helping me with her angelic intention. But once again, I let her –you down. Somebody stole the restaurant owner’s money and they accused me. I was dragged into a police station. But this time I swear I didn’t steal his money. The only person trusted me was Mrs. Farinda. She (again) bailed me out. I felt terrible with her –and you for continuously trapped in a jail. When my class year was about to end, it turned out that his own son had stole it for drugs. The owner had apologized to me. The best thing I learn from Mrs. Farinda is to forgive and don’t judge people. I forgive him –something that is so difficult for me especially because what Dad has done to us.

Hey, I start my senior high school next month. With the help of Mrs. Farinda, I got a good score and entered a nice school. Aren’t you proud of me, Mom?

Love,

Edwin Ave

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 05 September 2010

Dear my beloved mom…

TODAY IS MY GRADUATION DAY MOM! I just finished mechanical engineering study program – something that I would never think in the million years before. I thought I was not smart enough to understand science but it turned out I was wrong. Mrs. Farinda has changed me a lot I high school until I chose science major in senior high school. By the why, she comes to my graduation. I wish you do too.

Hey, I could make an invention right now. I just gave Dinda a new tv that I made by myself. It used old materials but I could modify it into a sophisticated tv. I like to make new things for her birthday. Anddddd, I’ am nominated for my invention in science fair. I hope I can win it.

Something that I hate could be changed in a matter of seconds that is what you –and Mrs. Farinda surprisingly had said to me.  I never thought to like science. I never considered forgiving my father. I never expected to trust someone. But I do. I do. I do now.

I’m applying to a vehicle company. Wish me luck!

⃝⃝⃝

He has become a successful inventor. His hard work has paid off.  Today, before he is awarded as ‘Inventor of the year’, he is sitting next to his teacher and sister. Edwin gives his pieces of diary to his teacher now, after almost 13 years. “Thank you for everything you had done to me. This is only a tiny proof of so many great things you have done for me”. That is his only sentence with a smile before walk to the stage.

Mrs. Farinda answers, “Thank you for treating me as your mother”.

Suffering Memories Trapped in My Life

Once upon a time, there was a handsome guy named Edwin who already success at his career. Someday, he went to his primary school to remind his childhood memories that happened at that school.  Arrived at school, we walked through the classes, looked inside the class in detail and suddenly his step stopped for a moment in the certain class. That class reminded him to his past when he was in the primary school. In that class he learned so many subjects and also in that class every moment was happened. The moments that made him felt sad, happy, upset, etc. Like there was a moment where he got a bad score of his examination and he felt so sad about that. When he was alone, his teacher approached him and asked to him “what happened to you?” and I just said briefly “Am just tired” and then I left her.

Arrived home, I thought that I have to get up for repair my score. Don’t to fall into the same whole. Tomorrow when I went to school, I had a motivation that I should to be better than before. When there was a free time, I went to the library to learn more about my subjects with my teacher. I felt tired and I went home. At home, I ate lunch together with my family. After that I went to the market traditional. In there, someone offered me to play a game which I didn’t know what kind of game is that. When I played it with some of people, suddenly the police came to the market to arrest the people who played that game. Everyone was run out, while me? I was confused where I should go and I was stick at that place where I stood. I was unlucky because the police arrested me.

Everything was fine until in the middle of the road in a curve, there was a truck going high speed. The driver was drunk and the moment their car turned the curve at the high speed. Edwin didn’t have a seat belt so when the truck hit them…..he flew through the window and landed miles away. And what happened to the police? They got stuck inside the car. There was someone who saw the accident, her name is Danita. Danita stopped her car and tried to help with what she could. She saw that Edwin threw miles away and screamed loud for asking help to someone. Suddenly, people came to take them to the hospital and she followed them to go to the hospital.

She waited for their medicinal treatment especially for Edwin because she waited in front of Edwin’s room. She looked worry about Edwin, because was the person who got the wound which was severe enough.

 “God, please save them. Give them strength to pass all of this” she said with the trembling voice.

When the doctor out from the Edwin’s room, she directly asking to the doctor about Edwin’s condition.

               “Doctor, how his condition?” said her with anxiety which looked at her face.

            “He is fine but there is a wound which is severe enough on his legs, but you don’t need to worry about. We can handle it. Anyway, who are you? His family?” said the Doctor.

             “No no, am just his friend” she smiled and said it briefly. “Okay, I have to go now. Excuse me” said the Doctor.

She looked Edwin in the mirror of the door. She wanted to enter the room but she little bit afraid, afraid that she would disturb him. Finally, she took the brave to enter the room. She saw Edwin in a weak condition. She spoke alone “you have to be strong even your condition is weak and you get severe wound” but Edwin didn’t wake up, he was still in unconscious condition. Danita wanted to go home because it was already 7 pm but a part of his soul still wanted to be here, wanted to accompany Edwin in the hospital. She fell silent for a while and finally she decided to go home.

She drove a car while she was still thinking of Edwin. Arrived home, she took a bath and had dinner. After went to sleep, but she could not. She was still thinking about Edwin until she asked herself.

                “What happened with my mind? Why I always thinking about him. I even did not know who he is. Is there something wrong with me or with him? Aaarrgghhh its just waste my time.” she tried to forget him and then she slept.

Now, it was Friday. She got a free time from her office. She thought that she should go to the hospital to meet Edwin and knew about his condition. It takes 2 hours from her office to the hospital. It made her a bit tired to drive a car. Arrived at the hospital, she went to Edwin’s room. She entered the room and she saw Edwin for the first time. Her heart suddenly stopped beating. She looked so nervous when Edwin stared at her eyes. She began to talk the conversation.

                “Are you okay? Ohya I forgot to introduce you. My name is Danita. Am the person who saw your accident and brought you and the police to the hospital.” She explained it clearly and tried to convince him.

                “Oh thank you so much to help and took me to the hospital. You save my life.  I don’t know if the helper comes late to help me. Once again, thank you so much Danita.” He smiled at me with the feeling of relief.

                “Okay, you are welcome. By the way, where is your family? I didn’t see them until now.” said Danita.

                “I don’t know. Perhaps, they don’t know that I got accident and I couldn’t contact one of my families. I don’t know how.” He looked anxious, sad, and like there was something that he thought.

                “I will accompany you here. You don’t need to worry. I will be there for you” said Danita with the flowers feeling.

They spoke like someone who already knew each other and the conversation between them looked like an intimate person who shared everything to each other. It made her feeling increasingly become more interested with Edwin. She looked Edwin like a guy who had sense of charismatic, so perhaps that’s why she always thinking about him, made her crazy.

The time showed at 4 pm and we tired because we were talking too much and Edwin asked me to go out, to the garden near the canteen. He asked me to put him on the wheelchairs. It was a good idea, the atmosphere in the garden could make our mind became fresh and didn’t feel like we were sick. In the garden Edwin told me his story about his childhood.

                “This garden reminds me about my childhood memories. My family and I spent much time together in the garden which full of flowers. We sang a song, shared everything about our life, and we took a picture. At that time I felt very happy to see my family together in this place” he said with the innocent face.

                “I felt the same as you. I ever go to garden with my family. We did something fun there and that was my quality time with my family because now everyone is busy with their work, so they don’t have much time for their family.” She said sadly, looked that she could felt the same thing as Edwin’s family.

They already spent times together in the hospital. It made Edwin felt something weird inside his heart. Could be love? Perhaps it could. Edwin start to think of her, imagine when they spent time together and then he smiled because blushed. He was happy when Danita beside him. He always waited for Danita but Danita didn’t come. He still optimized that Danita would come to visit him. It took 3 hours for him to wait for Danita until suddenly he got sleep.

Actually Danita was at home. There was something happened with her. She shut herself in the room, didn’t want to meet everyone. Her room was so dark and messy. There were papers in everywhere. Her room described her feeling at that time. She wanted to flare up her annoyance, she didn’t know with whom she would to flare up her annoyance. No one could handle it. She wanted to go to hospital to meet Edwin but it was impossible because she didn’t want to make Edwin hurt if he knew this fact. But in hospital, Edwin felt so worry about Danita. He afraid that there was something bad happened with Danita. He went to the receptionist table and he asked.

She stood up in the window with the face full of problem. The problem was on Danita’s mom. Her mom wanted her to marriage with another guy while her heart and her thought was on Edwin, he was one and only guy who could make her heart fast beaten when they met for the first time.

                “Excuse me, did you see a girl who always accompany me and together with me?” he said that someone who saw Danita in the hospital.

                “Sorry, we didn’t see that girl in here” said the nurses.

He felt disappointed with the answer but he could do anything because he didn’t have any information about Danita, even where she lived or her phone number. He didn’t know. So he just wait for the miracle that someday Danita would come to visit him again.

At home, Danita accepted her mom’s cured. She accepted with the forced because she didn’t love that guy, she didn’t know about that guy but her mother threats her if she didn’t want to accept the guy.

                “What should I do? I am so confuse to choose between my love and my family.  It is difficult to consider. I hope my decision is the best decision I ever made.” She tried to convince herself and tried to forget all of her memories with Edwin.

Today, Edwin was picked up by the police and his family from the hospital. He still to be arrested by the police because of his case last day in the traditional market. He waited for Danita but she would not come to the hospital. So, he just entrust the latter for Danita to the nurse. But actually, at the same time it was a Danita’s wedding. They forgot one another by forced because they could not do anything to fight for their love. Edwin must came back to the police station because he was became the captive of the police. He was in a jail in quite long time, it was about 5 years.

A few years later, he was 23 years old. He became a man who successful, who had a job. He reminded his childhood memories when he was in primary school. Then, he went to his school to remind his memories. He walked through the classes and suddenly he stopped in front of the class. In that class, he started to remind all his memories which was occurring during he studied there.
                                                                                        - Tiara Ristyana - 

He Deserves It

Today, October nine 2012 I saw him from the window of teacher’s room with proud. He walked out from a black metallic nice car. He came to school today to fulfill his promise that he made last Friday. He is Edwin Rune, one of my best student. When I looked at him from the distance I remembered how tough his life was. Today was exactly fifteen years ago when the first time I caught him sleeping in my math class. During algebra lesson, I saw him fell asleep on the table. It was a strange view for me because Edwin was the most enthusiastic student in the math class. Edwin loved math so much. I approached his table to wake him up and continue the class. In the afternoon three hours after my class, I was checking midterm math’s score and i found Edwin Rune got 29, the lowest score of this class. I was shocked and wanted to meet him as soon as possible. I called him to my room to ask about his condition which troubling me. He told me everything.

“I’m just very tired. Really tired” Said Edwin. He casted down his eyes.

I asked him “What happened, Edwin?”

“I just left my house because of many problems at home. My parents were fighting almost everyday. They are stressed because they can’t pay the school fee of my sister and I anymore. They also mad at me because I read comic and draw all the time at home. They said that reading a comic wouldn’t make me successful. They also said that if I still want to live at home then I have to sell all my comics and find a job to pay my own school fee. They mad at me all the times, they blame anything I did. I can’t stand anymore, so i decided to leave my house.” Said Edwin while he shed a tear.

Edwin worked at Chinese food restaurant almost two weeks. He slept at the kitchen of the restaurant. He was very tired because his boss gave him an extra job. He had to do all the works in order to be able to sleep at the kitchen. He didn’t have time to study or do homework. That makes him failed on the midterm. I really wanted to help Edwin with all of my strength. So, i offered him a free tutoring twice a week after school. I also treated him a dinner after tutoring session. I knew that he always hungry and didn’t have much money to buy food. It turns out that his salary from working at the restaurant was not enough because a lot of necessary as the third grade student.

Then, he tried gambling for the first time. Apparently that day was his unlucky day. The police went to the alleys to arrested the gambler. Everyone was safe except Edwin. He was jailed for five years without telling anyone including me. In those days, I tried to find Edwin to his house, but the house was empty. His neighbour said that the owner of the house had moved. Later, after he released he continued his life alone. He went to the restaurant which he worked five years ago, but the owner didn’t accept him anymore. So, Edwin did any work he could from being a market’s porter, a newsboy, and even a dustman. I often thought of him and longed to meet him but i lost his contact. I couldn’t do anything, but Edwin was always on my prayer. I hope he doing well wherever he was and I hope someday I can meet him.

Five years have been passed, one morning when he was delivering newspaper from door to door he accidently saw the first page of the newspaper. The headline of the news was “A great teacher led her students to the Math Olympiad” and the picture was me and my students. Edwin was surprised and immediately brought that paper home. At home, he stared at the picture of me and wanted to meet me. But, he thought that he was nothing. He didn’t have anything to make me proud. But at the same time it inspired him to get a better job. He promised himself that he had to be successful and he would meet me soon. Edwin was a good man, he never forgot any advices from his teacher. I once said to him “To be successful, the first thing to do is to fall in love with your work. So, do what you love and love what you do”. Still on the same paper, he starred at the comic section and realized that he really loves comic. He knew that drawing was his talent.

On the next day, he started to draw a simple character and made a comic. In the afternoon, he went to the Bangkok Post, a local newspaper. He tried to submit his first comic. He wasn’t confident until two months later when he had already forgotten his comic, he received a call from Bangkok Post that they were really interested in his work and offered him to make comics regularly every month. That was a good beginning for his career. As he grew up, he was getting more creative. A lot of people and media adored his work. He started to do collaboration with many huge media companies. He earned a lot of money from the collaboration. At his age of 25, he had enough money and partners to build his own company. Comic House was the name of his company. Yet he never changed, he was still Edwin Rune, a good student who never forgot his teacher. He felt that was the perfect time to meet me. So, he came to school to find me on October five. He arrived at school at 3 p.m. but unfortunately I already back to home. Edwin asked my address to the administration. He can’t wait for another day, so he drove to my house straight away. He arrived at my door and rang the bell. As I opened the door, I saw a charming and sturdy man with a neat shirt standing in front of me. 

“Mrs. Anne?” He said with teary eyes and a big smile on his face.

“E-e-edwin? Are you Edwin Rune?” I asked shockingly.

“Yes, I am Ma’am”

He could not resist to hug me. I hugged him very tight. That Friday was like the answer to all of my prayer for Edwin. I was speechless so did him.

“Come in. How have you been, Edwin? How did you get here?”

“It’s a long story, Ma’am. I am sure that you will be the first person to know everything. Do you have time tonight, Ma’am? Let’s have dinner together and I will tell everything”

He treat me a dinner at the five stars hotel’s restaurant. He told me every single thing while we were having a dinner. Before we went home, I asked him one last question.

“Edwin, do you still love math?” I asked.

“Yes, Ma’am. Now, I am an entrepreneur and a comics. But, math is always my favorite.” He said.

“Do you want to teach math at school next Tuesday? I missed seeing you in the math class.”

“Of course I want Ma’am. I really miss being in your class” He said excitedly.

I was so amazed with his struggle. Edwin Rune, a successful 30 years old man. He deserves it. I am a proud teacher.

Jessica Nathania.