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
23rd 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
23rd 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
23rd 2016.
My 9th
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…
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