I’m Spellbound in a Natural Place, Kebun Bambu Restaurant

I’m Spellbound in a Natural Place, Kebun Bambu Restaurant

By Tiara Ristyana

 In 2013, my family and I went to hometown to meet our relatives in Comal, Central Java. Have you heard about Comal? Comal is the name of sub-districts in Pemalang, Central Java. "Comal" is the name of a river in the area of Comal. Comal is very close to Pekalongan, the famous town with Batik in Central Java or we often called it “Kota Batik”. 

It was 2 pm when the sun was so bright and the street was so crowd. We decided to park our car in the roadside near the school and traditional market. I stood in a silent for a minute and looked around. Comal...it was very different. I felt everything was so unpretentious. I saw the people who used a pedicab as their vehicle to go the traditional market and they brought a basket made of plaited bamboo. Another thing that I saw in there; most of the doors of their house were made of wood which was carved in a different motif. It became my special signal if I went to my hometown “If I see those, it means I already arrive in Java”. 

Suddenly, the sound of the horn from a big truck made me shocked in a daydream for a moment. My mother called my name for several times, she wanted to asked me to find a restaurant near the street because we were hungry and need to rest. We found a restaurant, named “Kebun Bambu”, a restaurant near the “SMA 1 Comal”. Kebun Bambu restaurant is located in Ahmad Yani Street No. 33A Comal, Central Java. When I entered the restaurant after that my step paused for a moment when I saw the natural beauty of this restaurant. The waitress approached us while she asked where we wanted to seat.  We sat under the hut, a small hut made of wood covered with the roofs. 

I saw everything in detail. Started from the table which made from a wood, the waitress, the clothes which the waitress wore, until around of this restaurant. The tables made of the thick wood which was on the edge of the tables were not mashed in order to make it looked artistic and traditional. There was also a “kentongan” (a drum made from bamboo or wood) which the function as a tool to call the waitress. 

The clothes which wore by the waitress was captured my view. They used a unique uniform. For her clothes, they wore a traditional kebaya which is often used by Javanese. They weren’t wearing pants, but they were wearing a brown batik fabric with a very beautiful motif. 

Javanese is famous with their polite behaviour and soft when they are talking with someone. This is what I saw and heard when the waitress approached my table and asked what I wanted to order. It made my heart feel surprised, astonished, and said "it turns out that there is also a restaurant that not only preserved the traditional elements but also still retains the character of Javanese".

I really enjoyed the environment at the Prima’s restaurant. On the behind where my family and I ate, it can be seen a spacious garden with green grass and beautiful flowers which were planted there. The wind blows the leaves and flowers sway and made me think how beautiful nature that God created. What a beautiful nature!

After I ordered “Kepiting Soka”, a special food in Kebun Bambu restaurant, we decided to go home. Before we left the restaurant, one of the waitresses came close and invited us to come to the Batik and Souvenir shop in this restaurant. After everything was done, we left the restaurant and the waitresses said “Thank you for coming, we hope you can come back to the Kebun Bambu Restaurant.” they said that with a smile and spoke with a heavy Java.

Mr. Yudi: A Successful Businessman

Mr. Yudi: A Successful Businessman
By Tiara Ristyana

Maybe for some people, the success can only be obtained by a person who has good education, but it does not apply to Mr.Yudi.

Yudi was born in Ulujami, Central Java. He lives in Penggilingan, East Jakarta. He is 60 years old and also he is a successful businessman without having a good educational background. He has business which is to make a pant uniform. He built his business in his house. He put his business in a big room in his house where there is so many sewing mechine as tools to produce pants uniform. The room was equipped with a radio that could be entertainment for employees when they work, beside that the room was clean so it can make employees feel comfortable.

The success that achieved by Mr. Yudi today can not be separated from his hard work, willingness and sacrifice that he did. He was formerly only an employee who worked in the same field as him, as a tailor.

“Before I had my own business, I was an employee who wants to know and learned how to sew and make clothing patterns because of that my knowledge gain."

In 1980’s, he came to Jakarta to start his business. In 1983, he moved to Penggilingan, a place where he lives until now while he’s continuing his business. He distributed his product in Jakarta to Sumatera.

Is not easy to achieve success, there are many obstacles that must be faced by someone who has a business and how someone can face that obstacles.  It is also experienced by Mr. Yudi as a successful businessman. Mr. Yudi experienced a lack of funds to start his business because he did not have enough money to buy the equipments for his business and he did not know what he should do at that time.

“At that time I was confused because I did not know what I should do. I wanted to have a business to make a pant uniform but I did not have enough money to buy the equipment for my business. I did not want my parents knew this problem until I chosed to become a tailor. That job could give me money and knowledge to start my business later.” He said with a sad face.

Yudi’s desire to have his own business turned out to be realized through his strong desire. The money that he collected to start the business growing each day and slowly he started his business, but there was an obstacle that he had to face it. It was difficult to find an employee to produce his efforts.

He said “It is difficult for me to find the employment or maintain the employment and also when the production materials rose to hinder the performance of the production. I think twice whether I wanted to continue this business or not. I asked for help to my friends to find people who want to work on my business. Finally I got 8 employees."

Mr. Yudi already had own employees and enough money to run his business. He started to sell his products by setting up a small shop in his house and then he tried to sell his products throughout Jakarta.

With friendliness and religious attitude which is applied by Mr. Yudi in building his business, it made him has many friends who wanted to buy his product and become his business partner.

He said “how to maintain this business in order to stay current is to be patient and honest in trade because if we always be patient and honest, we will get the benefit and Allah will bless us."

Mr. Yudi is a discipline person, friendly, and also firmly. In the family, he was a father who teaches his children to always be honest and patient. He did not have people who could be his inspiration. He only believed in his ability, his knowledge to build his own business.

"We live only once so when we do an activity such as trade, we must always be honest because with that, we will get prosperity abundant from Allah even though we do not have the ability and good education, Allah will surely make it easier and provide way out to us."

[Mid-term] Tiara Ristyana - My Life My Experience (Short Story)

My Life My Experience
.

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, especially mathematic subject. 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. After that, the police took me to the police station but they just gave me some advice that I should not played on that game. And than I may go home and I could go back to school.

25 years ago, I already become a man. A man who had a job and many complicated problems that I had to solve it. There was a problem that I couldn’t solve it, it was very annoyed me. I couldn’t focus than I decided to go the traditional market, the place that I ever visited when I had a problem. In there, someone offered me to play a game which I didn’t know what kind of game is that. It was remind me of my past. 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. They took me to the police station.

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 didn’t go to his home because he should go to the police station because of his problem with the police. He arrested by the police was about 5 months. After the detention, he could go home. Arrived at home, he sat down at the corner. He looked like thought about something. He went to some place in a hurry. Apparently, he went to his primary school. In there, he walked through the classes and started to bring back all his memories when he was in primary school.

My Life My Experience

My Life My Experience
By Tiara Ristyana
.

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, especially mathematic subject. 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. After that, the police took me to the police station but they just gave me some advice that I should not played on that game. And than I may go home and I could go back to school.

25 years ago, I already become a man. A man who had a job and many complicated problems that I had to solve it. There was a problem that I couldn’t solve it, it was very annoyed me. I couldn’t focus than I decided to go the traditional market, the place that I ever visited when I had a problem. In there, someone offered me to play a game which I didn’t know what kind of game is that. It was remind me of my past. 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. They took me to the police station.

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 didn’t go to his home because he should go to the police station because of his problem with the police. He arrested by the police was about 5 months. After the detention, he could go home. Arrived at home, he sat down at the corner. He looked like thought about something. He went to some place in a hurry. Apparently, he went to his primary school. In there, he walked through the classes and started to bring back all his memories when he was in primary school.

[Mid-term] Tiara Ristyana - Scooter Oh Scooter (Poem)

Scooter Oh Scooter

Don’t feel noisy if we pass in the morning or night

Does not mean to disturb and spite

We are right and it’s alright

This is the knight without a light

Many people are not interested on us

Because we are not superfluous

We are fabulous

This is our point plus

Don’t ever look us with the eyeshade

Because our existence will never fade

We are not afraid

This is us which have a grade

Drama: The Necklace

The Necklace

by Guy de Maupassant

(In a dining room)

The space of the kitchen was not so wide but not so narrow, measuring only three by four meters. The wall of the kitchen made of dark brown ceramic floral blended with the ivory colored paint. In the left corner there was a kitchen sink with a faucet where the water came from a well at the rear of the house. Beside the kitchen sink, there were equipped with a gas stove gas underneath and given the lid like a small door. At the top there was a ceiling made with little tiny holes to allow air to exit and enter through the tiny aperture. The floor was covered by cement. The place rack kitchen tools located next larder made of black wood. There was also a dining table surrounded by two old wooden chairs. Above the table, there was only the hood of food and only rice in it.

 In the old kitchen, there was a woman sat on the chair while she was waiting for her husband, Monsieur Loisel. The woman named Mathilde Loisel. She mused as if there was she thinking about. She lived in the affluent family. The item that she and her husband had was the item that she and her husband needed. Her husband worked with people who were rich and it made her also have rich friends. It made her felt little depressed and distress.

One evening, her husband came home with an exultant air, holding a large envelope in his hand.

Louisel : Here’s something for you.

Mathilde : (he took and opened the invitation and read it quickly) The Minister of Education and Madame Georges Rampouneau request the pleasure of the company of Monsieur and Madame Loisel to do them to honor  to pass the evening with them at the palace of the Ministry, on Monday, January 18.

The face of her husband looked happy at the beginning but suddenly, it became restless.

Mathilde : (she flung the invitation petulantly across the table) What do you want me to do with this?

Louisel : But my dear, I guessed you would be pleased with this. This is our great occassion to meet big poeple there. You never go out, come on dear.(he tried to persuade his wife)

Mathilde :(She looked at him of furious eyes, and said impatiently) can we go to another places which more interesting rather than we go to that party? Like go to the beach and do the party there?

       Louisel : (he still trying to persuade and convince his wife) but....we do go to the party, right?

 Mathilde : I mean free party whom everyone don’t need to wear knotty clothes with luxury jewellery, should looks beautiful and something like that. (she spoke with eyes filled with tears and not long after that, she cried)

Louisel : But who will invite us? Our friends don’t give a party like that. (he wondered with the confusion expression)

Mathilde : I dont know, am just saying. We have a rich friends. They sometimes hold a party. In there, everyone wears the beautiful dresses, luxurious jewellery, and beautiful shoes. And...how  about me? I had no dresses, no jewelry, nothing. (she explained while she cried)

Louisel : (He had not thought of that.  He hesitated—)  But the dress in which you go to the theater. That looks very well to me— what’s the matter?

Mathilde : (she replied in a calm voice as she wiped her tears on her cheeks—) No, nothing. I had no clothes  or beautiful dress or luxurious jewellery. I can not go to that party, dear. Am so sorry. Better if you give this card invitation to your colleague who is worthy to attend that party.

She suddenly fall silent but she was still sobbing. Louisel also fall silent and the atmosphere on the dinning room also became silent. Both of Louisel and Mathilda did not what should they do and said.

Mathilde : (She stood up and left her husband alone in the dinning room and they finished  the dinner in the silent)

Louisel : Honey, wait. We need to talk. Mathilde wait— I want to talk with you.

Mathilde did not came back because she did not hear it…

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 - 

A Monkey and Twin Turtles

Tiara Ristyana - A Monkey and Twin Turtles

In the middle of the jungle, there were a group of animals such as monkey, goat, dog, rabbit, and twin turtles. They were talking about their stories to each other, while they ate many kinds of fruits that twin turtles brought. After they talked about their stories, they went home but twin turtles whose name are (Boy and Bey) and monkey were still there. Monkey approached the turtle Boy and he said “Boy, there is a party in Cherry Village. I want you to come with me. You want it?” “Yes of course I want it Monkey” said Turtle Boy. “But I only invite you to come to the party, I don’t invite your brother and I want you to bring a lot of fruits for our stock if we get hungry” “Hmm okay, I agree I will not tell my brother.”Arrived home, Turtle Bey slept and Turtle Boy packed the fruits for their journey. Suddenly, Turtle Bey woke up and asked his brother for what he packed a lot of fruits. At first, Turtle Boy did not want to admit it but finally he said the truth that there was a party and Monkey didn’t invite you to come together with us and turtle Bey allowed his brother to go.

Turtle Boy and Monkey went to the party. In the middle their way, Monkey tired and asked Turtle Boy to take a rest under the tree. “Uh I’m so tired Boy, do you feel the same?” “Yea, me too” said Turtle. “Let’s open your bag, I want to eat banana!!” said Monkey with an excited feeling. “No, don’t! This is for our stock. We are still far from the Cherry Village, so it’s better for us to keep it first.” Turtle Boy little bit mad with Monkey. “Okay.” said Monkey. After that, they continued their way. Monkey thought that he must think about how he could get the fruits.

Finally, he got an idea. He will arrange the strategy. He left the turtle Boy and he made a trap there. He made a hole which covered by the leaves in order to make Turtle Boy fell down into the hole but there was someone who knew his strategy. Monkey came back to the Turtle Boy.When they passed the road and Turtle Boy stepped on the hole, apparently he didn’t fall into the hole. “How can he did not fell into the hole?” he said that in his heart with the high tone. Then Monkey confused why he did not fall into the hole. And then, he forgot about that thing and he rearranged the strategy “I have to make him fall into my second trap no matter what!” He swings on the rope with the hope that he could get the fruits from the Turtle’s bag. Then again, someone looked what Monkey did. He rushed to shift the tree, so when the Monkey swinging, he will hit the tree.

The strategy was successful, Monkey hit the tree and he failed to steel the fruits from the Turtle’s bag. After they passed a long way, they arrived to Cherry Village. In there, they were separated. Turtle Boy was put into the cage by someone. Then Monkey came to acquitted Turtle Boy out from the cage but with one requirement “I will acquitted you out from the cage and you can meet your brother but you have to give me all your fruits. How’s that?” asked Monkey, “Okay I agree” said Turtle “Thank you Turtle. You are a good friend”. They already had changed the position and Turtle left the Monkey to meet his brother. Actually, this cage was a tool for the animal that will be cooked after party was over. While Monkey was in the cage, Turtle went home to meet and tell everything to his brother. His brother said that actually someone who helped him when Monkey wanted to trap him. “I was there when Monkey wanted to trap you. He wanted the fruits.” Turtle Bey explained it explicitly. “I didn’t think that he was a friend who crafty and greedy. He was a friend who has thousand ideas to get anything that he wants.” said Turtle Boy clearly.

My Status Shoes

My Status Shoes

By Tiara Ristyana

Ripped jeans, dirty shoes, hungry stomach

How he wishes reality to be a dream

Clothed in fine shirt, fine shoes

As if he is bestowed with God’s blessing

Sparks do have flaws

For fine shoes are no better than legs to run

That teaches him

Gold does not measure one’s blessing

Scooter Oh Scooter

Scooter Oh Scooter

By Tiara Ristyana

Don’t feel noisy if we pass in the morning or night

Does not mean to disturb and spite

We are right and it’s alright

This is the knight without a light

Many people are not interested on us

Because we are not superfluous

We are fabulous

This is our point plus

Don’t ever look us with the eyeshade

Because our existence will never fade

We are not afraid

This is us which have a grade