It's my life

C'est ma vie. This is my life.
A male by birth, man by choice.
Love sprung in 1981 between Indrawaty Rusli and Widjaja Jong. Both went to Paris, London, Holland, Milan, Tokyo, Hokkaido and Medan to celebrate their bliss. They did not know what the future was going to be, and nor did they know what the future holds. Little did they know what was going to happen to their children, or being parents.
I recalled my mother telling me that both my dad and herself were watching a romantic movie... and all the sudden I kicked her stomach so hard that she almost fainted. That evinced the time has come. My parents rushed to the hospital imminently.

At 12.03 am, I took a peek at the world for the first time, crying bitterly like anyone else, thinking "why? why am i borned here? Why earth?". It was 16 August 1986, a day before Indonesian's independence day. Ils sont heureux... My parents were so jaunty and jubilant...

In this troubled land, poverty is too common and corruption is overflowing and luxuriant. The muslims are against the chinese. The chinese are displeased by the muslims. The indians remained neutral throughout the century. Publicly, the chinese, being minorities, stayed in their own neighbourhood, prefering to be introvert than mixing their problems with the major xenophobic population, the islams. Oddly and notably, the chinese are usually rich. Their wealth is abundant. As for the other races, they live in poor areas, struggling to earn breads for living.
Chinese were the primary targets for the muslims. They'd rather rob a chinese than a muslim. Nevertheless, chinese are smart. They hired certain amount of bodyguards, servants, chaffeur, and to some, messengers, to do their business. These people are easily satisfied with low pay, plus they are loyal. They are the indians.

(to be continued)

I was lucky to be borned in the chinese family. Every of my necessary supplements are fullfilled, and i guess i can say that i could have everything that i wanted. That is why i was a spoilt and arrogant kid back then.
I do not really have a clear memory of my life before i was 3. All i know is that i liked jumping around and played with my ear. I loved to suck the pacifier... while holding my ear. my fond of drinking milk and sucking the bottles of milk made my grandpapa made a nickname for me: 'endot'... basically, in hokkien, it's combination of "andy" and "dot", andy for my short name (damn andy e bapok! not you!) and 'dot' for pacifier. so, when combined it becomes 'endot' (well.. i prefer spelling endot instead of andot.. since endot looks like a endothermic reaction).

***************************************

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, with a warm, humid weather. It didn't blaze as strong as it used to be. my first day of school was going to start in 3 months time. I still barely know how to name the months. I memorised 'january' as 'juni' and february as 'febri' (yah.. my friend's name)... and i still could not memorise the rest of the months. My mom took me to a large emporium where they were having some big sale. After buying the groceries, we queued at the counter... and my mom forgot to buy one more item, so she ordered me to stay with my maid near the counter. Meanwhile she was gone, the lady behind the counter talked to me.

"Hi sweet kid, what's your name?"
"................" I stared at her squeamishly, remembering my mom told me " do not talk to stranger at any cost!".
"Oh, a quiet one aren't you?" she smirked at me.
"..........................................................."
She's a muslim.
My maid decided to join in the talk, and her voice replacing me.
"His name is Anderson."
I stared my maid.
"Anderson? that's a nice name for such cute boy."
"Yeah i know. I think it's nice too to have this chubby little toddler beside me all time."
At that time, I only trusted my parents and my maid, Anna.
"Oh I'm so sorry for the rudeness. Where's my formality? Astaralah pilulah alazim! The name's Anna. Anna Kajuanglita. I'm from Surabaya."
"Nice to meet you Anna."
"You too. Where are you from?"
"I'm from here. Hey just for interest, my i know what's this kid's full name?"
"Anderson."
"Anderson... what?"
"Just Anderson."
"No surname??"
"Nope. Nil. Kaput."
"Embok doro! why doesn't he has any surname?"
"I don't know? His mom made it that way."

I saw my mom from distance and called her, pointing at the cashier.
My mom, maid, and cashier laughed and chatted for a while, and then we left. I had no idea what they were talking about. Old women's business, i thought. I was too busy running around the marketplace. I want to make sure that I'll i ask her why don't I have any surname later. 15 minutes later, we reached home. I immediately play with my new toy my mom bought for me. I forgot to ask her.

(to be continued)

"How do you read this?" Pointing at the alphabet that looks like a pair of breast on the board using her stick, my kindergarten teacher asked the class.
"A" a guy beside me yelled.
"H" a girl at the corner of the class shouted.
Everybody started guessing.
"Z"
"K"
"E"
"Q"
Finally Mrs. Julinda got impatient and said whoever get this right will get a candy.
"B." the guy beside me and I hollered.
I was very familiar with alphabets because my mom teached me befor even school started.
"Correct."
"Where are our presents?"
"Ok smarties, since both of you are so smart you guys can share this one piece of candy."
"It's not fair!" both of us looked so aghasted.
"Take it or leave it."
"But..."
"No buts."
We had no choice but to accept it. I snatched the candy.

It's half past eleven and the bell rang. Everybody was so anxious to get home. Jessica has her mom fetch her immediately. Vivian was offered by his mom to go to nearest finest restaurant to celebrate her cousin's birthday. Denny went home cycling. Johnson has his mom fetched him too.
The guy beside me and I myself were the only one left behind.
"Hi. My name's Jeffrey. What's yours?"
"Hi. I'm Anderson."
He was staring at the candy i was holding.
"So are you gonna have them all?"
".........." I didn't response.
"I want it..."
"Me too..."
"............."
"............."
"............."
"It's ok. I don't want it. You can have it." I finally cut the silence.
"Really?"
"Sure..."
"Hey thanks! A..... erhh.. Endearsen?"
"Anderson."
"OK. I'll remember that. Thanks a lot Anderson."
"Welcome."


Then a teacher ran and approached me.
"Anderson?"
".......?"
I looked at him. It was Mr. Kaling, the head security of the kindergarten school. The strictest person I've ever meet thus far.
"Anderson right?"
I nodded.
"You don't have a mouth?"
"I'm Anderson."
I saw Jeffrey smirked.
"Listen, your mom is not able to make it today. She has some important appointment with your dad in Perapat."
I just kept silent.
"I suggest you ask one of your friend to fetch you home today."
"Okay." I responded distressingly.
He left the room.
"Hey, I can give you a ride, Endaresoin." He said it cheerfully.
"Sure?"
"Yes, of course! Since you were kind enough to give me your candy, I'll repay you. Anyway it's only my chaffeur who's gonna fetch me today."
"Okay then.... and by the way the name's Anderson. Not Endaresoin."
"Hey not my fault that your name is too long."
I glanced at his name tag on the left pocket of the white school uniform with blue pants, indicating a kindergarten student: Jeffrey Setiabudi.
"(his name is even longer than mine)"
"Anderson."
"(wait... he has a surname.. but i don't)"
"Anderson...?"
"(oh.. i forgot to ask my mom why don't i have a surname)"
"Anderson!"
"(I'm gonna ask her today. I'm not gonna forget again)"
"ANDERSON!"
"?yeah!?"
"My driver is here." He pointed at the indian guy behind me. Jeffrey faced the driver, spoke to him in some language I've never heard before.
"Hi Anderson, nice to meet you." The chaffeur smiled at me. " Let's go then. Make sure you tell me the direction to your house."
We took off.
I reached my house in 10 minutes. Nobody's home except for my 3 maids. I laid down on my bed and stared at the ceiling.
So many things i do not understand. So many things I want to know. Why don't i have a surname? What was the language Jeffrey spoke? Why did my mom and dad had to leave to Parapat today? What if Jeffrey was not there? I'll ask my mom and dad once they reach home. I slept.

They came back at 6 pm. They bought many presents for me. I told them what happened today in school. I met a new friend. I asked every questions I wanted to know. I messed with the toy they bought for me. Decided to give one of my new toy to Jeffrey. I still forgot to ask my parents why don't I have a surname.

hi babes and bapoks! feel free to test yourself on friendtest under my link! see how good u r XD

"Jeff, help! U gotta help me!" I was shouting like a mad man in the canteen.
It was saturday, last day of school for the week (In Indonesia, schooldays are every week from monday to saturday). I totally forgot about my homework and the teacher was going to give a '0' to those who didn't finish it. Man. That sux.
"Poor Anderson. Why didn't you ask me yesterday? Jeez.." He replied in dissapointment. "Oh well, here... just make sure you return it to me on science period... and don't lost it again!"
He handed over the book with title "Buku Latihan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam oleh Hambali Jurasiti", or "Science exercise book by Hambali Jurasiti."
"I will not."

*************************************************

"Where did you put it??" Jeffrey was shouting
"Erh.... I really forget! wait! let me try to find it again!" I answered with a panicky voice.
"Jeez Anderson! For 6 years of being in the same class and you had never changed."
"I'm so sorry!" I was looking through the other benches. "I really forgot where did I put it."
"Yo... how can we find it here in pri.2 classroom? Oh please!"
"Erh.. well.. we already tried checking our class...?" I took a peek at the dustbin. "So I guess it's worth searching here..."
"Holy God! We are using a primary 3 exercise book dude! How can you possibly find it in primary 2 classroom!?"
"Good point. Let's search other primary 3 classroom."
He sighed.
Jeffrey was a brighter student than I was, yet ironically I'm always the top student in my class. He's always one position behind me.

12.30 pm

We searched the whole classrooms on the primary 3 block. We search from class 3A to 3Z. 26 classes. We found nothing.
"Anderson! Can I kill you?"
"Erh.... no."
He looked at me with a slight bloodshot sharp eyes.... he spent almost one whole night doing his homework... and now I lost his book.. together with mine.
"Wait. I think I know where did I put it." I suddenly just remember where did i put it.......
"Where?"
"Let's go canteen."
"You put it there??"
"Erh... I dunno?"
He sighed again.
As we entered the canteen, there were not many people. It was end of school and probably 3 people excluding us were the only few who stayed behind. We asked around and searched, and we found nothing, nil. We managed to annoy a high school student as we were searching our books under the table, where his girlfriend and he himself were sitting the bench next to it. Our mistake was to search in the girl's skirt.

2.00 pm

"Oh my God. Anderson, if you do not find it in 15 minutes I'll make sure that I'll kick your ass and I won't be your best friend anymore."
"Okay okay! Relax! Lemme think!"
"........."
"........."
".................grr........" He stared at me with his sinister look.
".... (gulp).........." I looked at the cupboard in the classroom. It looked like a refrigerator in my home (somehow). That reminds me of the refrigirator in the canteen.
"Ah! I remember! I remember where did I put it!"
My face was filled with hope and the sun was shining right at me.
"Where? What theory are you gonna make up this time? The book is in the female toilet? You ate it? Or is it in your underwear?"
"No no no. I'm serious this time."
We ran to the canteen together, and went to the only open canteen kiosk. The pair of lovebirds were not there. The place started to get crowded. The afternoon session students gonna start their school soon. We ran to the refrigerator of the canteen. I opened it. I saw 2 books with the title "Buku Latihan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam oleh Hambali Jurasiti", one with my initial 'Andy' and the other with his initial 'JS'.

"Oh yeah baby we found it." I shouted with joy.
" I was looking forward to kicking your ass.. I'll postpone it for now."
"Still best friend?"
"Since you found my book, yes."
We did our 'secret' handshake.
"Wait, how the heck did you put it in the fridge???"
".... I can't remember..."

We handed in our excercise book in time, and we got 100 points for that.

'Till today, I still have no idea why our books were there.
The friendship between me and Jeffrey continues.
There was a red stone on the table beside us when we were in one of the primary 2 classroom.
We learnt the word 'chee bai' that day after a secondary school student shooed us from canteen.

I look at WilliamHalimun talking with his good friend Fenny Seiburi and Christina Kyanti. I saw 3 of them talking so cheerfully.
I wrote their names down on a piece of paper.
I looked at Robin Hasta, Johnson Setiadi, Benmont Curam, and the rest of the gangs talking so loudly.
I wrote their names on a piece of paper.
I wrote every names of the person who talk a lot.
I am the prefect of the class.

In Indonesian system, there is this thing called 'ketertiban' and 'silence' of class. Once a class scores a certain point of silence in classroom, usually that class get a reward. Out teacher-in-charge of our class wanted that reward so badly that he called me out to write down evey names of people who talk. On the next day, the person whom I wrote down on the paper will be punished. And mind you, punished as in REALLY punished. The teacher will use a rotan to hit your palm 40 times with full force. After each stroke you will feel nothing on your palm but coldness and painless skin that jaws out after each hit.

As what i've said: the next day 34 people out of 55 students were called out and punished. In the end we spent half the study period watching the teach hit out fellow calssmates. Every students who finished receiving their punishment stared at me, holding their palms with the expression of pain and agony, then returned back to their sit. Some cried, especially the girls. I felt guilty.

On that day, I did what I've been told to do. So was the day after that. So was the day after the next day. Each day the number of people in my list reduced.

A week was gone, and I felt very bad about it. Friends started to avoid me and didn't want to talk to me. Everybody except, who else, but Jeff. Even when he talked I didn't write his name..... Well.. since he's my best friend at that time... yep.
I decided to stop being what I was. I asked the teacher's permission and he didn't allow it to happen. I started not to note down any of the people's name. I ignored the noise of the class.

Next day

"Why is there nobody in the list today?" Mr. Budiman asked me, with this thunderous voice.
"Because nobody talked." I anwered.
"Well, according to this book, 3 consecutive peroids were so noisy that the teachers had to leave early."
I said nothing.
"So? Explain!"
"..............."
"You have no mouth?"
"Yes sir I have."
"Then talk."
"It's my fault. I didn't note anybody's name yesterday."
"Oh. Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Then you will receive the punishment."
"........?" I looked at him astonishingly.
"Give me your hand."
"No."
"I SAID GIVE ME YOUR HAND! OR DO YOU WANT ME TO USE FORCE!"
"Never."
He use his fist, grabbed my palm and pull it upward. He raised his other hand with the rotan and let his hand fall with force, like a Niagara Fall, and stroked my hand, leaving a red mark on my skin. I shouted with pain.
"This is only the first stroke. You have 39 more hits to go."
"You are insane! You hit me harder than anyone else!"
"I'm insane? That's right. I'm insane!"
This time he use his rotan to give a strike to my left leg. I jumped. H hit the other leg. I fell.
"That's when you do not want to give me your hand."
I was such in pain I couldn't answer what he said. He started to beat my leg.
10 strokes on the leg................. 5 strokes on my shoulder......... 5 on my back............. 10 on my hands....... 4 on my buttock... 3 on my palms. I cried. I cried like a little baby who were just borned. I cried like there was no more painful days like that.

just when he finished his last stroke, the vice- principal passed by.
"What happened here?" He asked.
At his back, the superintendent of the school was watching me. His face showed a shocked face. Both of them came to me and asked if I was okay. Am I alright? Who did this to me? What happened?
It was too painful to talk.
"I need an answer from you, Mr. Budiman. What happened?" The vice-principal exclaimed.
Mr. Budiman told he whole story.
"Mr. Budiman, I understand that you did that because of your strict rule. And Anderson, do you have any say?" The VP asked me.
"Yes..... I did that..... because I want...... to protect my...... friends." The class looked at me. One of them stood up and said, "Sir, what's your point of beating us up like that? Is it just because you want that award so badly? You dare to torture everybody just to reach your small goal? You can be sued for that." That was Jeffrey.
He was speechless. The class started to make noise.
"Silence!" The VP shouted. "Mr. Budiman. I think your punishment is too severe for kids in primary 5. This is not concentration camp! This act is not tolerated in schools! Although we agreed upon the race of "The Most Silent" class award, we didn't agree upon beating up little kids like this! This is meant to encourage students to be quiet, not for becoming deprived from social life."
Mr. Budiman was speechless.
"You are officially fired."
"Wha... What? No. You can't do that!"
"Oh yes I can. Or would ratehr be accused for child abuse? That seems betetr for me. U only need to pay 10,000,000 rupiah (about US$2500 or about S$5000 at that time, and is considered A LOT before southeastern economy crisis) to release yourself from prison."
Mr. Budiman had nothing to say and quickly left.
I was sent to nearby clinic, then to the hospital.
Friends started to come took a visit on me. They thanked me. They talked to me. They entertained me. They stayed up 'till 7 pm at times (which is considered very late in Indonesia at that period of time due to the high rate of crime).
I recovered in 2 weeks.

Sometimes friendship needs sacrifice.
Sometimes friendship can't come without trust.
To me, friendship is no.1
There's nothing more than friendship in this world.
A friend in need is a friend in deed.

PS: that's wat makes me so gullible to people... because of that I tend to get cheated. Like today, I was scammed by a player in runescape. I decided to stop playing. But feel free to try it out in www.runescape.com

I have confession in 15 languages:

J'aime Dieu

Ich liebe Gott

Amo Dio

Adoro a Dios

Ik houd van God

Amo Deus

jeg elsker Gud

Wà âi tio Yésu

Saya cinta Tuhan

я люблю бога

αγαπώ το Θεό

我爱耶稣

私は神を愛する

나는 신을 사랑한다

I Love God

PS: i posted my 5th series in previous entry