the fighters of life

first

i was on half way to jogja. the train made a stop at purwokerto station for couple of minutes to allow people getting off and new pessangers getting in. just like everytime train make a stop on a station, the sellers will attack with their stuffs, their products. i always enjoy this view everytime i travel by train. not just because i can find this only in Indonesia but i admire their spirit to live on their path of life. though sometimes few sellers could be annoying.

then one old man came to my seat. he has a green big basket he put on the seat's arm. speaking in bahasa he offered me his product: lanting onion flavor and spicy flavor for two thousand rupiahs each. and five thousand rupiahs for five. yang penting usaha. i was so moved with his last sentence: yang penting usaha = what matter is that i try. i don't know if it is or it isn't part of his strategy to make people feel pity and then buy his lanting. but what he said just so right. so i handed him 5ribu rupiahs and his wrinkle hands put three bags of lanting on my lap. some moments later, he came to me and offer his lanting. i was bit surprised and i said sampun mbah. i have bought your lanting already. he said: "ohhh.. maafin mbah ya. i am sorry, my child". then he did the same thing to other people, mbah just offering his lanting and say sorry after knowing that they also have bought his lanting. he did the same for another two times and he added his aplogize with his sentence: yang penting mbah usaha. 

mbah mbah..., 

at the older age like you now, you should be at home playing with your grandchildren, not in the train offering lanting. but even so, you showed us that you are far better than those rats in the government whose sucking the money that they don't have any rights at all.

second

i was on ojeg that will take me to small hotel i am staying when i saw this little girl at the traffic lights on Gramedia at Cik Ditiro street. she was just sit and reading the newspaper on her lap. she looked serious, not bothered by the crowds of the vehicles nor by the afternoon sunshine. oohh... she is just amazing. i wish in the future it would be she whose in the newspaper. not for something negative, but for something she's been struggling for. it is not impossible that she will be the next Dr. Siti Farida Supari whom respected world wide for her struggle for free avian influenza vaccine for Indonesia. 

third

i thought we could sneaking some bottles of mineral water and eight cans of sarsapilla coke into happy puppy. well, we passed the front receiption though but as we were entering the karaoke room, the guy asked if he could check the bag for any drinks that we brought with us. when he found those drinks he said: i am sorry but the guests are not allowed to bring their drinks from outside. i need to keep these at front receiption and you may get them later when you finish karaoke. everyone is disappointed. well, i guess the bag is just too suspicious. but we survived singing the songs we like for two hours without drinking any water., hehe. 

the two hours karaoke with friends from uni especially from ifsa surely makes the night even more relaxing. it was already pass midnight when we headed to parking lot. then came a woman with small basket on her hand approaching me. her hands was shaking when she offered me the pack of little croissant-like bread. oh dear,. this woman still working on the time like this selling the last couple bread and her hands are already shaking! my guess she is a little over 40. perhaps she is younger but the tough life makes her look older. i could only wish that other karaoke guests will buy the last bread so she could go home, be with her family and able continue their life for another day. 

fourth

i was a still bit shocked after meeting the bread seller woman. just can't understand how she ended up still  selling bread to anybody at the karaoke place when most of the people already on bed. i mean, what time did she start working? is today the exception because she has not been able to sell all the bread? 

i was still in a minor shocked when we arrived at the last place to get something to drink before going home. it was one of the most popular places in jogja: angkringan tugu. i didn't order any drink or food coz i already full. not too long after all the drinks and food are served, an old lady wearing green jilbab came to us and started singing a javanese song. oh dear.... here another lady, even older, still working in the midnight time. i don't know whether to feel pity or to be amazed by this street artist. my mind just went to the song of yogyakarta by kla project, ...musisi jalanan mulai beraksi (the street artists start to perform........................)