Sight of a Woman

I barely escaped an accident this fine morning. Apparently, my ojek driver was totally distracted by sight of a woman in her translucent nightgown sweeping near the roadside. The driver likes what he saw too much, he missed an oncoming sedan from the opposite corner.

Our bike kissed the sedan face to face. I have to admit both drivers were pretty quick with their reflex. By chance, we all escaped with hardly a scratch. The only thing left was the exchange of angry words from both party. I can laugh at it now, but I’m guessing things won’t be this funny when we break a bone or two.

Now that's what we can call a defined beauty, if one could cause a traffic accident while performing house chores.

A while back, in my omprengan commute, a gorgeous woman in her twenty something sat by my left side. It’s very common to sleep during the whole trip, so did this young lady. Probably because she was still too tired, she slept like a baby and used my shoulder as some short of cushion to her pretty head.

Being a gentleman that I am (cough), I did not shrug her off. However, the temptation was killing me, as her hair was this nice smelling coconut-y. Moreover, you know that high percentage of women’s pheromone coming from the top of their head right? Therefore, you can guess that I was stuck between a rock and a hard place (no pun intended).

I touched my finger in search of the wedding ring to remind myself that I am married. Alas, the ring wasn’t there. I forgot that we had to take it off due to my swelling fat fingers.

So, anyway, I started to occupy my mind with more important and worldly topics. Starvation in Sudan, difficult physics formula, which I scarcely remember any, deadlines looming in the office, and finally I take solace in my favorite subject, footballs and gadgets. I lingered with those thoughts for a while and suddenly we almost arrived in our destination. One hour flew by that quickly.

The young woman and I exchanged polite smile as she departed off the omprengan. I wonder if she did that on purpose. Argh no way, I scolded my self; I am way past that glory days.

Speaking of sight of a woman, we have this consultant guest comes to our office every once a while. She’s a foreigner in her mid forty. She always wears this very low cut see-through dress and has been the talk of the office for sometime now. We can tell that she seldom wears any bra, but I can’t tell you how.

Whenever she speaks to me, I had to look a little bit higher than her eyebrows. I set my eyes just about the top of her forehead. As you know that, our cone of vision spanned approximately around 45 degrees right? That’s how I managed to slalom my way out of staring at her cleavage. She probably thinks I’m a geek, a prude or something.

Apologize for this rather lewd post, my friends. [tongue=in cheek] I’ve just found new respect of life from this near accident in the morning [/tongue].

PS:

• Ojek is a motorcycle taxi used in Indonesia for short distance travel
• Omprengan generally is a mini van type of car, like Suzuki Carry or Daihatsu Zebra. Two sit in front with the driver, four in the middle, and six in the back. It's not a formal mode of transportation, just like ojek.

Of People and Their Suit

Several weeks ago, I met an old friend. We were sort of best buddies way back then. Since junior high, we went to different high school. After a good 18 years, we meet again in Jakarta. He was always of the brash kind, never shy to speak his mind out of anything.

The meeting went as usual. Although, there are some excerpts of the conversation that was rather  disconcerting for me. Here it goes:

Him: Do you go to the office everyday dress like that, Her?
Me: Yep, why?

Him: I don’t know, don’t you think people won’t look down on you?

This was where I felt uneasy. I may not be a very trendy person. However, in my opinion, there’s nothing too wrong with the way I dress. Regular cotton shirt, black pants, no ties and suit but everything was quite clean and comfortable.

Therefore, I ask him to elaborate.

Him: Your bag! Isn’t that akin to what high school kids wear? And, why would you have to fold your sleeve like that? I don’t mean to brag, but when people look at me, they know I meant business. They always think I’m the boss even though I’m only a supervisor in my company.

I was just smiling, completely devoid of any answers on how to respond to that. I was also not in the mood to argue.

Anyhow, I guess it’s perfectly normal that people judge a book by its cover. It happened to us plenty of times, in the mall for example. There’s an apparent distinction of treatment when I walk in wearing a casual dress compared to strolling with a power suit. Sales suddenly started being friendlier and the security guys loosen up.

I just didn’t expect an old friend to be that superficial. He even had the temerity to ask how much I earn in one month! Well, he may look like the boss but perhaps tact and discretion is not his forte.

If I’m being honest, I have been rather superficial too from time to time. The reason I bought my current gadgets because I wouldn’t want to be the guy who comes in a reunion (be it high school or college) with the lamest hand phone.

It would help a lot if I could just rent suits and gadgets whenever I need it. That way gaining respect would be much cheaper.

On a different note, my wife and I were in an angkot the other day. The driver was this reckless young punk who drives like a drunkard. We spent a good five minutes cussing the driver and praying for our life when all of a sudden the driver stopped.

Afterward he stepped out of the angkot and crossed the road. He then gently took a blind man’s hand and slowly guided him to the other side of the road and under the bus shelter. He even gave that poor blind man some spare change.

This driver was a young chap, with hair like a Mohawk and a torn t-shirt with Rage Against the Machine written on its dirty top.

Me and the missus were sitting there silenced and just stared at each other. Apparently, we have underestimated the man. Although, subsequently, the now highly esteemed driver went on with his brutal way of driving. We didn’t use any bad language this time, we were just praying.

Up until now, I have to remind my self, time and time again, not to judge a person by their dress, their gadget, or by their haircut.

PS:

• Angkot is an abbreviation of Angkutan Kota (City Transportation Mode). Usually it's an MPV Cars such as Toyota Kijang colour coded and numbered based on directions.

Of Watching TV

The description of couch potato suits me very well. I spend more than half time of the week to watch any kind of stuff from that idiot box.

I used to read a lot, not anymore.

Although I’m OK with watching the TV by myself, it could be fun watching it with the wife. She is not the type who asks who is the bad guy in The Matrix, however she has a pretty eclectic and difficult taste of her own.

Friends, Scrubs, and Desperate Housewives are certainly her picks. It’s not difficult as they have ‘chick flick’ theme written all over them. Not that I don’t like them, mind you.

I have managed to make her mildly interested in The X Files, by picking some of the best episodes from the saga, which have nothing to do with the main story arc. The X Files for me still reigns as the best program of all time.

Prison Break was a gamble, and it largely succeeded due to the fact that Michael Scofield is a pretty good looking chap. The story being totally intoxicating was also helpful. She was hooked and became a major fan of the series since day one.

She hates 24 and The Office with a passion, while I love both of them with a passion. I mean, Jack Bauer kicking major butts, need I say more? Also, the cringe worthy antics from David Brent and Gareth Keenan are some of the most hilarious comedy in the business.

She’s still lost on Lost. Every time I watch the award-winning sci-fi, she goes browsing over the net or watching some sinetron on terrestrial TV. It is very difficult for me to explain the beauty of flash back and flash forward method they intricately use in Lost. In addition, the love triangle between Jack, Kate, and Sawyer, what’s not to like?

For her, Grey’s Anatomy is just another Melrose Place. For me the interrelationships between the characters serve merely as a spice for the complexity of drama that touches patients and doctors when dealing with a matter of life and death. Granted there’s one too many McCheesy moments in between, but there are riveting storylines in most episodes.

House MD is just brilliant, there’s no question about it and she agrees.

The genius diagnostician’s sarcastic way of dealing with his patients while solving some of the mysterious medical cases ala Sherlock Holmes is indeed the greatest show around these days.

With the three CSI series, there are no problems.

It’s just a matter of who’s the best between Gill Grissom, Horatio Caine, and Mac Taylor. I picked Grissom while she’s smitten with Horatio, which is mind boggling in it self. Because I’m totally fed up with Caruso’s ultra cool way of putting his sunglasses while staring blankly in slow motion.

Yesterday though was a major coup in our TV watching history. I managed to literally drag and shackle my wife to watch Dexter.

I’ve been telling her how awesome this new series this past two months. She just won’t budge. Not only because the star is that quirky gay dude from Six Feet Under, but the opening sequences involving Dexter grinding someone’s skull opened.

Yes, Dexter is a serial killer. Nevertheless, he has a code, a moral fiber, which has been instilled on him by his late foster father to channel his urge to kill, into something worthy for the society.

Not often I can say that people may relate to a sadistic serial killer. However, Dexter, I am sure will be able to steal your heart and in the end cheer for him when he sticks that 6 inches blade in the chest of his victims.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a gory stuff alright. It’s definitely not for the squeamish kind. In fairness, there is humor inside, albeit a dark one, with perfect comedic timing from Michael Hall.

If you haven’t watch it, I suggest you do. You will be entrapped in an absorbing story and end up wanting to see more from our friendly neighborhood serial killer.

Now I only need to rack my brain on ways to get my wife watching organized sports programs.

Mom & Pops Store

Trying to avoid post power syndrome, my parents decided to open a tiny Mom & Pops Store following their retirement. It’s rather fortunate that we have a corner house back in Makassar. Soon after finishing renovation the little store ready to sell random stuffs from butter and eggs, to tooth picks.

They were running pretty OK during the first couple of years. Since Dad still has his pension from Aneka Tambang, the store merely serve as something to keep them occupied. Not much profit taking, they don't open in late hours, and the customers are mainly our neighbors.

Recently, as the effect of globalization, lots of Multinational Corporation opens their business everywhere. The result was evident in the wholesale and retail industry. Its growth brings plenty of employment opportunities, generating income for the government, and doing pretty good at moving the wheel of economy in these difficult years.

The flipside of the coin is the expansion of these behemoth businesses engulfed lots of smaller establishments like The Mom & Pops Stores in many places.

Take an example from the tug of war between Carrefour and Hero group. In their effort to increase their business, they open branches far into the rural areas. This ‘invasion’ will eventually swallow millions of small business that has been striving in the neighborhood.

Let’s face it The Mom & Pops Stores tend to cost a bit more due to their inability to purchase a million shampoo at once from the principal distributor. Many people including me prefer anonymous shopping for a lot of things at once. We have to admit that walking in the cool aisle surrounded by gazillion selection of almost everything makes shopping a lot more comfortable.

Recent survey from AC Nielsen shows that people, especially in the big cities, prefer shopping their groceries in modern shopping centre. Traditional markets have count that hundreds of shop closed each year. That would mean, even though plenty of employment opportunities arise from supermarket and hypermarket chain, there are many business closed as the indirect result.

I think it’s about time government regulate the license of opening store chain in hope to level the playing field between major players and the little people. We might want to remember that when we shop in large chain store our money goes to some rich CEO who already makes hundreds of billions rupiah. Not that it’s wrong, mind you.

One thing that could keep these smaller ventures is if and when they can excel in their uniqueness: Their closeness to their market base and customers. The hospitality of the owner is important to keep people coming back. They maybe are 100 or 500 IDR pricier, yet the personal touch, the small talk, and the warm welcome are what separate them from the cold shoulder people get in huge retail store.

If they can keep their edge, they might survive this onslaught of free trade.

We are a bit lucky because my mom, bless her, is a very hospitable woman. It helps a lot to keep the Mom & Pops Store afloat, at least for now.

PS: The picture is supposedly of David vs Goliath's Tale.