I raised my body from the chair when I was looking out the Sancaka windows. It’s Jogjakarta out there. It’s been two years I left this lil town, but my mind never goes far from here. For my biggest dream seemed to be embedded down this town, Jogjakarta. Since the first time I had big interest in science, physics. Before finally I gotta move out of here for another crazy reason. Craziest all my life, that reason is the most I hated one in my life.
The train entered the station of Tugu before it smoothly stops its all cars. I step out slowly with the entire crowd. I remember this station, it hasn’t changed much yet. And I think that’s the right way it should be. Jogjakarta has a really big power to pull me back as I always miss it, although it’s not a metropolitan like Jakarta, the brightest one in Indonesia. Yet there’s special charms make me feel homesick for it. I walked out the station, and just like it usually, a lot of becak drivers offer me their rides, but I just smile and walk away.
The sun is about right above my head, so hot out here. My sweats start coming out of my face, but I’m really glad this noon. I call Igun and tell him that I just arrived and I had to visit my board first before I see him. He is a very nice friend of mine and he is the only hope I got at least for this time. I walk along Malioboro then I come by the biggest mosque around for praying.
I arrive at junction of Kantor Pos Jogja and get into bus going to Bulaksumur. A couple minutes later I was there. After having lunch in a lil foods stall next to Arief board house I crossed the road to reach my long time board house, omahe Mbak Tatik, Miss Tatik home. I said salam when Mbak Tatik sister was clearing up this small shop. Then she got up and found me smiley, ”ooh.. Is that you? It’s been really long time, Nadzor, where have you been? A friend of yours told me that you’ve moved to Surabaya? Is that right?” she greeted. “Well, actually I ain’t moved anywhere. I lived with my friend near Monjali, and that’s why I never come by this home..Aha…, anyway Mbak, I brought something for you from my home. Here, just lil snacks but I’m sure it wud be hard to find around here.” Then she called her young cousin for that snack.
I go up stair and go into Andi’s room, but the guy has long time left it. The one with who I always shared has gone, moved somewhere else since he could not pay the rent, that’s what Mbak Tatik told me. I look around this room, a small room with no view outside of the only window through which air circulation can flow. But you’ll never find fresh air in this room. My belongings still stack in the corner, yet little neat. The book shelf Beni gave me is still left unused. Some big boxes contain many books of mine are also put down here. I lay down my tired body on the most comfortable bed in this room. A bed which sheet never got washed for months, this just indicates that someone lived in this room must have been a really lazy one. That is what Andi like. Despite his brilliant mind, he never got any idea to clean his room nor clear up his self either. I take off my cloth since this room is too warm for me, and then I fall to a sleep.
The sun was just about to set down when I opened my eyes and raised my body indolently from the bed. I grab the towel and then go down for bathing. I turn the spigot, fresh water wash my face. It’s so fresh, just much better than those in Surabaya. I wash my whole body, enjoying fresh water I never felt for long. I go out for a walk, to take a look around my old college. Along the road I’m walking on, I reminisce every second I made in this place, the place where my great dream has been embedded long ago. University of Gadjah Mada is an old college in which the first experimental rocket of Indonesia was made and launched. Since my childhood I have been really curious with that thing, a rocket. But just recently when I reach high school I began searching for Indonesian rocket research information, and I found that UGM is the place where its first rocket was born which led this state to be the second to launch experimental rocket in Asia after Japan. But that was decades ago, before LAPAN (National Aerospace Institution) stopped its research in middle 1960s. Two years ago, I was a new student in UGM and I was really glad to know one of those people who were involved in constructing the rocket of 1960s. He is (the late) Prof. Muslim, a professor in physics. I joined his class on basic of physics, but he, as a professor, spoke in too high level of language of physics that I never even understood more than just 45%. Well, I think I needed special preparation before joining his class. Yet, I was really glad to know him, for he was just like a living legend for me.
I enter the Student Cooperative since I knew that it’s the only place where I can buy something I would never forget from this old college. Something like souvenir from a family tour. I know that what people should bring out from UGM is not needless complications or another complexities, but science, knowledge, both soft and hard skills for their future. Today, I’m not studying anything here. Just reminiscing my goddamned past. I have to face the reality, I mean; it’s all about my lame mentality, just lil reason of why my blur life runs so slow. This shit really dragged me backward. I think I better buy something than nothing to remember, something needless, a proof that I have ever been here when I reached 18.
The sun had just been down when I got out from the cooperative. I go to a place where I used to spend my leisure times, the old library of UGM, right next to my faculty. There is small room used as Musholla below the main stair on the ground floor. Of course there is no window on its wall, yet it’s not so sultry in this room. It’s the time for “Sholat Maghreb”; I wash my face to perform ablution before praying, and then perform the Maghreb.
On a floor one level above the Musholla, I see many students focus on what their read as if nobody realizes the day has changed to night. Book shelves, with both new and old literatures of many branches of science on them, stand in quite neat arrangement. I used to spend my days in this floor, this room. I left boring classes to library just to find some different things I never learned in physics, such as religion, philosophy and history.
I look out the window, the night has covered UGM. The night I used to pass after accomplishing regular lab-works two years ago. Tonight, I feel the same night, the same atmosphere; students hang out for some funs after their full day activities in college; people open their stalls along the road side around UGM, providing foods and places for us to hang out. What makes it different is just; my friends haven’t come back yet from their long holidays. Actually I come at improper time, but this is the only week before my classes in Surabaya begin.
I stand facing daily newspaper board, but I don’t really read the news. I’m being waiting; waiting for a right moment to call Firda; I really need to see her before leaving this town. For I don’t want people think that I told them fake about my study. But, of course I don’t tell her directly on phone about my removal. I just tell her that I need a camera for a certain necessity. She is the only student from my small high school who can reach university education in UGM. I know that she must be really disappointed to know his senior moved from this college for a simple reason.
Igun just replied my message I sent this noon. I tell him that I‘m in old library next to MIPA; and he say that he would see me in the front yard. I get out to the place as Igun told me. A view minutes later, a boy with Yamaha motorbike stop right next to me. It’s him! Oh God, this guy; he is not different with who he was two years ago. A guy who always perform like real biker, I mean; real racer. “Oh... Dude, is that you?” “Who do u think I’m huh? I’m the guy of Tegal who rode with ur ass at the last time meeting Risa two years ago!” “U still remember that day? Risa, where is she now? I just kinda miss her, man. I felt like an idiot that day, why I aint ask for her phone number... ha…ha...Ha... I was so stupid. Wat about anybody else, Gun? Alvin, Johnson, all of those losers…ha…ha…ha!” “Well, I still contact Alvin; he studied in MIPA too, just like ur ass. But, John has moved recently to Semarang, run after his dream. I never know Risa since that day and those gals in Neutrinoz I never heard ‘em either. Anyway, I’d like u to stay in my board tonight awa du u think? I live with other losers, Dude. Hahaha… come on, it’s gonna be nice.” “U re the only hope I got ritnow, Man! As if no more place to stay downtown. Ok, let’s go. I aint get my dinna yet. Do U wanna treat me as well? hahaha…”
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