Red Terrain

(Journey to military, Part II)

The night was so piercing. It's breezy as if really bind my tenseness who the next day must follow the selection tests to become a National Military Academy Midshipman.. My eyes clenched-valve began to wilt as soon entered the dream world.. So, I asleep by only closing the eyes once. I do not know what I will be guess.

The morning was so quick to pick up my consciousness from state of my dying for a moment.. Voice of adzan (Subuh) awaken my feathers roman until raised. "Hah! Let us begin the tired!".

That morning, the sun is still tucked behind the first horizon (east). The streets are deserted make sped of my motorbike faster rate than gold train. The night wind is still felt hit my heart that full of presumption.. Shaddow of my self, my family, my teachers even Ardila then followed me as if to give encouragement to me which was not helpless. When in fact they are not next to me .. was not here.

Until I wa arriving at the terrain of military selection (Dustira's Hospital), I and other participants gathered in the best cordon I've ever seen.. Wearing white clothes and white shorts. Lined up waiting for check,, just health test... not to choose among us which is stronger. All vital part of our bodies was examined doctors military by carefully. Even a little kind of injuries like scar to be their calculations that very strict.. Examination lasted until the afternoon, but not heavy.

After medical examination, the candidates of military cadets (Taruna Akmil) rested and waited for the announcement of test result.. There is eating, sleeping, joking and even people are being silent contemplation too can I see. All full-facing radiant joy. But everything changed when several military announced the results of health selection.. All eyes went cold and the heart of every candidate cadets pounding.. The candidates who not pass that means can not follow the selection to be held next,, physical test.. And the candidates who pass must be prepared to take the physical test in the terrain (Stadium of Siliwangi Bandung) later, that place isn't just any ordinary terrain..

The second day of selection was so quick threatening me. This is first exciting events of my entire life. When the early morning before the sun appeared,, all prospective cadets who pass the medical test yesterday was ready and come earlier than schedule before. All are seeing to the broad field that in the presence them.. So when the test time arrives, all the candidates tried hard for doing military test regulations that gradually (step by step), not glued..

The first test is a test of physical postures.. This determines whether of us are deserve to be a soul among the fighters.. Then we were ordered to run around the field is so broad Siliwangi to find which ones of us who will give up.. Dusts of red soil that trampled are flying to welcomed the victory and mocking the shattered souls.. After surrounding the field Siliwangi, we are prohibited take a drinking and ordered to return to undergo further tests outside the field,, that is testing the pull-ups (lifting body) in the iron pole and sit-up test in the board without a mattress. Then push-ups, sprinting form a figure eight and the last test is swimming in water depths reach 3 meters with track. All this occurred without a lag time, but regularly.

My whole body felt dead tired but I did not want to give up.

When I imagine the trips that I have doing before this twilight, when the perspiration was wetting the soil along the swift sweat pouring from my body. In my mind there is a saying, "You must not give up!". The whisper it comes with a shadow of Ardila that seemed smile continues to comfort me, though not always.

But all were passed,, my mind is only focused on the results of the selection announcement is still a mystery..

To be continued...

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A Sprig of Cherry Blossom

(Journey to Military, Part I)

There is something like wedge that was annoying my little heart.. Like the vacillation is really real.. Cornering me when arrival at the front gate of her house that remote.. Without noise I swing my legs are step by step.. Walking,, combing the dust toward the door of the room.. Without hear voices I finally arrived then stood behind the parlor door which wasn't noisy with the crowd.. Knocking and waiting while inhaling air turmoil..

Well, opened the doors that previously closed be slowly. A man who answered the door, so I'm with the man facing each other.

"What?.. Want to meet with who?", the man was asking questions.

"Is Ardila here?", I say ask once again.. Then he asked me to wait,, Ah! Not in the living room.

What made me die a word? When a sprig of cherry blossom came over to me.

"Hey! Why?", She is Ardila who asked with a little hesitant face.

Apparently she recognized me. Well, indeed ... I am a her friend when she was still sitting on the bench the past kindergarten.. But so far we have never met each other again.

Do you know? What the hell makes me intend for meet her? Nothing,, I just intend to ask something that I did not understand before. I think her face is still as usual, sweet innocent and does not make me complacent.. I was wrong it turns out,, her glazed eyes seem seduce me, when in fact it's ordinary. Her attitude tempt my faith that still scratch.. Ah, what my care when it ?. I only need her help so that understand with what would I ask about the deliverer of time. Do you understand what I mean? I'm trying to understand the math,, one study in my school.

It's about the National Exam (UAN) that will I face one week later.

Sometimes I think no one must I consider than just what will certainly I experienced,, and ignore the mystery that will happen.. Who knows what is echoed after today? Not about the promise, not about the memory even of the imagination.. After I passed the days are so stuffy in the my own tears and laughter. Do you understand?

But I want to re-start my life from this moment,, this minute.. It's about a sprig of cherry blossom who I just met.. I do not know what went wrong so that the her shadow pobud appeared in the middle of my dreams, even when my eyelids open in the early morning.. Is there I was in a state of falling hearts?

Joking? Not ..

Ardila greeted me by warmly.. I thought it was just a joke for a moment,, she greet me with great respect.. The smile that had never I see .... as if to seduce me who are grappling with fatigue.. It was hard for me to describe herself untill your heart's eyes could see her too, as I see.

She was born earlier than me. Living among inclosed family without a mother. If I told you about her death, maybe you will not believe, and may you shall consider it as a story that easily passed.. But not for me !!.. every I see Ardila's face, I always reminding her mother figure in my mind.. Ardila's wistful eyes as if still in always remember her. The stories in the Ardila's family still a mystery to all the neighbors around them, whether they are ashamed?

First time, her father was profesion as a driver of public transport.. Her aunt is a midwife (civil servant), but has been retired. Some say that he was once married to a military, others say she was married to a businessman, but now they have been separated because some reason, I don't know. Her aunt is whose has been the backbone of the family Ardila. She financed Ardila's school until university level.

Ardila is now predicated as a student UNPAD dentistry faculty, a pride faculty. Her achievements was cling since she come first time entered education.. School with me from kindergarten to primary school though she as my senior, but impressive. She is an alumnus from “SMPN 3 Bandung and SMAN 3 Bandung”. Until now she did not stop continue her schooling with the ability of the surviving thinking .. sometimes I amazed.

For the first time she taught me mathematics. Because at the time, my knowledge about math is very messy. Maybe I too much thinking about selection to be a National Military Academy Midshipman that will I face the next few days. Fortunately Ardila understand my position at that time, she helped me and accept my flaws by calm.. Given our time to meet is very limited, her college schedule and my selection schedule that can not be stopped.. She gave me a stack of books that was wrote with explanation by herself with particulars so that I understand.. And this time also the first time she spoke to me about her life that still mistery for everyone. Was I lucky? At least I had known in his family as Ardila's friend who far from the association..

There is one thing that makes everybody different.. Every I out of ardila's house, then someone will ask, "Hey! Do you really know her?". But I never answer it and always tried to look away.

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Big Brother Is Watching You

Prologue:

".. I'll be hearing my own foot steps under Padjadjaran sky.." The sentence of the lyric Adhitya Sofyan this one fits very seem for so backsound in the short story that I'll write this time.. Well, not wrong if I do change some of the lyrics originally from "Adelaide sky" to be "Padjadjaran sky", right? Ssstt ah..

There are more interesting than the content of fairy tales in the classic Japanese novels that I could borrow a few days ago from a flea-books that are always hanging around in the west complex UKM Unpad Jatinangor,, probably.. in cavling 10. *True or not, yeah? hhe.. More precisely he was one of the secretary-Judo residents who also to be "Kuncen" there.. Alumnus from faculty of English literature Padjadjaran University which his daily is not yet specific I see recently. The interesting thing is his hobby that always hang out with the books in the midst of declining reading culture among the youth of Indonesia.. Also his ductile who diligent collecting to fiction books (well, for he says almost all the books he read was fiction, though that is an 'autobiography book)...

Big Brother Is Watching You..!!

The parent of the solar system morning was still not ready to show his nose cone.. From distance, Manglayang's fog seemed unmoved then fullfill go to spread silence in the campus.. I've just come down from a bus Damri and then walked down the frozen asphalt throught a few traders who always peddle wares in front of the gate my almamater. Step my feet so it can be heard because the atmosphere around me was not yet crowded.. Uh..! The air was so cold. Apparently, this sweater is not enough to protect me from Jatinangor breeze attack that still feels extreme. I kept walking towards a volleyball 'mesh near cekdam (small lake) there. One of the place of civitas academic Unpad community in addition to dormitory settlements that inhabited by some of Padjadjaran students who have a habit for organization.

I think a small lake scenery around Arboretum Unpad not too bad to just stop off for a moment.. From here we could see some kid who is cool to play "flying-fox" in opposite 'cekdam there. Also, some groups of students who always busy for discussing something every day in saung's around arboretum it.. Whatever, I never know what always they were talking at there. But at least, their presence is enough to fill the day.

In the midst of cold weather morning, seem a man with the posture "fat" trying to warm themselves with a thick blanket that he wrap to his body. Bald head would be the match as complement to his prowess as an athlete Judo. Breezy wind last night still haunt him who this time it is cool to read comics while sat sweet in a chair terrace, front of his secretariat.. Well.. That person who ever lend me some Japanese fiction novel titled Kappa, Snow Country and Pak Tua Yang Membaca Cerita Cinta. My chat friend well-mannered..

I do not know the details of his daily life, well... he is also a hobby sometimes wandering to and fro for travelling. Maybe a lot of stories from his life more impressive than just sitting in a chair while reading a book in the middle of the winterly cekdam's environment.. There are quotes I've ever read in a first post on his blog about his self. The description was disturbing my mind untill I was mused and tried to understand his review. Here is a post that is deliberately I have copy-paste from his blog :

"..The name of this day_out created not to compete with popular music concerts from the continent of Australia (big day out). Maybe it could be closer to my pun name (dayat). But definitely, I give named this blog with the name day_out (day passed) as a milestone I will what I have experienced.. The foothold will be to my existence ever in this life .. Maybe sometimes can look like a contemplative or just chat briefly that more likely to be heard when boring time and nothing again material can been an interesting discussion .. However, I will try to remain consistent and persistent in these records will I write... "

* (http://perduto-boy.blogspot.com/2010/02/awal-dari-sebuah-akhir.html)

"Day that passed.... and, Beginning Of An End.."

How many times do I repeat a simple sentence that,, I attempt to conclude the meaning contained in it.. This brother has become my main concern lately. Behind kegarangannya turns out he saving a initiative mind, meek and aim to philosophy. Every life has a value that is too precious to was made wasted. Yesterday, today or tomorrow just will culminate in an ending that will continue active in the next life. Similar to an unlimited number of digits. Yesterday was alphabet (letters), today is the Z (zero) or zero (0) and tomorrow is the numbers that adlibitum.. Only a wise man is clever to keep the day of yesterday in the form of a diary. Do you understand? Because yesterday is a collection of alphabet, so they always save it in writing.

Great men always have a diary. They studied the experience of his life and eventually forming a new lesson. As once expressed a Spanish writer, Miguel De Cervantes 1547-1616, "A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience". The past is the footing. The reason why we are "be" on this day.

Probably, at first glance this discussion did seem inconsequential. But there is value in it if we really carefully for read it..

* This note is special for my brother, Hidayat Shah... (All day I wrote it,, sorry if there is one word so wrong)..hhe

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