2007-11-26 - 6:55 p.m.
How was my Sunday?:D
It was really great. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready. Then, as usual, I left Panglima Polim at sometime around ten to Blok M's bus station. I used the Trans-Jakarta bus to Dukuh Atas, then another to Matraman --- and finally another to Tegalan. I got off there and crossed the bridge to Gramedia Bookstore. The meet and greet session with Andrea Hirata (the author of "Laskar Pelangi" / The Rainbow Soldiers, "Sang Pemimpi" / The Dreamer, and "Endensor") started at one pm --- but I'd gone there way too early. I checked my cellphone clock. It was still 11:20.
*giggles*
I texted Hani's cellphone to notify her where I was. She replied, telling me she was still on her way there. Since the weather had been so freaking hot outside, I decided to wait inside the bookstore --- with the AC on each floor. I'd spent most of the time roaming around --- browsing for books and stationeries while waiting for Hani and crew to show up.
Hani finally showed up with Mbak Bina. It was already less than an hour before the show began. Hani told me that her sister Ragil couldn't come. Since Ragil had already bought "Laskar Pelangi" a week before when we'd gone to the book fair in JCC-Senayan, Hani decided to buy the sequel --- "Sang Pemimpi" --- so it could be autographed by the author himself on the show. I wasn't really sure about buying a novel for myself yet.
Thirty minutes before the show, I suddenly felt hungry. It was kind of surprising, because I believed that I'd had enough breakfast to last the whole day (two pieces of delicious cheese-cake, rice and potato buns.:P) I told Hani that and she agreed that she was hungry too. The three of us headed downstairs to the basement where the local restaurant called "Es Teler 77" is. Unfortunately, the place was already packed with oncoming, lunch-hour costumers!:O*gasps* Not wanting to be late for the show (and unable to beat the massive crowd to even just enter the room!), Hani suggested that we return upstairs and then eat after the show. I agreed.
Fifteen minutes before the show, Hani's fear was realised. The room was already overcrowded with people. We'd still managed to get in, luckily. Mbak Bina had even amazingly snatched an empty seat somewhere in the middle --- which she ended up giving to Hani, while she chose to kneel behind her. Me? Since I didn't want to be far away from them, I ended up sitting on the floor --- squeezed between the seats and people's feet. (Imagine that, me with my 5'05 ft, bundle of frame.*giggles*)
The show had been interesting and also entertaining. Salman Faridi, the senior editor of Bentang (a local publishing company that released Andrea Hirata's novels) was a host for the show. Local actress Wulan Guritno was sort of the spokesperson on-stage, if I'm not mistaken. (Well, I had to agree with Hani about this one, though. What was her actual role in the show?:-S) Andrea Hirata himself turned out to be a calm, humble man.:) He barely acted like some hotshot superstar author or something. Despite the huge, national success of his books --- he remained modest.:P To be honest, I liked him right off --- eventhough I haven't really read or even bought his books yet.*blushes*
And, guess what?:D "Laskar Pelangi" has been turned into a major motion picture and will soon be released in my country. I can't wait to see that! Andrea even informed us another good news:
A publishing company in Europe is interested in translating "Laskar Pelangi" in English and promoting it all across Europe.*gasps*:O Isn't that great?:D
"Have you ever imagined that --- someday soon --- it's going to be you sitting there on-stage like he is right now?" Hani suddenly asked me with clear excitement in her tone.
"Of course," I replied confidently, beaming and grinning. "That's why I keep doing what I do."
There were also quizzes and poetry-reciting sessions. Too bad the host completely ignored Hani and me whenever we raised our hands.:| We didn't know why. We'd wanted those free books!:( Grrrh!:x Mbak Bina was picked by the host for a spontaneous poetry contest with other four participants (three men and a woman), but she didn't win. But at least Hani won a free T-shirt from the sponsor for her (too) obvious enthusiasm.*big evil grin* Finally, somebody on-stage noticed her, but it wasn't the silly host.
It was Andrea Hirata himself.:P
Book-signing came right after the show. Of course, Hani got hers authographed too. But, since I haven't read all his books yet nor even bought any, I didn't join at all. I chose to catch up with the senior editor and ask for his business card. Why?:P The reason is simple and totally obvious.
Someday soon, I'm going to send in my novel too.*giggles*
"Sure, why not?" He'd smiled at me after handing me his business card. I thanked him and left. My head had been spinning crazily...from hunger. Along with Hani and Mbak Bina, we returned to "Es Teler 77". Thankfully, this time --- it wasn't as crowded as before --- but still quite packed. I ended up ordering a bowl of chicken noodles. I was dead starving!:(
After that, we returned to the bookstore and...hung out there until seven!:P I finally bought a local novel with the title "5 CM" by.Donny Dhirgantoro. (Well, Hani sort of provoked me into it as well. Hehe.*big evil grin*)
We finally parted at seven and I returned to Blok M, using Trans-Jakarta again...
The Author
