2009-04-12 - 7:26 p.m.
Alright. As promised, here we go.:)
This is an entry about a fun trip out of town...and a ghost entering my room at night.
And I am not kidding about the last one.:P
It was a bright Friday morning.:D I anxiously waited for Mom in 4203. Lack of sleep? No problem.*shrugs* I'd been waiting for this trip. I could handle it.;)
When Mom finally came at night, I prepared myself. Unfortunately, since there are about half a dozen of patients in 4203, I couldn't possibly hog the entire bathroom all to myself. I mean, I can't. So, I made quite a radical solution for my unusual situation.
I rushed downstairs and used a public restroom.:| No joke. I'd practically flooded one stall.
...........................
And I can't believe that I really wrote this down here - which, I did.*blushes* Oh, well. Besides, it wasn't something I'd do everyday.:P But still, it was quite an embarrassing experience. I somehow felt a bit like Tom Hanks in "The Terminal".
Sorry, janitors.:( I didn't mean to give you extra work that day!
Anyway, after that, I returned upstairs to say bye to Mom. This year, we gave her a pair of cool shoes for her birthday. (My sister - who knows and understands fashion much better than I do - chose them.) Even my brother's girlfriend Dindi gave Mom a nice pashmina.
I left the hospital and caught the first taxi I saw. "To Lenteng Agung, train station, please," I ordered and the driver obeyed. It was still a bright, beautiful morning - so I didn't mind him being a bit chatty. He wondered about the reason behind my destination that day and I told him why.
"Oh, I'm from Bogor too, btw," he let me know. "Never visit The Main Garden with your boyfriend or girlfriend - or you might break up with them."
"Uh, why?" Okay, that was something new I'd just heard. I didn't know that.
"I don't know." He shrugged. "I just know it happens."
Ah, so it's a myth.:P An urban legend. Interesting.*big evil grin*
"But my uncle married his second wife there," I lightly argued. "They're still together and happy."
"Well, perhaps in some cases." And the discussion just stopped right there. That was okay. I didn't want to pursue it any further.
I arrived at Lenteng Agung at nine. I bought a ticket and waited for the train. It came in ten minutes. I claimed the closest seat and started reading SPICE! Time to enjoy the journey.
I got to the train station in Bogor at ten to ten. Both Viona and Lisa texted me, saying they were going to be late. Lisa needed to go somewhere else first, while Viona said the train from Gambir to Bogor started at eleven. Okay. I decided to wait at Dunkin Donuts, ordering iced coffee. Time to write while waiting for them.
Lisa showed up at around 11:20. Since she's the Bogor resident, she knows more about the myth involving dating at Kebun Raya Bogor (Bogor's Main Garden). She even told me how she and her last ex had broken up after that one last date there.
"Ookay." I raised an eyebrow. "What're we gonna tell Viona and John?"
That would be a problem. John's American. I've known all my America friends are mostly rational and not into superstitions. (Like Patrick, when he once challenged the Javanese myhtical Queen Kidul by wearing all green in Pelabuhan Ratu.:O He even dragged his friends along, because I saw their picture.)
Well, anyway - that would be Lisa's job, not mine.:P After all, she was the tour guide of the day anyway.
Viona and the lads finally showed up at 11:45. Their fellow was a forty-something British lad named Marcus. He seemed quiet and tad serious (I hope it has nothing to do with him majoring in philosophy like he'd said he was.) But at least he could still smile.:)
Both John and Viona just laughed at the myth.:P Well, I surely hope they're still together after this.
It was a fun day. Five of us went to The Main Garden and had late lunch at MP (Macaroni Panggang - panggang means 'baked'.) Then we did some shopping at the local factory outlets.
I love The Main Garden.:D It's the kind of place where I can be alone in peace. Sadly, I didn't get the chance to take Nick there.:( I'm sure he'd love it. The air was also much better than in Jakarta. Less polution. Much fresher. There are so many plants in the area I'm afraid I can't remember their latin names are. I could sit on one of those wooden benches by the lake and just...write. Very nice.
And I also love seeing John and Viona together.:) Somehow, in this world of (more often bitter) reality - I want their love story to have a happy ending. I really do. They look like a poster couple (and I don't mean to sound envious nor cynical, because it's just the truth.) John's tall, lean, and handsome - with soft brown hair, thick eyebrows (*gulps*), brown eyes, and a nice smile. He looks and acts boyish too. (Viona said he's actually 34, but he still looks 28 to me.) But no, that's not why I liked him right off from the beginning.
Many people still think I'm such a gullible, naive child - but I've already seen the way he treats my friend. :) The signs are positive: He's a (good) man in love. He really loves her. I'm sure he'd even die for her. It's so dead obvious. It's just something I rarely get to see these days.
And he sort of reminds me of Tiger too, on the personality case, that is. I guess that's why I want him to be happy too. He's a great person.:)
Viona's very lucky.:) Honestly, I envy her a little. Even a tomboy like me, I must admit, would like a prince charming too. Well, she's found hers. I'm not too crazy about having someone who would die for me, although I'm pretty sure I'd die for that one particular person instead. The crazier thing is, I'm not sure he'd do the same for me. Most of the time, it's always been that way.*shrugs* That's just how my reality works. I'm not that special.
Well, and another thing about John: he loves Mom's macaroni schotel.:D He kept telling me that during lunch. The one we ordered (with mushrooms and blocks of cheese in it) was also yummy. But he said Mom's was still better.
My pink polo shirt was grossly sweaty, so I ended up buying a new brown shirt and changed into it soon. Lisa was the only one who didn't shop for any. John bought some shirts for work too. When he saw me walking out of the store in my new tee, he grinned and joked: "Wah, baju baru! Bayar dulu." (Wow, a new outfit! Pay first.)
"Pssst!" I hissed back, also jokingly. "Don't spoil my escape plan."
*giggles*
We finally parted back at the train station at sometime around 5:30 pm. It took an hour for me to get back to Lenteng Agung. The sky was already dark outside the window. I was sitting in total silence when Mom suddenly called.
"Are you home already?"
"No, I'm still on the train." I scanned my surroundings and my face almost got hit by a rubber ball some kids were playing with. "Why?"
"Nur said she saw you at home, already in your purple gown and heading into your room. She said she'd said bye to you."
"No, I'm still on the train," I repeated, feeling a bit annoyed with Mom's persistence. I mean, why would I lie to her? I checked my watch. It was 6:30 pm.
"Okay." Then she hung up.
Later, I heard the story from Nur herself. (She's Mom's catering and kitchen staff at home too - part-time, though.) After she'd finished work at 6:30, she suddenly saw me (or my Dopple Ganger??:P) in the living room, wearing my favourite purple sleeping gown (which is actually an oversized tee.) She said bye, but I - or my 'dead-ringer' - didn't respond, just walking into my room and closing the door.
...........................
*shudders*
Oookaay...
I didn't do much yesterday. And I'm still tired today.:( Thank God it's my brother's turn to night-watch Dad in 4203.
Enough said.*yawns*
The Author
