Me Vs Public Figures

When people said, I am very lucky to meet public figures during my worked, I always said that  it was a part of my job. I had met many, but only a few of them that captured a memory with me. Either because I like them as a talented person or particular situation that made the meeting with them became unforgettable moment. Yep, here they are …

1. Oka Antara

I fell in love with him since I watched his film, Sang Penari (2011). His character as Rasus, Srintil’s lover was powerfull, he made the character that based on the book ( Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk is written by Ahmad Tohari) alive! I watched his movie on cinema while I had stayed in Medan. And finally I met him on his movie premiere Killer at Planet Hollywood. He is so humble, honest, without popularity masquerade, he treated me like friend to friend.

2. Eross Candra

My close relatives know that I am mad about him! Lucky me, I met him personal when Sheila On 7 promoted their concert with /rif years ago. He was a simple Javanese man with sexy accent! The best part of it, I wrote an article on his birthday for my previous work. I asked my boss, if I could make a story about Eross, something like the best songs was written by him. “Okay, you may,” answered my boss. I am very excited and happier when He had re-tweeted the link which I mentioned him. You can check the article on this link!

3. Reza Rahadian

I was nervous when I got a duty to interview Reza Rahadian. I ever met him while I had worked at lifestyle magazine in Medan. I remembered I met him, when I had attended his premiere movie, 3 Hati 2 Dunia 1 Cinta. I asked him, if I could do interview with him. He just walked away while had gave me his mother’s contact. Okay, it did quite hurted me though, but I bet you, that was not my first rejection from public figures. The years later, I got a job to interview him! Finally, I succeed interview him and he gave me a compliment to me. He said that I gave him a smart bad ass questions! He just didn’t know how I prepared myself and really, really, really hard!

4. Ahmad Tohari

I love his book, Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk. I found his book on my university library, hidden very deep on the corner of shelves. At that time, this book was not so popular like nowadays, in fact I found a warning in front of the cover saying that the book had an adult content. I canceled my plan to read the book, not because “an adult content”, I just didn’t have a call to read it. Then,  around 2011, out of nowhere I interested to look for the book but could not find it. Finally, I downloaded it from internet. The funny thing was, when I so proudly told him that I read his book by download it, He suddenly speechless, seemed like he didn’t like the thing I have done for sure :D.

5. Iwan Fals

Meeting him was another dream came true! I love his songs and like to play the same song all over again, Yang Terlupakan, Ancur, Maaf Cintaku are a few of my favourites. Honestly, I like his old version when he was rebellious and stung! He is calmer and slower, he lost his craziness side. He looks settled down now and doesn’t want to involve for any upheaval social in this country. I met him on one of coffee brand’s event which he is being the brand ambassador. For your record only and this is not an important information, but to be honest, I don’t really like the coffee at all.

3 Hal (Lagi) Paling Saya Senangi Tentang Jakarta (Part II)

*Cerita sebelumnya bisa dibaca di sini*

8. Bertemu Orang-orang Aneh

Jakarta mempertemukan saya dengan banyak orang aneh yang membuat hidup saya lebih semarak. Mulai dari teman-teman kantor yang ajaib, ada juga yang dengan tingkat keanehan menyebalkan, orang-orang menarik yang baru sekali bertemu tapi kedekatan yang terbangun begitu erat kemudian tidak berhubungan lagi. Teman yang menjadi dekat lewat pertemuan yang tak disangka, melihat kehidupan public figure dari dekat (berkaitan dengan pekerjaan) sehingga tahu betul borok dan baiknya mereka seperti apa. Intinya pertemuan dengan orang-orang aneh ini tidak selamanya memberikan pengalaman menyenangkan buat saya tapi seperti yang kerap dikatakan eks redaktur saya; we met for a reason, either you’re blessing or lesson J

9. Awal Mengenal Backpacker

Sejak di Medan dulu saya memang menyenangi dunia traveling. Tapi masih dalam tahap senang saja mendengar dan membaca petualangan orang. Jakarta membuka mata dan kaki saya untuk terjun ke dalam dunia backpacker yang sebenarnya. Hampir setiap weekend saya habiskan dengan mengikuti trip-trip singkat, bertemu dengan orang-baru, mendatangi tempat-tempat yang masih jarang didatangi.

10. Ada Banyak Peluang

Bukan hanya peluang karier dan pendidikan saja tetapi juga peluang untuk menjadi orang yang lebih baik atau buruk? Jakarta menjanjikan kesuksesan dalam hal materi dan pergaulan. Kau bisa dianggap keren kalau nongkrongnya di sini berteman dengan si anu dan lain-lain. Kesempatan untuk menjadi berselingkuh atau jadi simpanan dengan motivasi adrenaline ataupun ekonomi pun terbuka lebar di sini. Tergantung bagaimana menyikapi sih. Lantas kenapa hal ini menjadi salah satu alasan saya menyenangi Jakarta? Peluang-peluang ini menyadarkan saya, apa sebenarnya yang ingin dan tidak ingin saya lakukan dalam hidup.

 

What They Don’t Tell You About Bali…

Honestly, Bali is not one of my favorite places. But, I can’t lie that some part of Bali make me want to visit it again and again. One true reason, there is a Bikram Yoga studio in Bali at Seminyak. Since I am really into Bikram, I think it’s very important if you have something that connecting you in those places you would be often to come.

Another reason is, my sister has been living in Bali about one year, so it’s a must visited to me. For other odd reason is, I addicted for incense smell while I had arrived in Ngurah Rai airport. The smell was so magical sacred, at a moment you realized that you were not in Jakarta but Bali the land whom promises pleasures! Heaven on earth!

By the way, I have some habits while traveling, to buy  books from local bookstores. Mostly I bought books about places where I have visited. Ever since Bali is a must visit to me, I bought many books about Bali. From fiction to a real fact, something that not every tourist knows. Cultural and legend matters, also Bali evolutions which is not so comfort to people nowsdays.

Tarian Bumi was written by Oka Rusmini. The book was telling about social and romance conflict amongst Bali caste. A Sudranese wanted to married Brahmananese, she thought it would be increased her family social ladder and set them free of economy matters. She was late to know that, life wasn’t just a simple thing. Once you decided something, you must had been ready for all consequences.

Jejak Dedari by Erwin Arnada, telling readers about Bali cultural. He took Sanghyang Dedari dance as a central of his theme. There was a young girl who passionated to be Sanghyang Dedari dancer. Sadly, her condition and caste made her unsuitable for being a sacred dancer. I like this book, but as a fiction I don’t think the reality frame which was putted on it are fit with the story. Still, I enjoy it as a book that informed me about social and cultural matters in Bali.

Menitip Mayat di Bali by Gde Aryantha Soethama and Bali Menggugat by Putu Setia are two books that help me to know Bali at present time. Essays, opinion articles are things that we can find on these books. The writers are Balinese, so their perspective would help us to know Bali in different way, something that we don’t know or we know but we don’t want to give a bit energy to discuss it deeply.

How tourism saves Bali’s economy, but in other side killing the soul of Bali’s cultural and a fact that the old Bali is more comfort than Bali nowdays. I found my emotion were mixed, while I had read these books. I felt  emphaty at the condition but in other side also annoyed because some things are happened to me. It was, the discrimination I have got just because I am Indonesian.

The last book will be a horrible dream for people who have bad intention while they visit Bali. Hotel K was written by Kathryn Bonella will help us to dig more for what would happened if you were doing criminal in Bali. The most nightmare and scariest shit happened! If you still think that prison will make criminals find their way, you’re obviously wrong! Somehow, prison make criminals more criminals and one of the biggest drugs circle selling is in prison. Well, surprised me ….

Poetic Wounds (Part I)

Have you ever felt a kind of broken heart that destroyed your heart so poetic? You felt hurt, but still had energy to take pieces of your heart and stitched it to be an artsy wound. I felt a broken heart in many times, but only a few of it that carved wounds to be a poem. This story will not telling you the drama behind broken hearts, but more about specific poetic moments which I had with.

1. The Man Who Covered My Hand with His Hand

I met him on my first job. He was a senior writer on the newspaper where I had worked. We had often spending time by riding his motorcycle. Around the roads we were singing Bunga Cita Lestari’s song duet with Ari Lasso, the title is Aku dan Dirimu. He was a big man with dark skin. He liked to cover my hand with his hand, and everytime when he held my hand, he always said how small my hand than his hand. An unforgettable moment I had with him, was when he dropped me at my house after supper. He took my hand and brought it to his hands. He covered mine with his hands, with the moonlight fell on our hands, made that night such a romantic precious moment.

2. The Man with a Half Moon On His Eyes

I called him a half moon because he has a small eyes, that made him has lost his eyes while he smiled or laughed. Yes, he is my Chinese office mate! Together, we shared sweet moments. He loved to share old songs to me like This Girl in Love with You (Ella Fitzgerald), Killing Me Softly and while he sang it, he changed the lyric to be like, strumming my pain with her fingers…singing my life with her song. He also adores Syaharani with her numbers Tetaplah Di Sini and Kemarin so does Mus Mujiono with his remarkable song Arti Kehidupan. I can’t deny he has a perfect sexy taste ever in music!  One day, we collaborated to write a romance article and we got compliment from our editor in chief. I got melancholy feeling about it, something that made me feel, if we could not be together as a real couple, at least my words met his letters in the same writing.

3. The Old Writer

Once in my life I met a typical man like this the old writer. The funny part was, I ever saw his book at book store while I still stayed in Medan. When I read the title of his book that had a similar title like one of my favourite author at that time, I cursed his book, “Who the hell he think he is? He must be a silly writer!” A few years after, I met him and made a story with him. Friendship aka loveshit with him was colouring my Jakarta life time. Some places more memorable because of him. And in those places we used to talk about the other writers rumours. He never forgot to inform me if his writing has been published. We had the up and down relationship. I was too stable crazy for him, and he was too unstable insane for me. The precious moment with him was, when we accidentally attended Joko Pinurbo poem performance. Joko was reading his authentic poem, about a couple first experience of making love. He had described it with detail emotions and made it as unforgettable performance because the literary man sat beside me.

4. The Mountain Climber

He was the one who introduced me  the luxury pleasure drinking coffee on a peak of mountain. The steps were, pour a sachet coffee in plastic cups and stirred with its package, tasted it slowly like it was your last coffee in your life while beautiful sight of Mandalawangi extend outward in front of you. What a sacred drinking coffee ritual, wasn’t  it?

For him, I wrote this poem…

dia yang meninggalkan jejak merah di dada

setengah ranum lalu mengusapnya hati-hati

seolah tahu kelak anak-anak akan menyusu darinya nanti…

kita tidak pernah mengira cinta bisa datang

dari cerita tanda tanya atau seharusnya kita bisa mengira

tak ada yang lebih pasti dari jawaban-jawabanmu yang mengekalkan malam

Tuhan seharusnya melarangmu mendekati orang yang berbeda keyakinan denganmu..

Durga

I like Jogja, as one of destinations where I can feel Javanese culture. During vacations, I would spare time to visit gift shop that sell Javanese puppet. I would be very curious of what puppets are available and very happy if I know the names of the puppets.

Rama and Sita are the most popular puppets in gift shop. Most gift shops that I visited, have Rama and Sita. Beside the not so romantic couple—because at the end of story Sita jumped into the earth which openned itself and swallowed her in, I could also find a complete Pandawa, Rahwana, Semar and others common puppets.

Unfortunately, it is very hard for me to find my other favorite puppets like Banowati, Aswatama, Karna and Durga. Several times I asked the gift shop, “Why you don’t sell Durga?. He looked at me like I was from another planet then answered, “She is a cruel goddess, Mbak. No one wants to buy Durga puppet.” Ouch! He broke my heart. I love her character for other reason, because I know the good version about Durga story and I want people to be clear about it.

Before Durga, she was once Uma. The god Siwa’s wife, a beautiful charming goddess. Loved by her husband and they lived with peace and full of happiness. Until one day he decided to test his wife’s loyalty, Uma. It was important for him to know how deep was her love and how further she could do for him.

Then he pretended to fall sick and asked Uma to get some medicine for him. The thing was, medicine that could bring cure for him only found in earth. Uma must be sent down to earth, and look for a white cow. This was the only thing that could help Siwa.

Uma loved her husband and would do anything to make him got his healthy back sooner. So, that was Uma did. Went down to earth and looked for white cow. What happened next would reveal us the tricky part. When Uma left their palace, Siwa also went down to earth and masqueraded himself as shepherd with a white cow.

He showed himself to Uma and pretended he didn’t know her. When Uma realized that the shepherd (aka Siwa undercover) had a thing that she needed, she wanted to buy the white cow. “Oh.. good shepherd, I want to buy your white cow. Please..it is very important for me to have it. I will give you gold, diamond if you just sell it to me…” begged her almost cried.

With all the fake and cunningness he got, the shepherd (aka Siwa undercover) answered, “Honestly I don’t want to sell it. But, if you really want it, I will give it to you with one condition.”

Sound like there was hope, she smiled, “I will do anything…”, she responded passionately. If only she knew what he would asked, her response would be so different.

“I will give you this white cow for free, if you want to sleep with me one night…”, calmly he said.

Shocked. She didn’t prepare to his weird unpolite condition. It was a harrashment to her! But, though with humiliation, she tried to answer him politely and reminded the man that it was impossible to do that. “I am a married woman, forbidden for me to sleep with you.”

“I don’t mind if you don’t want to. But I can’t give you the white cow,” the gestured like he wanted to move away. Uma looked very desperately and didn’t know what to do. All she knew, she must got the medicine for her husband.

“Okay…I will do it,” she said flatly.

It happened. The intercourse between shepherd (aka Siwa undercover) and Uma. Wind was blowing sadly when the shepherd descrated Uma again…again and again. Farm land became the witness, man’s ego would heartlessly defeat anything, including a pure woman’s heart.

After that night, the sun shined slowly and hide its delights. Universe seemed to be disagree to what has happened last night and cursed it. As he planned, Siwa revealed his masquerade and yelled at Uma, “Hey wife, you betrayed me, your husband. How could you to do that to me!”

That was a second shocked for her. First, when this shepherd asked her to sleep with him, and second when she knew that the man she slept with was her husband! A moment she felt dizziness, and tried to digest what the heck was going on in here. But, Siwa has sent her an ultimate decision, he cursed Uma to be a monster to be the occupant of Gandamayu, a place more hell than hell itself.

Starting that day, people called her as Durga. Until one day, on a destined time, one of the Pandawa twins, Sadewa would heal her with his song Sudamala. When the time eventually arrived, Durga finally was healed and back to her profile as Uma. She hell refused Siwa request to bring her back to palace. For her, it was better to live wandering between heaven and earth than living with a lunatic man, who  has no heart, did ignorant idiotic things just to test his woman, if she was worth it or not.

The story has gotten me so well. And encouraged me to dig many more of tales story about puppetry deeper. Many figures that we thought tobe known as good profiles are not too good, but on the contrary. Or maybe, that’s why we called it life, has a good and bad side, like yin and yang?

I am not sure. But, the thing that I am very sure of is, treat your mate fairly with respect. I always love Hellboy movie’s quote. The one when HB said these sweet words to Liz, “I know what’s important. It’s you. I can turn my back on the world, all of it… as long as you stay with me.” Each one of us wants a person who is big heart enough to turn back from his world for us, rather than screw up your life in the name of bullshit loyalty. Indeed like this story…

 

7 Hal yang Paling Saya Senangi Tentang Jakarta (Part I)

Sebagai perantau dan akhirnya menetap di kota metropolitan Jakarta, tentunya saya pernah mengalami kenorakan-kenorakan orang daerah. Sebenarnya tempat asal saya juga bukan daerah sekali. Namun Medan masa saya tempati dulu belum semaju sekarang, dimana mall ada di mana-mana. Kala sekarang mah,  bahasa pergaulan anak-anak Medan juga tidak jauh beda dengan orang Jakarte aje pake Lo Gue gitu.

Ketika saya baru pindah ke Jakarta, Medan yang dulu Gue tinggali belum begitu hedon seperti sekarang. Jadi, begitu ketemu hal-hal hedon di Jakarta saya ter-Waw. Bahkan sampai toilet di Mall Central Park saya fotoin terus kirim ke abang dan kakak dengan caption toiletnya keren bangeets beda seperti di Medan Plaza (nama salah satu mall di Medan yang sekarang sudah tidak ada lagi karena peristiwa kebakaran).

Toilet di mall-mall Jakarta bisa otomatis flush-nya. Belum lagi tong sampah yang bisa mendeteksi gerakan tangan jadi bisa terbuka tanpa kita perlu menyentuh tong sampahnya hehehehe. Kenorakan saya tidak berhenti di situ saja, bahkan TransJakarta bersama kemacetan Jakarta saya anggap sebagai hal yang keren. Saya terkagum-kagum dengan “kecanggihan” TransJakarta sampai rela berhimpit-himpitan dan berdiri lho!

Saya  pernah tanpa sengaja membaca blognya eks redaktur yang juga anak perantauan seperti saya. Dalam salah satu tulisannya dia menyebutkan hal-hal yang dia senangi di Jakarta, salah satunya adalah mall yang keren-keren. Kalau buat saya sih mall keren tidak termasuk dalam daftar hal-hal yang disenangin dari Jakarta.

            Sebagai old soul sejati—cieeee, justru yang saya sukai nikmati dari Jakarta adalah hal-hal yang jauh dari metropolis melainkan melankolis dan sarat akan memoris.

1. Macetnya

Masa-masa awal kerja di Jakarta, saya megalami sekali kehidupan ala The Jakartans yang bangunnya pagi-pagi buta dan pulangnya malam. Menghabiskan waktu berjam-jam di macetnya jalan. Secara rumah di Jakarta Barat sedangkan kantor di Jakarta Selatan dan transportasi saya adalah TransJakarta. Tahun 2012 belum ada belum ada ojek online, kalaupun ada gaji saya tidak cukup membiayai ojek online. Kalau TransJakarta kan terjangkau tapi syaratnya ya itu wajib bangun pagi supaya dapat tempat duduk dan tidak himpit-himpitan dengan penumpang lain.

2. Kawasan Menteng – Cikini

Dimanapun saya bekerja, saya selalu memasukkan tempat ini ke dalam tulisan. Menurut saya kawasan Menteng – Cikini adalah salah satu tempat paling adem di Jakarta sekaligus nyeni Di Taman Mentengnya sering digelar event-event indie dan tentu ada Taman Ismail Marzuki alias TIM di Jalan Cikini Raya.

Dulu saya sering main ke TIM. Nonton film di bioskop pun wajib di TIM. Tempatnya enak, aman dan tidak terlalu hedon malah banyak orang-orang nyentrik di sana. Saya juga punya banyak kenangan di sana bersama orang-orang yang saya sukai. Setiap melewati jalan-jalan ini saya sering tersenyum teringat pengalaman-pengalaman menyenangkan sekaligus sendu. Setiap kita pasti pasti punya tempat-tempat yang pas dilewati terus merasa nyes ‘kan?

3. Jakarta Jam 12 Malam

Sama sekali nggak horor kok! Jakarta jam tengah malam itu justru adem, jalanan sepi, mau naik TransJakarta juga bisa duduk tanpa perlu berebut kursi. Sepanjang jalan bisa menikmati keheningan yang jarang sekali ditemui di jam-jam sibuk. Menyesapi Jakarta di malam hari adalah sesuatu yang bikin saya kangen kalau seandainya saya tidak tinggal di kota ini lagi.

4. Kehidupan Pinggir Jalan yang Selalu Menyadarkan Saya Untuk Bersyukur

Kalau mau melihat kehidupan Jakarta yang sebenarnya jangan cuma mainnya di mall ataupun Kemang, cobalah amati orang-orang yang tinggal di pinggiran rel, di bawah jembatan di gerobak (sering disebut manusia gerobak) ataupun para pengamen di Kopaja. Saya selalu salut dengan pelaku-pelaku kehidupan keras Jakarta ini.

Mereka bikin saya mensyukuri hidup dan menyaksikan keajaiban kehidupan ibukota yang keras!!  Naik Kopaja juga membuat saya ngeh kalau para pengamen punya marsnya alias lagu-lagu andalan yang rata-rata dinyanyikan hampir semua pengamen. Salah satunya, Pergi Pagi Pulang Pagi-nya Armada.

5. Lari dan Sepedaan Membuat Saya Tau Jalan-jalan di Jakarta

Saya hobi olahraga, dua diantaranya lari dan sepedaan. Saya dulu menolak bergabung dengan industry komersil aktivitas olahraga apapun yang bayar mahal untuk keringatan. Makanya saya lebih memilih lari dan sepedaan.

Saya larinya pulang kerja. Dulu kantor saya di Kuningan, rumah di Daan Mogot, jadi saya lari dah dari Kuningan—tidak sampai ke Daan Mogot sih saya belum segila itu, kadang sampai ke Senen, Monas, Harmoni, Cideng, Taman Anggrek atau Grogol terus nyambung dengan angkutan umum ke rumah. Lari dengan rute yang demikian membuat saya sedikit banyak tahu jalan-jalan umum di Jakarta. Sama dengan sepedaan, juga bikin saya tahu jalan-jalan di Jakarta. Paling tidak yah beraneka rute ke rumah.

6. Kunang-kunang di Jakarta

Salah satu cerpenis yang saya kenal pernah bikin cerita tentang Kunang-kunang di Jakarta. Bukan beneran kunang-kunang tapi maksud dia lampu-lampu di Jakarta pas malam hari diumpamakannya seperti kunang-kunang. Saya suka dengan pemandangan Jakarta ketika malam hari. Lampu-lampu jalanan bercampur dengan lampu kendaraan dan gedung-gedung yang menolak malam. Jakarta kota yang tidak pernah mati malahan sering bikin patah hati karena cinta separuh hati yang dialami orang-orangnya.

7. Stasiun Senen

Bukan karena pernah dipalak ya hehehe. Malahan kalaupu pulang dari terminalnya saya sering tidak bayar lho karena saya Batak. Kenek atau supirnya juga Batak jadinya saya gratis hehehe. Dulu  saya sering weekend get away. Setiap Jumat pergi ke Jogja dari Stasiun Senen, pulangnya Minggu malam jadi sampainya Senin pagi langsung kerja. Stasiun Senen jadi berkesan sekali buat saya.

Pernah pas sampai di Jakartanya dini hari, saya tidur di stasiun sampai dibanguni satpam, mandi di stasiun. Baru-baru ini saya mencoba lagi kebiasaan dulu tersebut, berangkat malam sampainya besok pagi (berangkat dari Jakarta ke Surabaya) ya ampun badan rontok semua dan begitu sampai Surabaya langsung tepar.

Pulang Kampung…

“Jangan jadi Batak dale..”

Kata bapak berpeci saat kami (saya dan keluarga) menunggu penerbangan di Kualanamu menuju Jakarta Selasa (3/1) yang lalu. Batak dale artinya Batak nggak jelas, Batak KW. Mengaku Batak tapi tidak tahu adat-budaya. Kira-kira seperti itulah….

Pertemuan saya dengan si Bapak di depan mini market bandara dan percakapan kami yang hanya beberapa menit sejenak membangkitkan kenangan kembali perjalanan 5 hari menuju Desa Mogang yang berlokasi di Kecamatan Palipi, Kabupaten Samosir—kampung halaman Bapak saya.

Ini sebenarnya perjalanan tak terencana buat saya pribadi. Namun setelah menjalaninya, tidak terbersit sedikitpun sesal di hati. Malah saya bersyukur karena bisa kembali ke akar, melihat tanah kelahiran Bapak sekaligus mengingat masa-masa kecil saat pulang kampung dulu.

Dulu, pulang kampung menjadi ritual yang menjengkelkan buat saya. Tahun 1990-an bukan era yang cukup modern buat kampung kami. Jalanan rusak dari Tomok sampai ke Mogang. Sangat parah malah! Ingatan kecil saya mengatakan, Bapak dan para pemudik yang lain sampai harus menempatkan dua batang pohon kelapa di kedua ujung jembatan sebagai jalan untuk kendaraan lewat. Sangat membahayakan!

Jalanan yang rusak membuat durasi perjalanan di luar kewajaran. Terguncang-guncang bersama dingin yang menghimpit. Kelelahan karena perjalanan tidak terbayar, karena rumah Opung (sebutan untuk Kakek-Nenek—red) yang ala-kadarnya. Lampunya temaram, lantai semen tak rata, hanya ada dua kamar yang membuat kami harus tidur bersempit-sempitan dengan para saudara sepupu di lantai ruang tamu yang hanya beralaskan tikar tipis.

Eh…jangan salah, tidak sampai di situ “cobaan” yang dirasakan! Kami harus menerima ciuman penuh semangat dari Opung yang bakal menyisakan sirih merah dengan aroma tidak enak di kedua pipi. Berbicara soal makanannya pun tanpa variasi. Hanya Saksang (daging babi yang diolah tradisional menggunakan darah—red) ataupun Sasagun, makanan yang terbuat dari tepung beras yang ketika makannya tidak boleh sambil mengobrol kalau tidak bakal muncrat kemana-mana.

Saya hampir lupa menceritakan kondisi MCK-nya yang mengharu-biru. Tidak ada air dan “pembuangannya” juga langsung ke tanah—membuat kita harus ekstra hati-hati kalau tidak mau bokongnya diseruduk babi. Ya, dulu babi berkeliaran dengan leluasanya di kampung kami. Pertemanan yang akrab pun terjadi antara anak-anak kampung dengan babi. Walaupun pada akhirnya si babi harus berakhir di kuali!

Saya kecil selalu berpikir, begitu tega Bapak mempertaruhkan segala ketidaknyamanan ini hanya demi pulang kampung. Saya sering protes, kenapa kita tidak ke Jakarta saja? Kenapa kita selalu menghabiskan libur tahun baru di kampung? Ditambah lagi tepat 31 Desember, menunggu jam 12 malam dan mandok hata (tradisi mengobrol, berdoa dan bermaaf-maafan menyambut tahun yang baru—red) bersama Opung dan saudara-saudara jauh!

Ngilu, sekarang saya rasakan ketika menginjakkan kaki di rumah tempat Bapak dibesarkan di Mogang. Suasana dusun dan ndeso sudah tidak ada lagi. Malahan tepat di sebelah rumah ada Pertamini berdiri tegak. Sebenarnya atmosfer modern sudah mulai berasa dari penyeberangan menuju Tomok. Pun, Pangururan, kota yang selalu dilewati menuju Mogang sudah bersolek dengan bedak modern dan lisptik kota besarnya. Yah, memang tidak semaju kota-kota besar yang “wah” lainnya. Namun tetap saja ada rasa aneh, ketika duduk di warung makan di Pangururan, yang terdengar adalah lagu Love Me Like You Do-nya Ellie Goulding bukan uning-uningan (musik tradisional—red) Batak.

Saya sedih sekaligus malu ketika mengatakan, saya merindukan uning-uningan ini kembali di putar di mobil Bapak. Dulu, saya kerap meminta Bapak mematikan tape di mobil setiap kali beliau memutar lagu uning-uningan. Kini, saya yang dewasa merindukan hal-hal yang saya benci saat kecil. Betapa hidup terkadang menyedihkan, butuh pengorbanan besar untuk sebuah kedewasaan. Mematangkan pikiran lewat pengalaman. Ketika akhirnya sudah memahami semua, waktu tidak bisa diputar balik. Hanya bisa mengenang dan merindukan yang tidak akan dapat terulang lagi.

Saya tidak menemukan apa yang saya lihat di kacamata kecil dulu. Tapi, saya cukup puas dengan mandi di Danau Toba—walaupun airnya tidak sejernih dulu. Mencuci baju ala-ala juga saya lakoni demi memanggil kenangan kecil dulu. Sekarang, sudah jarang penduduk yang mencuci baju di danau. Tidak ada Lapet (kue tradisional Batak yang terbuat dari tepung beras—penduduk lokal sudah semakin jarang membuatnya. Namun, kopi kampung masih ada untuk menikmati pemandangan Danau Toba yang tenang.

Sayup seakan saya bisa mendengar kembali suara Bapak ketika mendongengkan tentang Boru Pandiangan (klan, marga saya) yang menikah dengan siluman ular besar. Dulu saya takut benar mendengar cerita tersebut. Sekarang, ketika dewasa, saya bisa mengambil kesimpulan dari dongeng/legenda yang diceritakan Bapak, kalau kesabaran akan membuahkan hasil dan akar budaya serta adat adalah satu-satunya yang wajib dijunjung tinggi. Serupa dengan ornamen cicak dan empat payudara yang kerap ada di rumah adat Batak yang sarat makna filosofis. Salah satunya adalah hendaknya orang Batak selalu mengingat kampung halamannya dan dimanapun dia merantau selalu dapat kembali ke tempat asalnya.