What is luck to you?
Friday, February 24th, 2006Despite of newly-opened bars throughout Jakarta, I always enjoy my time at B.A.T.S. That night I arrived at the bar early by myself as Agnes, Emilia and Frida were still busy finishing their hairdo. Only one thing I hate about this place, “the chicks” which occupy mostly every corner of the room. So, instead of look like one, I decided to order a light meal while waiting for the girls. The Mai Tai and calamari I ordered hadn’t served yet while a girl (I assumed older than I am) approached me and asked permission to sit at a chair next to me. I reserved those chairs for the girls who would come by any minutes but never mind, Frida usually spends most of her time at the dance floor anyways…
I was kinda bored waiting so I started to stare at the girl next to me. She was a bit toned, dark skin and wore a supposedly sexy dress. We finally ended up chatting and somehow I found her alright. Her name was Marinah but she wanted to be called “Maria”. She said it’s easier for the bule. She came from a village in Central Java and hoped that she would find her luck in Jakarta. She never really finished her school but she really want to get out from the poverty. She told me how some of her friend are lucky as they finally ended up living with some bule and get their life well-financed. She then asked me what am I doing here alone. I said I’m waiting for my girl friends. She asked did I have a boyfriend and I said yes, my boyfriend lives in Paris. She gave me a tired smile and asked did I meet my fiancé in a place like this? I smiled and said to her that I’m a TV reporter and I met my fiancé during an interview. She looked so hopeless and threw me a sour smile.
“You are lucky Dewi. Since I sit here from the very first time, many bule have been looking at you. I think they like you, a lot. If I keep sitting here, I would never have my chance so I better move to other corner. Nice meeting you anyways…”
I saw her disappear among crowds just several minutes before the girls came.
Postscript:
I’m still a loyal B.A.T.S visitor but I never met Maria again. Many girls like Maria in Jakarta but we could never blame them. They take shelter from a bule to another bule to have their life better supported while keeping a slight dream that they will be espoused one day. That’s a mutual relationship I guess. The bule will have “maid” inside the house while the girl will have better supported life and maybe they’re lucky enough if they could convince the bule to have children with them as lifetime insurance though the contract might ended anytime. For some people it feels like “selling your dignity” but for people like Maria, it means they are lucky. It’s a relative perspective, depends on how you see it, and depends on which social values you are rose. For me, it’s a choice and you’ll choose it when it’s brighter than the others.
