Those Three Months, I Remember

As I was walking down this narrow lane of Perugia
Stepping slowly on cobblestones that were set centuries ago
When all of the sudden I was almost ran down by this blue Vespa
Shocked and surprised, I screamed out foul words until this old Italian lady yelled, “Silenzio!”

She made gesture as if flicking a lamp’s switch off
Continued with another sign :
Sliding her thumb and forefinger across her lips as if shutting a zipper

I definitely got the message, didn’t need to ask her
That was a simple gesture I learned in kindergarten over 25 years ago
When our teacher wanted us to shut up and sit down quietly
Before starting the ritual of saying Lord’s Prayer

Instead I waved my left hand that wasn’t holding the brown umbrella
“Mi scusi, Signora,” said I, and walked away hurriedly
Surprised by my own ashamed feeling of having no guts to face this stern old Italian lady
Oh, I haven’t told you it was raining drizzly that day, eh?

A little trivia : I turned 30 that year
So I decided to give myself a birthday present
It was a 3 months vacation to Italy
The country that gave birth to a grand man
That millenniums later is known universally as an operation technique he was named after

It was surely the most amazing 3 months of my life
Good time partying with young people, citizen of the world
Strolling down traditional market, pocketful of loose changes with no idea what to buy
Flirting using sign language with a beautiful girl whose sad face framed with auburn locks,
Because she doesn’t speak English, and deaf ever since five

I can guarantee you, what a feat it was
Intellectually challenging, such a test to patience
Yet we could still find ways to communicate and
To share this love that knows no boundaries of races, religions or political views

It was the most amazing 3 months in my life
Because I could forget all my worries back home
Leaving them behind, and only have tomorrows to look upon
It was the time when horizon seems far enough, yet within reach

It was still a jolly good time when the last day finally arrived
As I sat down on Leonardo da Vinci airport’s cold steel bench
These random thoughts passing through my mind like cold wind blown from the sea,
“Hope I can return to this magnificent country, which cities are as old as civilization itself,”
“Hope that when I return, I will fall in love all over again with the beautiful life Italy has to offer ..."

“Oh, shoot! Hope I didn’t impregnate that beautiful deaf girl!”

Ah, questa dolce Vita!

Photo illustration courtesy of C.G. Salon in Fayetteville, Georgia, U.S.A.
Used for non-commercial purpose without permission.

Of Feelings & Things

As I was walking down the nearly empty city streets
Which were wet again because of the heavy rain
When the skies above this city turned into the usual cloudy and grey
The rainwater pooled on the cracks of the pavement faded into dark

I kept walking searching for some place I can call my comfort zone
A simple place I can call my own, and ours
Where time and space will pass us by when we see eye to eye
Where happiness and love are everywhere, surrounding us
Where you will give me the reasons to live,

And to recognize the whole mutual feelings we share and things we have as love.

Those Three Words

Can't you see it's raining outside?
But you, you hardly even noticed

You were concentrating on me
Because you said you have something important to say

Been two years and still counting
I now believe I know you like nobody ever will

You're moody, temperamental, easily aroused and annoyed
Yet they don't have important meanings now

You looked me deeply in the eyes
And asked me to pretend that we're still together

You told me that we might fall in love again
Just like in the very beginning

And even though I kept silent while you're talking
But I, I just knew

How much you tried to say "I love you"
Yet those words get in the way

2 5 6 0

sepanjang pengetahuanku, yang tergolong relatif pendek ini, hujan deras yang turun setiap perayaan sin cia merupakan pertanda bagus. kurang lebih sama seperti salah satu lagu dalam tata ibadah kristiani yang mendendangkan "hujan berkat 'kan tercurah". semakin deras hujan yang turun pada saat hari pertama tahun baru cina, tandanya akan semakin besar rejeki yang dilimpahkan pada tahun itu.

nah, kalau melihat kondisi cuaca hari ini, harusnya sih semua pada deg-degan. soalnya cuma mendung tebal yang menggantung, membuat warna langit jadi kelabu dan menyebalkan. was-was juga sih, secara hari ini aku pengennya jalan-jalan cari dvd (bajakan, tentunya!) di ambassador. gimana kalau hujan, coba? padahal kan lanjutannya pengen ke aksara kemang.

soalnya dari info semacam tenaga pi-ar -nya si aksara, dia bilang kalau aksara lagi ngadain clearance sale. banyak banget buku yang diskon besar, dijual cuma 50ribu perak perbuah !!! meskipun, yah, sebenarnya kan kamis (22 januari) kemarin kan aku sudah beli 6 judul, tapi kan siapatau nemu buku lainnya yang lumayan menantang. seperti salman rushdie, misalnya? kalau "midnight children" -nya dijual murah juga, i'll definitely gonna buy it !

ngomong-ngomong soal beli dvd film yang bajakan, jadi agak bimbang. kalau nemu "slumdog millionaire", beli ga ya? tapi kenny bilang film itu bakal tayang pada minggu pertama februari di blitz. itu artinya kurang lebih cuma 2 minggu lagi !! kayanya lebih tepat menunggu. biar nontonnya bareng si gembul.

eniwei, si gembul pasti lagi makan banyak-banyaknya hari ini. itu sebabnya dia kupanggil gembul. kalau kami lagi makan bareng, waw ! terkadang aku terkagum-kagum dengan semua makanan yang bisa masuk ke dalam perutnya, tapi selalu saja aku yang lebih ndud dibanding dia. jangan-jangan, seperti 'tuduhan' yang kulontarkan saat dinner bareng natasha, vonny, ronny dan jason di kiyadon senayan city hari sabtu (24 januari) lalu, usus si gembul terhubung ke dimensi lain. jadi apapun yang dia makan, it doesn't matter.

dan entah mengapa, tiba-tiba aku terpikir mooncake ! harusnya sih, imlek begini pasti banyak dihidangkan ya? pesan satu ah sama si gembul, minta dibawain yang diameter 10 cm besok kalau ketemuan. hahaha! nyam-nyam.

oh ya sekalian mau ngucapin: gong xi fat choi! bagi teman-teman yang merayakan. happy chinese new year 2560.

A Thousand Oceans

These tears I have cried, for you I have cried a thousand oceans
And if it seems like I'm floating in the pitch darkness,
well, that’s because you filled my mind all these times

Still I can't believe that I would keep you from flying high just to find me waiting
But I would cry a thousand more if that's what it takes to sail you home
Sail you home, back inside my flaming heart

I'm much aware what the rules are, for our true love to survive
But you know that in the end I will always run back into your arms
You know that I will follow you,
even to the farthest-side corner of the world

And if I find you, will you still remember me playing under the rain,
running through the woods,
walking on the sands by the sea holding hands with you,
and forgetting all the sad moments as time passed us by,
or do these memories of me just fade away?

These tears I have cried, for you I have cried a thousand oceans
And if it seems I'm floating persistently in the darkness,
well, that’s because I’m still searching the way into my harbor, the safe haven,
and that's your soul

So I would cry a thousand more oceans if that's what it takes to sail you home
Sail you home, back inside of me

- Inspired by Tori Amos’ 1000 Oceans in reminiscing bittersweet memories of Love.R -