The Last Adventure

Dabin : Whoa, God is smiling at us, Bang!

Me : I don't believe in God, Bin.

Dabin : Whoa, Whatever-it-is-up-there is smiling at us, Bang!

Me : HaHaHa...

The night was coming, the time was little, and Smashie's back tire was worrying. I was heading to Cemara Asri in a late afternoon via crowded Sutomo Ujung, one bad choice of road. It was the last adventure Dabin and I would be having around the city, for he was about to leave this town in two days.

By the time I was riding Smashie, I'd known that something was wrong. The tire was a little loose of air, probably punctured from previous days of traveling. But yet, I didn't get it checked because I was in a hurry meeting Dabin.

Dabin wanted to go to Sun Plaza, for the last time this year, since he had to buy preparations for him to carry to Canada later. I accompanied him, but we made a quick visit to Comic Garden before that, to return several comics and rent some more. Hehe... At 7.30, we're already eating in Sun Plaza's foodcourt, meeting Budi Sentosa out of coincidence. I had western food, Dabin had chinese food. It's our last dinner. Then, chased by the time, we went to the Hypermart. We spent half an hour there, and we were rushing on going back to Cemas at 9.

Or at least that was our plan.

When we encountered Smashie again, we found out that her back tire was indeed punctured. Smashie had a flat tire. And we're standing inside the hot parking lot, with hundreds of other bikes around us. I swore, "Oh, Shit!" or something like that. Dabin asked, "So, what will we do, Bang?" or something like that.

I knew at that time, that I had no choice but to drag my Smashie out of that parking lot, up to the upper level, out of the building, and find a workshop. I couldn't get on Smashie, and neither could Dabin. I've had flat-tire incidents many times before, but never inside Sun. It was a new experience for me to drag Smashie out of a mall, with Dabin by my side.

The ascending path was exhausting. I was sweating all over my body, desperate to find fresh air that seemed like miles away from me. Dabin was carrying his heavy things, and we were laughing all the way, and saying how unexpected this was. I was murmuring things like "I should have checked the tire first before but it would have cost us more time", or "so much for our plan to go home at nine o'clock".

Dabin was saying things like "We shall still can make it home by nine thirty", or "How long would it take to tamper a tire?"

I told him, "around half an hour"

and he said, "Woot!"

Haha.. he always said that.

So eventually we made it outside Sun Plaza, and I was tired and needed a break, but I pushed it. Dabin followed me. There were pedicab drivers noticing us and telling us to go over there while pointing at some directions. I wouldn't have to listen to them, I knew a place.

So I crossed the street in quick steps that almost felt like a run. Dabin was still following us. He was saying that the Indonesian people there were nice, for giving us help of directions. I told him, yes, they could become helpful, unlike fellow Hokkien people with cars who would mind their own business and help us only when we're asking for it. I also told Dabin that perhaps it was because the pedicab drivers knew the pain of puncture tires incidents since they must have experienced those pretty often.

When I found a workshop, an Indian man was working on Smashie. I sat on a bench facing the glorious and colourful Sun Plaza, glad to have wind blowing my face. Dabin was having a flat-tire motorcycle for the first time, with me, as I was, with him.

Instead of worrying about our messed up schedule, we're enjoying that moment, in front of Sun's building, saying that this night couldn't be better than this, despite the unfortunate incident.

So we ended up taking pictures to eternalize the moment.

Dabin took my picture with the glorious dancing light Sunplaza on my background. It was a nice moment, actually. Priceless. I was sweating, so I had no time to be looking good. But I think the picture was OK. It was not a forced pose. It was a spontaneous take.

Here :



OK, on second opinion, I looked ugly. But that wasn't the point, right? Hehe.

I also took Dabin's picture. He was wearing his backpack filled with food and spices, and comics too. Hehe...

That's Dabin. In this picture, he was wearing his brand new glasses. And it was just like mine, same color, same Oakley brand. The only difference was mine didn't have the lower frame, and his did.

He looked cool, huh? Not Nerdy, unlike some people might say. :D

When we got to the bottom of the problem, we found out that it was a small severed nail which had caused us this night. I was torn in confusion between the choice of tearing and snapping it in two or saving it as a memorial for that night. But in the end, I threw it away. What's there to keep? Hehehe...

This was it :



And Smashie was on the right, getting tampered with.

There's also a video. You might hear Dabin's and my voice there.



Can you hear what I said to Dabin?

Hehe..

It would have been an OK night if we carried on our plan successfully. But it's just that. OK. Not extraordinary. Not spectacular. It would have been boring. But to tell you the truth, if given the choice before, I would have chosen a flat tire Smashie, or something else unexpected to happen, and so would Dabin, because it would mean that there would be a great unforgettable night for us, for our last adventure, for Dabin's last adventure in Medan this year.

Like tonight.

So I think that little incident was great. Hehe.. Does it make me weird?

Finally I reached my home at ten thirty.

The next day, that was August 30th, 2008, I met Dabin again, for the last time before he went back to Canada on August 31th. We didn't have time to go anywhere, like we did several times before, all those times from NAV Karaoke, to Bakoel Ubud, to Paladium, to Starbucks, to Comic Garden, to Double 7, and to many more places.

We plan to meet again in 2014, perhaps. Or perhaps sooner. You never know. But the sooner the better.

Today, Dabin is already in Jakarta. It's probably nothing, but as far as friendship goes, farewell sucks. I was feeling a bit lonely when I woke up today. It's like telling myself that everything will be the same again. No more crazy adventures to Cemas or Pancing or far far away. It will be work. The current usual jobs, karaokes and bowlings.

I guess I'm just too glad to see an old friend, a good old friend. After all, he's one of the el_se7en. He's one of my best friends. And the six of them always make me adventurous.

Goodbye, Dabin. I'll see you again next time! This entry is dedicated to you, I know how cheesy that sounds, but whatever! Hahaha... Oh yeah, that song : Fuck you gently, or whatever the title is, is awesome, man! The DVDs were all also incredible, Bin! And thank you for that! Hahaha.. Remember "Jelek Kali Namanya", "Miaw", and "The Story". Hahaha... And the two you recommended! Hahaha...

Hahaha.. Don't forget our promise to be better the next time we meet! Hahaha..

Cya.