Tribute To Pencil of Mine

It’s been a week since my dear pencil was declared out of service.

The Meeting

I bought the pencil in 2004, back when I was still in senior high school.

Several weeks after my enrollment, I went to a local bookstore on my way home. I used to have this weird habit of dropping off some distance away from my home and then walk the rest of the way. It’s stupid. I still think it is.

So, on that particular day, I went to the bookstore which is located in a mall. At first, I just wanted to do some window shopping. I had nothing to do and I was on my own. As I was taking a look at all the stationeries sold, I randomly picked it up. Then I remembered that I haven’t a pencil in my bag. So, after playing a bit with it (it was a mechanical pencil, after all), I decided to buy it. It cost me a mere 1,500 Rupiahs. Quite a bargain since I’ll be using it for the next seven years.

The Time Together

All the way from when I was in the first year of my senior high school to the graduation, the pencil had accompanied me through the days. It had left its traces in my binder, notebook, exercise book, scrap book, text book, and even exam papers.

I used it to scribble numerous things:

-                 Song lyrics on my textbook and binder

-                 Weird doodles on my textbook, notebook and exam papers (yes, exam papers)

-                 Little notes on my notebook, textbook and exam papers.

-                 Story ideas and samples on my scrap book

There’re still a whole lot more down the list of scribbles, but well, I guess it’s almost the same for everyone.

Then, after I graduated from my senior high, the curiously long-lived pencil went with me to Singapore as I furthered my studies there. For the whole year I stayed there, it accompanied me in almost everything that concerned writing. And, just like how we went there together, I brought it back with me: safely placed in my pencil case which I brought around with me to everywhere I went.

During the days of my “incubation period”, it was not of much use though it never left me. Or rather, it never had the chance. :)

Since I enrolled in a piano lesson, it was put to great use as I did the theory exercises. And things happened so fast after that. I started my college life at a local campus, where my dear pencil was my primary weapon. I used it every single day.

I was really proud of it (and I still am). I would show it off to others, saying how long I’d used it and how it’d accompanied me through these years.

As I started to write again, my faithful pencil journeyed with me to the world of my imaginations. It put to words what my mind had to say.

The Goodbye

On the 15^th of July 2011, I accidentally dropped it during my piano lesson. It had experienced numerous of such falls since I bought it. But so far, nothing had happened.

But that last fall was an exception. It was the pencil’s fall to demise. Something in it broke and caused the mechanical pencil to lose its mechanical ability. I couldn’t use it anymore.

At first, I didn’t realize anything that was out of the ordinary. I clicked on it several times. Nothing happened. I opened it. Something dropped out. It was then that I realized I’ve lost my faithful companion for good.

My heart thumped a bit harder for a second. I felt a sudden loss. It sounds exaggerating, but it’s true. If you have something that has accompanied you for so many years, you’ll know the feeling when it leaves you ever so suddenly.

It has experienced so much. It was crooked because of the way I hold it when I write. The iron ornament has rusted. The insides were somewhat black (the colour was transparent blue). So much different from how it was before. But still, it’s my precious pencil.

To the pencil that has accompanied me throughout the years,

R.I.P. My Faithful Companion

Pencil Of Mine

2004-2011

P.S. I’ve bought a replacement for it by the way, from the same bookstore. I sincerely hope that it can accompany me for as long as its predecessor did, if not longer. :)

Yours sincerely,

Lidya Yang

Dia Percaya Padaku

Dia Percaya Padaku

Dia jarang bicara. Setiap kali aku menemuinya, dia selalu diam. Mereka yang menemaninya selalu bermain denganku dengan senang. Tetapi dia tidak. Nampaknya begitu. Tampangnya selalu masam.

Sejak pertemuan pertama dengannya, aku tahu dia akan menjadi teman terbaikku.  Aku tahu dia hanya menganggapku angin yang lewat begitu saja. Dia tidak pernah bertanya bagaimana hariku, bagaimana makananku siang tadi. Dia juga tidak pernah membicarakan rahasianya padaku, tidak seperti teman-temanku yang lain.

Tetapi itu semua dugaanku saja. Semuanya hanya anggapanku terhadap pribadinya. Hingga hari itu.

Seperti biasa, aku menemaninya berjalan di taman. Tiba-tiba dia ingin ke tempat lain yang tidak pernah dia pergi.

Mau kemana dia? Aku tidak tahu. Aku hanya bertugas menuntunnya, menemaninya. Kami meninggalkan taman, menuju ke jalan raya. Mobil berlalu lalang dengan cepatnya. Nampaknya dia bingung akan tempat yang ingin dikunjunginya.

Oh, iya! Aku teringat sesuatu. Tempat pelatihanku di dekat sini. Akan ku bawa dia ke sana. Terserahlah apa yang dia akan katakan pada orang tuanya.

Dari pada hanya berjalan tanpa tujuan, aku membawanya melewati jalan raya yang sedang ramai dengan kendaraan, membawanya melewati tempat-tempat yang tidak pernah dia pergi.

Dengan bangga aku membawanya pulang beberapa jam kemudian. Orang tuanya kelihatan cemas. Sangat cemas.

Dia ditarik ke dalam kamar. Aku menempelkan telinga ku ke dekat pintu. Aku ingin mendengarkan percakapan mereka.

“Kamu kemana tadi?!” Sepertinya itu suara ibunya.

“Tidak kemana-mana,” jawabnya tenang.

Dan mulailah dia diserang dengan omelan dari orang tua dan familinya.

“Bagaimana kalau kamu kecelakaan? Jalan raya pada jam segitu banyak mobil!”

“Lalu?”

Wah, pikirku. Kalem betul anak ini.

“Lalu?! Anjing itu tidak bisa menyelamatkanmu kalau terjadi sesuatu.”

Eh! Kata-kata ibunya benar-benar tidak menyenangkan hatiku. Aku bisa menyelamatkannya!

“Dia bisa,” katanya. “Aku percaya itu. Karena aku percaya dia.”

Ternyata dia telah mempercayaiku mulai saat kami bertemu. Ternyata dia mempercayakan hidupnya yang begitu berharga padaku. Dengan matanya yang buta itu, yang dia bisa percayai hanya aku, anjing penuntunnya yang selalu menemaninya.

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Another post in Indonesian!!!
^~^
I think I'll work on an English, revised version of this~~

The Last Date

The Last Date

Her heart throbbed with excitement as the gentle hands which had been covering her eyes slowly moved away. Bright, blinding lights replaced the darkness as she opened her eyes.

“Sam!!” she cried out in astonishment. “This is…”

“Especially for you, for tonight.” The person who had been standing behind her since they entered, moved next to her. He held up her hand and put it in his arms. “This way.”

He smiled and guided her through the room.

She had never seen a place like that. The room was almost empty except for a table and the vase on it at one corner. The chandelier hanging on the ceiling above shone brightly across the room, providing enough light so that no shadow could be seen. The crystals dangling from the chandelier reflected the light to every nook and corner of the room. The windows were tall and gave off a classic atmosphere with the carvings on the windowsills.

They made their way across the room into another smaller room. Sam pushed open the glass door and gestured to her to enter.

“Ladies first,” he said, with the same mesmerizing smile he had been given her since they first met. The exact same smile which attracted her to him in the very beginning of their fateful meeting.

In the smaller room, there were only a table in the centre of the room and a grand piano not far away from it. 

Sam pulled out a chair for her to sit in. She gladly obliged.

“You are being weird today,” she said, after Sam took his seat across her.

“Am I?”

“Yes, of course, you are! You are so… sweet today, so… gentlemanly.” She gave him a puzzled look.

“Well, I thought I should give you surprises once in a while. So that you wouldn’t forget me.”

“Why would I forget…” She was stopped in her words as Sam motioned her to start the dinner.

The food was delightful. But she couldn’t help asking questions during the dinner, to which Sam replied “Let’s concentrate on eating first. I want this to be the most perfect date.”

After eating, Sam suddenly stood up and walked up the steps to the small stage the piano was placed on.

“This is a piece dedicated just for you. To Clarice.” Sam started playing it. He had always been good at music and his best was the piano. There were an awful lot of times when she would request him to write a piece for her. “Wait till the time’s right,” he would reply.

It was starting to rain as they once again stood at where they had come in.

“Well, what do you think?” Sam asked.

“Not bad,” Clarice chuckled. “But I don’t really like the appetizer, but I love the dessert and that song. I’d never thought you’d play it in a date like this.”

“Well, this is not just a date. It’s our best date!”

“Yes, I know. You are being weird today. What’s up with you?”

“Remember, Clare.” His face leaned closer, causing her heart to beat faster as her cheeks turned redder. “I love you.” Then he gently kissed her forehead.

“I’ve always known that you like me doing that.” He smiled as he pulled his face away.

Then, in an instant, she leaned closer and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you so much, Clare. For everything.” He said as he stepped away from her.

“Good bye, Clare. I love you.”

*

Clarice was startled by the vibration of her phone.

“Why now?” She groaned.

It was a message from Stacy, Sam’s sister.

“Clare, Sam’s at the hospital. He met with an accident. Critical condition. Come now!”

Clarice’s heartbeat stopped for a second. Then she thought of the dream she had just had.

“No…” Her phone dropped to the floor.

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Finally!!! Another story....

Same as always, comments and critics are greatly welcomed!!

Kata-Kata yang Tertunda

Kata-Kata yang Tertunda

Aku hentikan langkahku sesaat setelah berpamitan pada ibuku. Tanganku masih pada pegangan pintu, hanya badanku yang ku toleh ke belakang.

“Ada apa?” tanya ibuku, nadanya lembut. Hari ini suara ibu kedengaran lebih lemah dibandingkan dengan hari lainnya. Ah, tidak, bukan. Hanya imajinasiku saja. Wajah ibu, senyumannya masih seperti biasanya, seperti matahari yang menerangi hatiku.

“Saya…” kata-kataku terputus. Ah, besok saja lah, kan masih ada kesempatan lain, pikirku dalam hati. 

“Nggak kok, ma. Nggak apa-apa. Saya berangkat, ya.”

“Iya, hati-hati.”

Sebenarnya sudah lama aku ingin mengatakannya pada ibuku. Tetapi, selalu saja ku tunda, selalu saja ada alasan yang ku buat untuk memaafkan diriku.

Seperti hari itu, hari ulang tahun ibu. Ibu terlihat begitu senang dengan pesta kejutan yang direncanakan oleh anak-anaknya yang kelebihan waktu dan tenaga ini. Meski hanya pesta kecil, hanya aku, kakakku, dan tentu saja ibuku, ibu begitu bahagia. Itu pertama kalinya ibu meminta kami untuk mengambil foto. Biasanya ini permintaan kami, dan biasanya, selalu saja ditolak oleh sang idola di keluarga kami ini. Saat ibuku memotong kuenya, saat memberikan hadiah padanya, hampir saja kata-kata itu keluar dari mulutku. Tetapi, selalu saja aku telan kembali. Lain kali saja lah, nanti suasananya aneh pula, alasanku selalu saja berhasil menggagalkan niatku.

*

Kerja paruh waktu. Salah satu caraku untuk meringankan beban ibuku. Ayahku pergi meninggalkan kami sejak aku masih kecil, menelantarkan kami, boleh dikatakan begitu. Ibuku dengan susah payah membesarkan aku dan kakakku. Kakakku, agar aku dapat meneruskan pendidikanku, memutuskan untuk tidak kuliah dan memasuki dunia kerja begitu tamat SMK. Untuk keluargaku ini, aku kuliah sambil kerja. Hasilnya memang tidak banyak, tetapi aku puas dan ibuku bangga. Itu saja sudah cukup.

“Risa, ada telpon tuh. Hpmu bunyi.”

Aku bergegas ke ruang karyawan. Dari kakak.

“Sa, cepat ke rumah sakit. Penyakit mama kambuh, sedang kritis. Cepat.”

*

Sepanjang perjalananku ke rumah sakit, pikiranku hanya ibuku, hari-hari bersamanya, dan juga, kata-kata yang belum sempat ku ucapkan. Kata-kata yang selalu tertunda karena alasanku yang banyak itu.

“Ma, Risa sayang mama. Risa janji akan jaga mama. Jadi, berikan Risa kesempatan itu, ya. I love you.”

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This is by yours truly, of course.

I think I'll translate it to English some time later.

Anyway, thank you for reading and comments and critics are welcomed and greatly appreciated! (too many 'and's)

P.S. Don't put off till tomorrow what you have to say today.. LoL.. :)

A Choice

A Choice

 “Good evening,” The waitress of the café greeted me as I pushed open the wooden door. Her smile was warm, as the drinks sold in the café were. The warmth was just right.

“Good evening,” I smiled as I replied. She brought me to an empty table. I nodded at her as she gestured me to sit. After taking down my orders, she left me to my book. Not long after that, my order came. I looked on while the same waitress put them on the table.

I glanced at what she had put for a while longer before I turned my head to her. She replied my glance with the warm smile.

“Thank you,” I said. And she left, returning me to my book.

It was really a wonderful evening. Country music could be heard from the speakers at the corners of the small café. It was my favourite genre of music. There were not many people in the café. It was such a shame I could not share this amazing feeling of simple happiness with others.

A while later, the manager of the café decided to join me. She took the empty seat on my side. She was my best friend since junior high school. We parted our ways after senior high when she decided to open this café and I furthered my studies at the university. We still remained best friends and kept in touch during those times.

Enjoying the company of the country music, my favourite book, my favourite cake, and with my best friend sitting just next to me, it was a perfect evening.

“How come you are alone?” She said, starting short conversation for the evening.

“Wonderful evening, isn’t it?” I said. She looked at me with a puzzled expression. I decided to ignore it as I put a slice of cake into my mouth.

“Stacy,” She said, her eyes still focused at me.

After taking a sip of the coffee, I turned to face her.

“We’ve broken up,” I said. Her eyes widened. She wanted to say something, but nothing came out of her opened mouth.

“Just now,” Giving her a smile before I continued. “Five minutes before I came here. He said he had wanted to meet me here, but I guess he did not want to waste any more of our time. Here, this is his message.”

“Stacy, you have the right to express it if you feel sad. Cry it out, you’ll feel much better. I’m here for you, if there’s anything you need, just name it,” She held my hand which I stretched out to let her read the message in the phone I was holding to.

I shook my head. “Why should I cry? I don’t really feel sad.”

“Stacy, don’t force yourself. You…”

“No, I am not forcing myself. What you said just now, it goes to prove that I should be happy. I have you, my family, and a lot of people around me. Why should I feel sad just because he left me?”

She did not say a word. Instead she kept her eyes on me, looking straight at me.

I looked at the coffee in my hand and put it back on the table. It was still full. My sip just now did not cause any difference.

“I really can’t drink coffee. You should exhort that new waitress of yours. She keeps taking the wrong orders since just now. You’ll lose a lot of customers. Not many are as patient as I am,” I smiled at her as I stood up. The waitress was busy hurrying from table to table, apologizing. “Put it on my tab. I’ll pay them at the end of the month.”

“Oh, and you really need to oil these hinges. This door is starting to creak,” I added as I opened the wooden door. She stood behind me, her eyes full of sympathy.

“Come on, Claire. I’m fine, really. Happiness is a choice. He didn’t give me happiness. I chose to be happy when he’s around me. Now, I can still choose to be happy when he’s not with me. I choose to see this day as a wonderful evening, because I choose to be happy. I’m fine. I’ll call you later.”

I turned my back to her and took my umbrella from my bag. The rain was still as heavy as it was when I came here just now.

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Another short story finished!

I wrote an Indonesian version of this to join @writingsession's writing session (LOL!!!)
And I decided to translate it to English, since it got best of the night, since the admin of @writingsession gave such sweet comments on the Indonesian version.
It was labeled 'Happy'.. The theme of the night was 'Happy'...
Why did I wrote a not-so-happy story for the 'Happy' theme?
Coz I wanted to do things out of the box?? LoL...
I have no idea why, but a story of this type came into my mind when I read the theme.


Don't forget!!!

Happiness is a Choice. No one gave you happiness. You choose to be happy!

By the way, critiques and comments are definitely welcomed and appreciated!

Thank you for reading....

Lidya C.Y.

Love, Me

Love, Me

I would often stop by her classroom just to take a look at her. Even a glimpse of her would be more than enough to make my day. This became part of my everyday schedule during that time. I was contented just by seeing her smile at me. We did not have much chance to go out together, though sometimes she would sneak out during Saturday evenings when I had some time out from my college and my part time jobs.

My family was not of the wealthy class and my college fees were funded by the scholarship I received. That was one of the things I was able to be proud of, I was one of the few who managed to secure a full scholarship in the famous college. Another one would be the fact that one of the most eligible bachelorette in town was my girlfriend.

We knew each other when she was buying a book in the school’s bookshop where I was part-timing at. It was love at first sight. Our friends would always say that we were a perfect couple. I had to agree. But there was one problem in our relationship though, her father.

Her father was a well-known businessman. I was majoring in architecture and he was unsure of my future. Thus, disapproving our relationship. She tried so hard to persuade him. But her persuasion would just end with her father locking her up, and not allowing her to go out for the rest of the day. Despite all this, she did not give up. This was one of the many things I love about her, her determination. Once she’s determined to do something, nothing could change her mind.

She proposed to me that we could leave this town together. I was shocked at first but as I looked into her eyes, I knew that she was not going to give this plan up.

When that day arrived, I packed my things and went to the spot where we were supposed to meet. But instead of her warm smile, a note of her handwriting greeted me. It said that she had work to do and that she would come and meet me once she was finished.

It did not really go as we planned. We did not manage to leave the town, but we did manage to prove to her father that I was worthy of his daughter.

**

“Grandpa!” My grandson’s voice brought me back to reality.

I was standing in front of a church where my grandson and I stopped to pray for my beloved wife’s deteriorating health. Then, I took a piece of paper out of my pocket. It was the letter she wrote to me years ago. I handed it to my grandson. He read it as I told him this note's little story.


Then, I received a phone call from my son. He urged me to go to the hospital immediately.


She was lying there weakly, her face pale. But I could still see the smile that I loved so much.


I sat down beside her, holding her hand in mine.

If you get there before I do, don’t give up on me. I’ll meet you when my chores are through. I don’t know how long I’ll be. But I’m not going to let you down. Darling, wait and see.

And between now and then, till I see you again, I’ll be loving you.

Love,

Me

I said these words, which she once wrote to me, to her.

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Inspired by : Love Me, by Collin Raye

Like I wrote in one of my previous posts, I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!

My eyes were in tears every time I sing it (in my heart, I have zero courage to sing it aloud as I would definitely not able to finish it, coz I'll be crying my heart out.. LoL )

Actually I've always wanted to write stories inspired by songs..

AND THIS IS THE FIRST ONE!!!!!!!

It's not fully done yet. So  I think I'll edit it every once in a while.

Or perhaps write another version of it~!!!!

Note : Find the lyrics here : Love, Me

Quote of 280411

No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent

Eleanor Roosevelt

Don't Meddle With Anything

Don’t Meddle With Anything

My car came to a sudden halt and I was awakened by the jolt. My eyes blinked several times as they tried to get accustomed to the light shining through the window.

 “Hey, are you there?” said a voice in my earphone.

“Yeah, I think so,” I replied as I stepped outside.

It felt weird as I walked along the street. It was so different from where I came from. I sat on a bench near a cross road.

Then I noticed a man rushing along the empty sidewalk. I looked at how he dressed. Not much different from home. He did not stop as his right hand reached for his phone inside his pocket.

“Grandpa! I saw a man using his phone. So that’s how phones look like here. But hasn’t anyone told him to answer calls using the left ear?” I mumbled.

Grandpa laughed over the phone. “If you are getting excited over this, I wonder how you are going to handle the rest.”

Then I saw a child running across the empty street. The traffic light was still red.

“Hey! That child crossed the road when the traffic light’s still red!”

“Okay, okay. There’s no need to get so agitated over this.”

Next, I saw an old lady walking unsteadily with her hand clutching tightly to her walking stick. I had a sudden urge to help her. But, I think I should ask Grandpa. He made me promise not to meddle with anything before agreeing to my first time-travel experience.

“Grandpa… An old woman is walking with much trouble. I think I should…”

“No.” Grandpa said before I could finish my sentence. I knew it.

Then I heard a car horn. A child was standing in the middle of the road. A car was driving in his direction and it was driving fast!

My limbs moved on their own. The next thing I knew, I was holding on to the child at the other side of the street. He was crying.

“James! James! What’s happened?!” Grandpa’s voice sounded worried.

“Grandpa, I… A child was almost knocked down by a car. I had to do something. I…”

“How many times do I have to remind you not to meddle with the past! Do not meddle with history! Now look at what you’ve done! I…” Grandpa’s voice trailed off.

My vision became blurry. But I could still see the child’s mother rushing to him.

“Jimmy… Are you okay?” She asked the child as she pulled him close.

“Jimmy?” I mumbled under my breath. “Grandpa Jimmy?”

My grandpa’s image then popped into my mind. I could see him moving freely with his artificial leg.

“Don’t tell me….”

I lost my consciousness.

By : LCY

8 April 2011

Also posted @ writing session