HALF OF MY BREATH

One of the reasons why I prefer to take public transportation everywhere is this. If I'm stuck in traffic, I can get off and take an Ojek.*) Whereas in Jakarta, when is there no traffic?

Bringing my own car would be very tiring, and troublesome. And the biggest loss is that I lose the opportunity to meet friends.

Just as I thought, I actually met someone on that city bus.

I entered from the back door and was about to take a seat on the bench next to the door when someone with a lush body got off.

His big belly was sticking out so wide that it was difficult for him to get out of his seat.

I looked at the lower part of his belly which looked disproportionate, his belt was invisible, sinking under his belly.

I didn't realize that someone was watching me. Noticing that I was watching the vital part of the man with the lush body.

The man sitting on the far right bench was in line with my seat. I was so embarrassed to be caught looking at an object in such a way, it seemed like he could read my mind. I was shocked beyond belief. Like a thief caught red-handed.

"Adik is lucky, aren't you?" He said with a smile. I looked back at him. No one had ever called me 'Adik' before, which means little sister.

"What does that mean?" I asked again

"Just step in and immediately got a fortune. Lush scenery"

"Oh...yes, hopefully, a sign of good fortune" I replied, hiding my embarrassment.

Then we talked. His language was very polite. Unlike most people in the street, his appearance was different. His t-shirt looked brilliantly white. His skin was also pure white, with proportional weight and height. His shoes were also clean. Everything about this person is pleasing to the eye

"Where are you going?" He asked.

And we got acquainted. Exchanging stories about work.

It turned out that he was an official from NTB*). He just had a meeting in Jakarta and will return to Mataram tomorrow.

"And you? Where are you going now?" I asked then.

"Tanah Abang. To buy some souvenirs for people at home."

"Why don't you just take a taxi, aren't you afraid of getting lost?"

"If I take a taxi, I won't meet Adik," he replied with a smile.

I grimaced, "Where do you live in Jakarta?"

He mentioned a hotel in the Mangga Dua area."

"Ohh...". I nodded my head, imagining how crowded the area was, with many nightspots that were non-stop 24 hours and street vendors selling on the side of the road all night long.

"Did you choose to stay in that area?" I asked.

"Yes, the hotels directly face the large sidewalk filled with street vendors, so once you leave the hotel you can immediately mingle with the people." The man said with a laugh. "Every moment you can interact with pedestrians, buyers, sellers, and all kinds of people. Such an environment and atmosphere does not exist in my area, in NTB," he explained again.

Again, I just nodded my head. It feels like I get along easily with this type of person. Just met already like an old acquaintance.

"When did you go to NTB?"

"Wow ... I miss it too, I used to go there often to visit customers. After not working in the previous Company I just travel around Jabodetabek."*)

"If you have any plans to visit please stop by. I have a guest house. There is also a durian garden. Rambutan garden. Papaya garden... well, if it's harvest time, you can eat as much as you want."

It was a long story until I finally had to say goodbye, going down first. Complete with data of course. Name, date of birth, occupation, smoking or not smoking.

But until now I haven't had the opportunity to meet him again, I promised that later when he deals to sign the Life Insurance Agreement, I will visit.

***

It was past lunchtime, but I decided to eat at the cafeteria near the office. Coincidentally, there was a Bakpau*) vendor standing next to the pedestrian bridge stairs.

I deliberately bought 5 pieces for the admin staff in the office who used to help me correct the SPAJ, for example, if there were missing signatures and so on they will perfect it.

I climbed the pedestrian bridge to catch a car from the opposite direction.

From a distance, I saw a woman sitting in the middle of the bridge leaning on its concrete railing with her three young children playing nearby.

She just put a plastic cup in front of her and passers-by threw money into it. It looks like this mom is begging just for fun. If she wanted to make a lot of money, she shouldn't have begged on this bridge.

This bridge is indeed long, connecting two roads, and is quite wide, but it is relatively quieter than the bridge before or after it.

Not far from the bridge, there is a crossroad with a zebra crossing so people prefer to choose 'land roads' than tired of climbing the stairs of the bridge.

Ah, this bridge does feel good to relax, it's not too hot as the other area, and you can also take shelter because it is covered by the roof above.

I walked past them, suddenly I changed my mind, I stopped and turned back to the mother of the child. Then I distributed the bakpau to the mother and her children one by one, the rest was for me, ah, how come I bought it just enough for all of us, I thought.

And so we ate Bakpau together, sitting against the wall of the pedestrian bridge while looking at the buildings and hotels that stood tall along the right and left of the road, and the pretty busy traffic down below.

I'm in the middle of downtown Jakarta. Sneakers, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts make me feel free and not awkward sitting and being anywhere. Me, the woman, and her children ate bakpau together and just chatted lightly.

That day I enjoyed lunch in a different atmosphere...

***

Life in the insurance world is like riding a roller coaster, up and down unexpectedly, I enjoy every up and down, sometimes with my chest pounding.

Fortunately, there is a motivational event that can serve as entertainment and recharge when you are mentally low. Even though what they say is almost the same, humans are indeed easy to forget.

"COMMITMENT. The commitment cannot be half. Total commitment equals total success.

'Yes... yes... it's up to you, Pa...' my naughty thoughts chimed as the motivator speak.

"FOCUS. Follow One Course Until Successful. Follow One Goal until it works. Sacrifice some things that don't matter, for more important things. Lifestyle is okay, but you have to focus. What you focus on is what you get. The focus is not looking left and right.

When your focus will attract many things."

'Ugh, it's a cool abbreviation… but... Yeah, yeah. It's cool, beb' My mind keeps busy with the cute lecture.

"CONSISTENCY. Continuously, DO the BASIC, Prospecting, presentation, and follow-up. No MAGIC, Only BASIC. AS LONG AS YOU STILL BREATHE... PROSPECT!

'Separuh nafasku … terbang bersama dirimu...'(half of my breath... flies with you). In my heart, I sing DEWA's song while hearing the sentence as long as still breathing….

"Create an unforgettable smile. Show your attitude. Attitude is everything. Attitude determines Altitude. People who are more comfortable, tidier, more cheerful and happy are already half successful.

The motivator paused for a moment, then resumed his story.

"Yesterday I was queuing at the cashier. In front of me, some moms are also waiting in line with their children who are standing in the shopping basket. I immediately said hello... ouch… greet the mother... her child is so cute, how old is he...By the way, do you have insurance for his education yet…?"

Blah blah blah…

From the back seat, I saw the Motivator like watching Charlie Chaplin's silent movie... just moving without making a sound. THE SOUND WAS AWAY when I caught the raindrops outside falling against the glass window near me...

I ENJOY THE JOURNEY OF RAINDROPS that flow in the window pane next to me, to the right... to the left... winding... meeting at an unexpected point...

SO BEAUTIFUL.

*)Ojek is public transportation by motorbike

*)NTB, West Nusa Tenggara, is a province in Indonesia located in the western part of the Nusa Tenggara Islands. Mataram is the Capital city of this province

*) Jabodetabek is an acronym for Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Tangerang-Bekasi, which is a metropolitan area of ​​Jakarta and its surroundings.

*)Bakpao is a traditional Chinese food. Known as bakpao in Indonesia because it is absorbed from the Hokkien language spoken by the majority of Chinese people in Indonesia. Pao means a package, and bak means meat, so bakpao means a package of meat.