FROM THE EDITOR [APRIL 7th 2004]

There are few positive sides on being sick. A real good advantage is if you are engaged in a weight competition. Another good thing is that I got to know my maid better, who comes in to clean my appartment a few times a week. I now understand why she sometimes didn’t show up in the weeks before the elections. I was lying on the coach watching my good old favorite Cheers while the Ibu was ironing my clothes. She started a conversation. She told me she joined in the ‘Kampagne’. Oh really? What party did you join? “Three parties, mister…”, she said calmly. “Golkar bagus. They paid Rp.50.000,- for my husband with his motor and Rp.30.000 for me as a backseater. Not bad he, mister? Megawati also rumayan (not bad): Rp. 50.000 for both us in the back of a taxi. But PAN? Nah… Pelit! (stinchy) Masa hanya dibayar Rp.10.000, mister!" She clearly enjoyed the extra income from some partying on the streets and she explained me about the process, the middleman coming to the kampung, the registration process with the RT, etc. Monday she didn’t show up, I assumed she needed the whole day to cast her vote.

This morning she was back in. “What did you vote?’, is asked her. “No, I didn’t vote. Hujan (rain), mister. And I had family visit. And it wouldn’t make a difference anyway”, she added dry, while cleaning the floor right under my feet. And that was it. No further discussion. For her the elections were over at the moment she received the meager Rp.10.000 from the PAN middleman. And the Monday day off was her bonus.

There is no need in teaching her about the importance of voting. Too late already. There are probably a lot of things in her life that wouldn't make a difference to her. Like knowing my name; she always called me 'mister'.

Cheers was on TV again. Norm Peterson walked in and everybody shouted: 'Norm!". I realise that I begin to miss BuGils, the bar  'Where Everybody Knows My Name'. The pembantu just turned on the vacuum cleaner. I wanna tell her to wait, but I realise shamefully that I don't even know her name. It is the Ibu who does her job, already for a year, that is how I know her. I pay her Rp.30.000 a day. For Rp.20.000 extra I would also have her husband on a motorbike, but ... naah....  Knowing her name wouldn't make a lot of difference at this point anymore. I missed the opening joke already. I silently lift my feet...
≡ Bartele