(published in The Jakarta Post on 7 April 2009. Click here)
“Have you got a permission to enter this park?” asked the satpam politely.
“No, I haven’t, why should I have such permission? It is a public place, isn’t it?”
“No, sir, this place provided especially for residents living in houses managed by ‘XYZ’ developer (the satpam mentioned the name of developer).”
“But I also live in this area, just 1 kilometer from here, what’s the difference? And, there is no forbidden sign here, how could you prevent me entering the park?”
“You could, sir, but you should get a permission.”
“To whom I should get it?”
“The real estate management office, sir.”
“Ridiculous! Why it’s so hard? Why there is such rule like that?” my friend replied, irritated.
“Sorry, sir, I just do the order of my boss, that’s it!” the satpam replied.
Not far from the two quarrelling guys, my friend’s two sons, 7 and 5 years old respectively, enjoyed riding bicycle in the park, laughing and chasing each other on the beautiful green grass, abandoning their father still arguing bitterly to the satpam.
“I have been living in this area even before your damned developer building the housing complex here, you know?” my friend slammed the satpam angrily.
The satpam said nothing.
“My wife is a marketing agent and so far has been selling several houses owned by your developer, you know?”
The satpam kept quiet.
“So let me enter the park, play with my sons and take some pictures there.”
“Sorry, sir, you could not, unless you get a permission.”
“That’s crazy. I would not seek a permission for this, you understand?” my friend raised his voice.
“So you could not be in the park, sorry, sir, I just do the order of my boss,” said the satpam, still with a cool expression.
Feeling that the argumentation was in vain, my friend called his sons: “Hai kids, let’s go. Bring your bicycles in to the car right away”
He pulled his sons's hand and got into his car. The satpam said to him: "Sorry, sir, I just follow the orders of my boss."
Before he left, he yelled to the satpam: “Next time use your brain to think correctly about an order from your boss. Will you jump to a well if your boss order you to do so?”
The satpam stood, muted, watching the car until it disappeared from the park.
***
A tough evening for you, friend? I sighed after listening to his story. That’s a funny and sad incident experienced by him. And, that’s true, indeed.
Another time when I was going to the park I saw that another family was not allowed to enter the park. Looking at the performance, the family was probably from a neighboring kampong nearby the park. They seemed prepared to go on a picnic to the park as they surely thought that it would be a cheap adventure compared to the other places in Jakarta, which always require spending a lot of money. Oh green-green-grass.they probably imagined how happy their family would be.
The satpam came to them quickly. A short conversation occurred between the father and the satpam. The family, with disappointed faces, left the park, walking slowly out of the area. However, minutes after they walked for some of distances, they stopped at the side of the road. They wiped the sweat, rolled-out the mat to sit on, opened the heavy bag and prepared the supplies. They then ate the food together sitting on the mat, with cars and motorcycles running up and down along the road all the while. They didn't look bothered.
I am cornered with the tragic scene as told by story above because I am living in a house that managed by the ‘XYZ’ developer. My brain is too hard to understand such policy like that. Is it the present situation in our society when everything is divided? Everything? Yes, everything! Even for only a park where people try to get some relax for awhile, enjoy a green grass and artificial waterfall, heal a fresh air because they rarely have it in their own home in dense and crowded kampong.
Sadly, the park is not for you, sir, because you are different. You are not entitled to enjoy the park that we build for our special residents.
Why so arrogant? Why say that some place can only be enjoyed by special group and not for others? Why does our society turn to ugly behavior like this nowadays?
***
Serpong, 28 March 2009
Titus J.
