Experiencing a 'Kopi Item' at Starbucks Coffee

My 80 years old father in law is a coffee lover. A cup of coffee is his mandatory daily menu in the morning that makes his face brighter every day. It’s no problem with his stomach though he drinks coffee without eats anything in the morning. Thanks God for blessing him with incredible health in his 80s.

Please don’t get a wrong perception. A coffee for him is just a coffee a la ‘kopi tubruk’. I don’t know where the terminology of ‘kopi tubruk’ came from, but, as we’ve known it is an opposite from a modern coffee that usually served in contemporary coffee shops or cafes such as espresso, cappuccino, lattes, etc. Towards those coffee varieties, my father in law definitely does not know at all. So, coffee for him is just as simple as two spoons of ground coffee plus two spoons of sugar mixed with hot water in a cup. Three of those then be stirred-up to make it ready to drink.

A pack of ground coffee with 250 gram can make about twenty cup of coffee for my father in law. The price per pack is less than Rp. 20,000,- to get a good local brand. So, with a simple calculation, we knew the price per cup of coffee.

Since I had a coffee maker, my father in law said goodbye to his favorite ‘kopi tubruk’. Now he can drink coffee without lees in the cup because the smart machine automatically proceed coffee bean to become coffee liquid directly while the lees is separated.

One day, my father in law joined us to accompany his wife (my mother in law) see a doctor in a prominent hospital in Tangerang. That day we forgot to serve his favorite coffee at home. While waiting for my mom being treated by the doctor, he walked in the lobby area and found a small coffee shop over there. Hmm…that’s Starbucks Coffee. He did not know what Starbucks was, but by smelling the aroma that always entices everyone who passes by, my father knew a ‘kedai kopi’ (a coffee shop) was sitting there.

The smiling barista greeted my father in law politely and offered him the menu. As all of the items mentioned by the barista were so strange in his ear, he just shook his head till the list completely read.
“Just give me a ‘kopi item’ please,” my father in law said expecting his favorite one. The barista understood that my father in law asked him the black coffee.
“How much?” asked my father.
“Twenty thousand rupiahs, opa (grandpa),” the barista replied.
My father in law stupefied. He groped his pocket and paid for the coffee. After received the coffee in a beautiful paper cup, he then left the smiling barista slowly. Hmm…the shocking price.

The following day, in the morning as usual, I brewed and served a ‘kopi item’ to my father in law. While he was stirring-up the coffee, suddenly he giggled when remembered the ‘kopi item’ a la Starbucks the day before. I knew what was in his mind. It’s nothing else than the shocking price because twenty thousand Rupiahs for him means twenty cups of his previous favorite ‘kopi tubruk’. Happily, he still enjoyed the morning with his lovely ‘kopi item’ that I served.

Another day, again, my father in law had to go to the hospital to accompany my mother in law to see a doctor. Apparently, the ‘kopi item’ a la Starbucks has made him little bit addicted. The aroma has tantalized him and dragged him closer and closer to the coffee shop. The same young boy barista greeted him politely.
“Good morning, opa, a black coffee again?” he asked.
“Yes, kopi item. But can I get a smaller size, please?” my father replied (actually he expected to get a cheaper coffee).
“I am sorry, opa, there is no smaller size for your kopi item”
“Uhm…no smaller size ya? Uhm…I cancel my order then,” said my father while he’s searching various cakes and breads inside the glass shop display. The barista waited hospitably, starred down my father’s face.
“How much is this one?” he pinpointed to some pastry.
“That’s twenty thousand Rupiahs, opa,” said the barista.
“Allright, I take this one,” my father said and handed over Rp. 20,000,- of banknote.

After some minutes, the barista came and served the pastry.
“Opa, here is your pastry,” he said. “And, this is your favorite kopi item.”
My father in law dazed for seconds.
“But I did not order the coffee,” my father replied. “I only ordered this pastry,” my father said confusedly.
“Don’t worry, opa, the coffee is free for you,” the barista said nicely while handing over the coffee to him.

That day was a wonderful day for my father in law. That was not just because of getting his favorite ‘kopi item’ with free of charge in Starbucks, but the ‘touch of tenderness’ by the Starbucks through the young boy barista in its small outlet at the hospital. My father in law was so impressed with his experience that day. He told everyone the story. In the middle of difficult time to deal with his wife sickness, a simple care and sympathy for an old man like him was so meaningful.

What the barista did was a confirmation toward a tenet of Starbucks that drive it to its phenomenal success, because the strength of Starbucks is not just merely a coffee business, but a relationship building between the barista and the customer. The barista who in charge at the hospital has carved the natural touch on my father’s deep of heart. “Leave your mark” is one of the five principles of Starbucks business according to Joseph A. Michelli in his book “Starbucks Experience”, and the barista did it very well.

A shocking price for ‘kopi item’ or black coffee in Starbucks? Just ask my father in law. I am sure he would come back to the hospital and come to Starbucks – whether to order his favorite ‘kopi item’ or just a pastry (expecting to get a bonus again?).

***
Serpong, 22 Sept 2009
Titus J.

Just Continue to Make Movies

I would like to praise Indonesian film industry for the achievement within past ten years. Honestly, I have no appetite at all to watch Indonesian movie before. Indonesian movie, to me, at that time was like a coffin that slowly going down to grave. Indonesian movie was dead. But, then Garin Nugroho, Riri Reza, Mira Lesmana, Nia Dinata, Rudi Soedjarwo, Joko Anwar and other potential film directors came and breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of the film industry. The film industry became alive and milestone has been piled ever since.

In term of quality, Indonesian movie is doing a quantum leap. Compare to 1980’s era, when the Indonesian movies dominated with vulgar sex exploitation and mystical content, today we look at different face of the Indonesian movies which deserves our two thumbs up. The appearance of those film directors that coloring the film industry with a better quality and creativity has made Indonesian movies are able to speak proudly in international competition arena.

Several films directed by Garin Nugroho won international award as the best film such as Cinta Dalam Sepotong Roti (Love in a piece of bread) in Berlin International Film Festival (1991), Daun di Atas Bantal (A leaf on the Pillow) in Asia Pacific Film Festival (1998), Puisi Tak Terkuburkan (Unburied Poetry) in Singapore International Film Festival (2000) and Opera Jawa (Javanese Opera) in Independent International Film Festival of Bruxelles - Brussel (2008).

Rudi Soedjarwo snatched the best director in Bali International Film Festival 2004 with his film Mengejar Matahari (Chasing the Sun). Riri Reza gained a spectacular successful with his film Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warrior) where people and film critics labeled it as “A must see Indonesian movie” in 2009. Since the release of this film on 25 September 2008 till March 2009, the film has been watched by 4.6 million moviegoers. The film was selected to perform in Berlin International Film Festival 2009, and even played in CineStar Cubix Alexanderplatz, Berlin. Pintu Terlarang (Forbidden Door) that directed by Joko Anwar awarded as the best film in Puchon International Fantastic Festival (South Korea) in 2009.

No doubt. The Indonesian film makers today are fantastic. They are talented and incredible. They are not just dilettantes. Yes everybody can make film, but making a good film is not just a matter of talent, capital (money) and idealism. The important thing that can make it happen is the wide-opened of freedom of expression that boost creativity in the film industry.

It is clear, the wind of change has blown. We can see resurrection of good movies since reformation history in 1998. Surprisingly, this art industry filled by majority young talented people with various formal education background, not just a cinematography background. They have been creating an advanced progress so far, and I believe it because of freedom that has made them doing good jobs. Like John F. Kennedy said: “The best road to progress is freedom's road,” so the progress of the Indonesian film industry clearly boosted by the freedom of expression.

The enactment of the new film law on 8 September by the House of Representatives has made people raise eyebrow. Is there anything wrong with our movie industry today? Film producers, directors and actors condemned several articles in the new law and commented as set back. “Neither government nor lawmakers contribute to the progress of film industry so far, and now they want to shackle our creativity,” they said.

It is hard to be understood that the new law requires movie producers to get permit from several ministries and local administration. They should report plan, title and scenario to the government before making movie. From the bureaucracy perspective, it’s obviously a complicated rule because we all knew how the government official doing their works. The negative image shown by the bureaucrats has made people reluctant to get in touch with them. We knew the reason.

Mira Lesmana and Slamet Rahardjo, two of prominent film directors also condemned article 6 as it would suspect the film makers as criminals. Although it is good that our society should avoid violation, gambling, drugs, pornography, and provocation related to ethnicity, race, and religion in our daily life, I believe we don’t need to stipulate it to the film law. In particular case, a film needs to take some of those scenes for the sake of a lesson learned, for example: A film about social riot in May 1998, East Timor following the referendum 1999, murder of human right activist Munir, conflict in Poso, etc. This is to remind us that our nation, long time ago, had ever passed the dark tunnel in our history. It would be important for us today and our next generation for lesson learned to avoid the repeated history in future.

Finally, I support Mira Lesmana, Slamet Rahardjo and other film makers to submit judicial review to Constitutional Court (MK), but I would more suggest them to forget the existence of the new law and continue making movies without fear. Indonesian lawmakers and government like to regulate everything in all aspect of our life, but too easy to forget after that. They like making law, but too hard to implement the law enforcement towards those who break the law. Why? We knew the answer.

***
Serpong, 14 Sept 2009
Titus J.