Old House

A few years ago I found this nice old house on the HOS Cokroaminoto Street in the elite area of Menteng in the Centre of Jakarta. And last yearI saw some people started to torn down the house. I was sad as I witnesed another old building disappearing in Jakarta. I always sad to see a new building site. Like losing some sort of history which contained in the old building. The next time I passed, the whole house was gone. I suspected it replaced by another new house with stupid architecture like most of new houses in the elite area in Jakarta. People just build luxurious-unfriendly-fort alike house, like they are in the middle of Europe or something.

Time goes by. Since I didn't pass the street for quite some time by walking as I used to and no old house for me to look at, I forgot about it. Today I decided to walk just 30 minutes before the sunset with my heavy books. It is hard to walk on the sidewalk of Jakarta, especially during the day: too hot, too many pedlers or sometimes the motorcycle steals it away. I won't let this chance go by and carried the heavy books around. I couldn't help to look at the site where the old house used to be. And there were bushes everywhere, like a deserted land. There was nothing. I just couldn't believe my eyes and started to feel the books heavier than before.

I just wish I never spotted the old house there... Or is it my fortune to have ever saw it there?

lulu, Multiplus, 18.44, June 29, 2006