Mister Tape

I always love dancing though it is not always on the dance floor. When my soul feels like dancing I just can’t hold it, if my legs are too tired, then my fingers will do. Decorating cakes, growing plants (you won’t believe that I can ‘macul’ right :p) and writing are some of my dancing expressions. For writing, I do enjoy seeing my fingers do the waltz through the keyboard, kind a like hearing a staccato at the background.  No matter what I write, no matter if there is no audience during my performance, I am happy enough to spend little time doing it.

Okay, enough with the flavor, now we come into the subject. I want to share a story about a fermented cassava seller. I don’t know his name, just called it Pak Tape. I could only see him during weekend, but I believe on the other day he is also walking around to offers the fermented cassava. He is about 60 years old or more, thin and looks very old, wearing no slipper and faded clothes, he walks about 1 kilometer or more a day, from Depok to Cinere, taking that heavy basket full with fermented cassava. I don’t think he earns enough money with it. Say it 1 kilogram of fermented cassava price is Rp.6.000, while the fresh cassava price is Rp.4.000 at traditional market. Don’t mention about the yeast and banana leaves and other costs also time consuming for making it. I guess he only gets Rp.1.000 net profit per kilogram at the maximum.

People at my housing complex sometime pays extra for each kilogram to help him, gives zakat during Ramadhan, share foods and also clothes for him. We really feel pity on him, it is very much special treatment compares to what the others street sellers got. However we do not see changes in him, he keep walking that far, with no slipper and faded clothes. I wonder how can he managed the hot asphalts burn his foot during the friendly sunshine, while he has to concentrate carrying that heavy baskets as well. And how come that extra income could not help him. Years gone by, and I can’t stop thinking of it. Then last Sunday I got the answer, after hearing some neighbor shares, sometime they feel unhappy for getting the bad quality of fermented cassava from him, they expect him to be honest saying that the quality of it is not good due to weather condition for example, they will still pay for it though, since we brought it as a part of charity, but how come he disappoints those people who have been so good to him.  They have complaint about it, but he keeps doing the same thing, it has become a habit.

Didn’t mean to judge, but we can take this story as a lesson learn. Sometime we blame others for our lost, thinking that God is unfair if others get better than us. Actually it is coming back to us, reaction comes from action, and the good universe is still there for the good people. Kadang kita sendiri yang menghalangi rezeki itu datang kepada kita, kadang kita jua yang membuatnya cepat pergi. Sebaliknya jika kita berlaku baik, maka semesta akan mendukung. What goes around really comes back around. We still have time to do better, to be a better person, to be a part of a better world. I wish. Am talking to myself, though.