Langsung ke konten utama

Dance With My Father Again








If I could get another chance
Another walk, another dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
How I’d love, love, love to dance with my father again
***
            It was my seventeenth birthday, on November 4 2010, three years ago. I woke up at 5.00 a.m sharp. There was no something special happened, just as usual. Even I hoped there is something happened to me. But, unfortunately, I just dreamt. So, I kept doing all my activities as I’ve done every day. Then, I got up from my bed and started to face my day. Smiled and kept cheerful, I wished the day will be my day, best day ever after.
            My mom just smiled when she saw me. She tried to joke with me. Her expression made me laughing, because it was really funny to see her. I moved closer to her in the kitchen. She’d been cooking for our breakfast that time. She opened her arms widely, and I closed up my body in her hug. And, she kissed my hair, and whispered smoothly in my ear, “A very happy birthday, darl.” There was no special phrase actually. That utterance was so usual, wasn’t it? However, if you know, it was a great congratulation. I was not care about the words, but I was only care with her love. Because I know, she did not need to give me a great gift, and I did not need a gift from her too. We just need to love each other. And I was grateful on my day, I still got it. After that, she asked me to be hurry. So, I took bath directly and breakfast.
***
            Different with my mom, my dad decided to keep silent in front of me. He did not say anything. Did he forget today? Did he forget my birthday? He said no much. And it worked to make me annoyed. How can he did not say Happy Birthday to me? Until he ushered me to school, he did not say even a special word. I won’t talk with you, dad.. I said to myself when he walked away. Oh, today will pass bored, I think. So, I really was not care, even did not wish something special happened with me next. My dad had given a signal if there was no celebration.
***
            I went home so limp. Activities, test, and homework during at school made me saturated. I need refreshing, and I decided to take a nap when arrived home. After lunch, I directly got in my room. How surprised I am that time, when I looked inside. There were a lot of balloons hanging on the ceiling with the ribbon dangled down. I counted the number of balloons. There were one..two..three..four.. a hundred balloons fulfilled my ceiling. Colorful! And when I looked into my bed, there were a bucket of white roses and a teddy bear. A huge teddy bear! I walked closer to my bed, took the flowers and bear. I wanna scream, really! Who is that make this? Asked to myself. And when I turned around, I saw my dad stood there and bringing a birthday cake. I closed my mouth and tears began to stream down my face. He smiled and singing a birthday song.
            When he reached my place, I could see there was a utterance on the cake, Happy birthday my little dearest angle. I could not hold the tears anymore, so I cried and hugged him directly. He caressed my hair, and said, “Happy seventeen actually.. oh look! How mature you are now! But, you will always be my little angle.” He released his hug and wiped the tears.
            “And you will always be my superman!” I replied. He laughed to hear that.
            “Am I like superman?” He asked, trying to joke with me.
            “Yup!”
            “Really? Let me check whether I have a wings and wear underwear outside?” He reflected in my mirror. “I think, I am batman, dear.” He said again.
            “Batman?” I asked
            “Yeah! Because I have this!” He took my prom night mask.
            “Hahahaaa… you are so funny, dad!”
            “Have you just known?” He kept trying to joke. And I ran into his hug again. He hugged me tightly. Then I whispered, “God, don’t let this moment fleeting.” And he said, “Amen.”   
***
Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then
            It has almost been three years since he was gone. I can still remember him when he ushered me to school, cooked me my favorite dishes, talked with me about nature, about life, about him, about me, about love, about us. Also, I can still smell his perfume and hear his voice. I’ve missed him as much as his love. I’ve missed the way he looked at me. I’ve missed the moment we spared time to enjoy and drink a cup of cappuccino on terrace. And I’ve missed when he held my hands. However, all of those things already pass. They are just memories this time.
            It is almost three years since he gone. I can still remember the day he left, on May 25 2011. God called him at 05.30 p.m. And he was gone forever. Today is my twentieth birthday, on November 4 2013. It means 550 days since he was gone. I can still imagine how we—me and my mom—had to release him forever. It has been hard for us. I’ve looked how my mom really loss him and beaten. The first three months, I looked how often she was crying in her room.
Sometimes I’d listen outside her door
And I’d hear how my mama crying for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me
            It is almost three years since he was gone. My love is never fade for him…
Spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure
I was loved
            It is almost three years since he was gone. And today I came to his cemetery and bringing a bucket of white roses and birthday cake. I walked closer to him. I put the flower and cake on the cemetery. I prayed for a while, then sang the birthday song, blew the cake’s candles. Alone. There were no you there. And, tears began to stream down on my face. Alone.
If I could steal one final glance
One final step, one final dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
Cause I’d love, love, love to dance with my father again

-Dedicated to my beloved father, Iskandar Djayadi.
Hope God always loves you, Dad. And I love you for yesterday, today, and forever-




Komentar

Postingan populer dari blog ini

Mengeluhmu

Sumber foto: imgarcade.com Kau tak mengeluh pada bercangkir kopi hitam, yang mengepul panas di atas meja.  Kau tak mengeluh pada berbatang rokok, seperti yang sering kawanmu sulut di ambang pintu.  Kau tak juga mengeluh pada bergelas vodka, dari meja di sudut bar yang temaram.  Kau cukup mengeluh pada heningnya hati.  Pada lelahnya langkah kaki.  Kau cukup dengan dirimu sendiri.  Tak maukah kau bagi denganku?

Dari Bakmi Kusdi sampai Holland Bakery

Ada yang bertanya kenapa aku mau repot dan capek-capek naik kereta dari Stasiun Jakarta Kota setiap Jumat malam sepulang kerja untuk pulang ke rumah di Bogor, padahal dari arah kantor atau kosanku di Jalan Pemuda-Rawamangun lebih dekat ke Stasiun Manggarai atau naik bus dari Terminal Pulo Gadung? Atau bahkan tidak perlu jauh-jauh sampai Manggarai atau Pulo Gadung, tinggal menunggu di halte bus depan Kampus UNJ pun sebenarnya sudah ada bus ex APTB yang lewat sejam sekali.  Pasti capek, kan? Belum lagi kalau sudah ditambah dengan kemacetan Jakarta di jam-jam pulang kerja, bahkan sampai pukul delapan malam pun masih saja ramai dan padat kendaraan. Juga kondisi Trans Jakarta yang penuh, mana mungkin dapat tempat duduk sedangkan jarak yang ditempuh lumayan jauh, dari Dukuh Atas sampai Kota. Masih harus ditambah dengan jam pulang kerja yang seringnya tidak tepat waktu. Pukul enam tiga puluh adalah waktu yang paling cepat, terkadang bisa sampai pukul delapan lebih.  Jawabanku

Merdeka Berekreasi bersama Sang Kekasih!

"Ayok, kita jalan!" ajakku lusa malam kemarin kepada beberapa teman. "Sorry, Ti, nggak bisa, udah ada acara lain." Seiya sekata mereka memberikan jawaban. Tanggal 17 Agustus di kalender boleh saja sama merah dan menandakan semua orang bebas dari pergi bekerja dan sekolah, tapi belum tentu kau memiliki ketersediaan waktu yang tepat sama. Baik, aku bisa pergi jalan-jalan sendiri. Lebih baik dibandingkan hanya berdiam diri seharian di kamar kosan dan tidak melakukan apa pun selain makan, menonton drama Korea, dan tidur, juga menghindari risiko mengulangi ketiga kegiatan tersebut. Malam tanggal 16 sebelum pergi tidur, alarm kuatur seperti hari-hari kerja biasa. Bahkan aku terbangun lebih awal dibandingkan dengan jam alarm yang telah ku- set . Bangun terpagi di hari libur, gumamku sambil mengucek mata dan meregangkan badan ke kanan dan kiri. Setelah ritual ala anak kosan terselesaikan-mencuci baju dan piring, menyapu, mengepel, dan mandi-aku siap menjelaj