Beach bum

Sometimes love can come and pass you by 

While your busy making plans
Suddenly hit you and then you realize 

I cupped it with both of my palms, absorbing its weakening warmness. I sipped it with eyes wide closed while tried to feel the soft sands underneath my bare feet. It was wonderful, having the comfortable distance from everyone, there I was sitting on the wooden seat with two shades stuck out from the wooden table facing the beach and the wide blue ocean. The sun was striking violently, only let a few seconds of shades from the sky...I kept my eyes closed, both hands reaching out the back of the long seat.

A bunch of local men behind my table had been making conversations about random things, The whole place gave out loud excitement, either it was hysterical laughter or dramatic exclamations.

I recognized a few faces, some frequents, more new comers...but none whose name I could recall. There was this old man eyed me from the right sunbed, he sat facing my direction for quite a while...perhaps wanted me to feed her curiosity with a friendly come-over-here body language. I looked at him in the eye for a few second, my eyes were almost closed because his sunbed was behind the strong stream light of afternoon sun. I neither smiled nor pursed my lips, my head simply followed the rhyme of the Classical music from the iPod. Soon my eyes left his spot and swept across the area on the right, caught some more eyes were fixed at me.

I just wanna lie on the sun bed. On my own. No social talk.

'I'm sorry, we're running out of mattress at the moment,' said the waiter in black shirt apologetically, putting the tuna sandwich plate on the table, two tooth-sticks were pinning each sandwich. I haven't eaten anything since that morning, only gulped one glass of so-called instant cereal drink. Having been submitted myself into noodle-and-egg ritual in the last few days, or weeks, I decided I don't necessarily need to eat, at all, or maybe simply munch on a light snacks, or crackers. I don't feel like eating anything these days.

I waited for another 20 mins but the man in black did not show up. Finished my tea, I got up and walked toward the cashier to paid the lunch and resumed my walk toward Discovery mall from the beach side. It took almost an hour to reach the front beach of the mall, my feet started to get sore. As I walked closer, the sun has disappeared, a bright beam from a street light took over the small area close to the fine dining. I kicked off the sands from my sandals and walked the way up on the concrete stairs occupied by some shoppers watching over the nite starry sky, went straight to the front side of the mall. The KFC it is, I said to myself. No, no food this time, I would only go for a large cup of Miranda. '11.500 rupiah,' the man who seemed to be at my age said, he flashed a smile and handed over the change, 'keep the plastic bag,' I replied.

I sat next to a local young couple. The man was busy with his Nokia, texting. The girlfriend tried to read from the corner of her eyes while both hands were busy with the camera, checking out some photos which were recently taken from where they were sitting. She took a few more photos of him, of herself, of both of them. Of the white tall statue whose shape like a tall piles of white thick giant tiles. I kept my head straight on the road, watched over the passers-by. Those faces...some have nice facial hair, some clean shaven, some put on a happy face, some drew a contemplating expression. Some with sleeveless tops. Some with shortie shorts, sporting nice legs. Hairless legs. Nice biceps. Overpopulated armpits.

Then there was this man in his shorts and sleeveless tee shirt, he walked out off the small taxi along with another two woman. One tucked on his left or right hands all the time, physically disabled girl who wore a smile all the time. How he look out for her and his calmness attracted me. I was siting on the concrete one and fifty meters from him, watching over him...we locked our eyes sometimes partly because he might be aware i was looking. Beautiful face, not handsome..just beautiful, homey face I can comfortably enjoy. Soon, they entered the mall.

I fished into my jean's pocket, got the phone and called the reception at Karaoke place on the top floor of the mall.
'110.000 for the first hour and 20 percent discount on the second hour,' she cheerfully said. I need the smallest room, i informed her, 'We apply the same rate for every type of room,' she continued, 'It's a weekend package.'

What a bummer, I thought to myself.

They offer fries, one glass of your choice drink, and fried chicken. Sounds like Disease to me.

'Let's talk about the smallest room, what would I get?' I asked her, she mentioned the same fattie food and it can accommodate four people. I didnt take anyone with me. I planned to sing like crazy. on my own.

After gave her my name I said sorry, she doesnt need to book a room for me, 'Will call you back,' I said.

I stretched out my legs down the aisle and put the earphones back on, no karaoke nite for now. I will try on the weekdays, i promised myself. Grabbed two cans of beer, I walked to the backside of the mall toward the beach. Ignored the idea of get dirty, I threw myself into the sand, laid on my back, facing up the beautiful night sky. The breeze from the sea...the moving stars...the chuckles of some kids behind playing with small balls with colorful lights...the loud lounge music from the restaurant...I escaped from all of them for a while until the phone rang and it was my Jakartan friend. We talked almost two hours earlier that late afternoon but maybe he was bored at home, alone, a few hours from the nightlife in Jakarta. The conversation was ended by another phonecall on another mobile, a housemate informed my ride was waiting outside the mall.

I wanted to stay a bit longer laying on the sand, stripping off all of my anxieties and thoughts, surrendering to the beauty of the evening breeze and the soothing breeze.

Arrived at home a lot quicker than the time it took to go to the beach, I found everyone has retreated to their rooms, the strong smell of BBQ they've had that evening still covered the living room. I went upstairs and found my housemate was concentrated on his laptop, as usual. I cannot ignore my growling stomach, so i went to the kitchen to boiled the noodle, dried it, and ate it with two spoonful of steamed rice, the leftover from their BBQ nite.

It was almost one in the morning, my body felt sticky and sandy, especially my back and neck. The short rain on the way home left some part of my jeans soaked wet, on the thigh areas. After checked emails and all, I took off my tee-shirt, jeans and walked to the shower with my underwear. Standing naked with one hand holding the shower head, I rinsed my hair on my temple with my left hand, kept the water moderately cold...soaping my legs shoulder and all the way down to my feet and toes. After dried up my body with the green towel, I stood in front of the mirror, looked at my reflection. Did not put on any sun block when I was on the beach.

I need to shave.

Later. Tomorrow. Maybe.