The Long Waiting of Cheers and Joy

Eid Mubarak is coming in two days. I saw people had started their busiest days for the coming event. Malls and local chains were crowded with people, craving to shop. This is Bandung. The city of over five million inhabitants was so passionate to celebrate the end of the holy month, Ramadhan. Suddenly it happened to be a shopping week, an endless feast, the crisis of reality, and morality.

Cutie Topeng

To me, the holy month was about a lost fanaticism. I was on my way home after a short visiting friend. It was right in the middle of craziest traffic I’ve been for the last ten years. I took a public transport that successfully trapped me in a jam. It couldn’t move for five minutes, not even an inch. So, I decided to take a walk. Then there’s a question popped out in my mind. Why wouldn’t I be a part of this joy ride? What makes me so cynical to accept the holy month? What is this all about? Do I lose my faith that I kept in mind since I was a child? Have I become the unbeliever? It might be. Because there are two important reasons that makes me so.

First, we will leave Billy for two days to celebrate Eid Mubarak out of town. This is going to be my first experience leaving Bandung for Moslem’s holy day. It means tiring travel of eight hours back and forth. Since I’ve been married on last December, now I try to give a chance celebrating the feast at my husband’s relative. I don’t want to disappoint him though I know very sure he’s not really a ‘mudik’ person. We’ll keep Billy inside the house with his food plate and water bowl full. I believe he’s going to be fine.

Second, Topeng and Tomi will lose me for a quite some time. I won’t be here to feed them. The brothers have become a very close friend to Billy. They usually come twice, in the morning and evening. Tomi is braver, stronger, and more feral. He is healthy enough to live roaming around the neighbor and also suspicious to human. Topeng is more friendly though he’s weak and intimidated to human at our first meet. Now he more trusts me, isn’t afraid to be near me, and of course screams low to ask the food. Both Tomi and Topeng were born in our front yard. No one knows what happened to their mother and the other sibling, though we know the father is Garong. He’s the feral king on the block. I wish I could catch him and send for spaying. It has been too many neglected kittens born because of him. Of course it wasn’t his fault. He’s only a cat after all. It is we are, the human that should take the responsibility of overpopulated cats.

Now it’s almost eight pm. Outside the house is loud and merry with fireworks. Billy sleeps in the bed near to TV. I’m not sure what happens to the brothers Tomi and Topeng. But I’m sure they will be seeing me again tomorrow.

Band of brothers: Napping time!