Last night, i was awoken by the sound of a trumpet (it sounds like the one used by Bakpao sellers). Sounds normal?? No if it's at 1.38 am (i DO check the clock in my cellphone). I just wonder who's the person freak enough to make that stupid sound in the middle of the night waking me from my sleep.
Almost exactly 12 hours from that "tweet" tragedy, i left my house for Mbak Vista's boarding house for my debating preparation. Solo was at it's peak of heat and i haven't got a proper sleep the night before. Not to mention that i have a broken palm and a ruptured ligament which limit my movement and bothers me a lot.
Confused with the connection? You'll catch it later on. After i awoke up, i remembered, "Oh, it's 1 Sura night. People are waiting for the buffalo." Here in Solo, there's a tradition where a number of buffalo believed to be the heir of Kyai Slamet (i wonder how this Kyai got a buffalo instead of a cute baby) is paraded around the city in the night of Islamic new year- known as 1 Sura- along with some Keraton's artifacts. People said that the aim is to protect the city and surrounding from disasters, catastrophes, and stuffs like that, to bring the prosperity and wealth (i wonder how many buffalo does American has to be such a prosperous country), and many more. Thousands of people; old, young, child, baby, or even ZYGOTES are there standing in line, flooding the streets waiting to see the buffalo crossing by. Ah, i almost forget to mention the snacks available: Paddle Pop, cakue, cimol, batagor, es camcau, wedang ronde, and maybe bakpao (read the trumpet part if you forget). No pempek seller though i think :p. Just in case you forget about it, this whole crowds and cafeterias take place in the middle of the night. If i'm not mistaken the parade started at 1 am.
I sat on my bed, grabbed my bottle, drank the water till the very last drop and then started questioning: WHY? Come oooon,, such an eating maniac as i do would gladly sacrifice a whole pizza with the very complete topping and addition on it for a good night sleep. But not with them. I bet those people had stayed awake while waiting for the buffalo. Chatting, watching TVs, Facebook-ing and other things related to such kind of social stuffs, and etc. True that it's a yearly parade. True that it's a nice cultural event. But somehow i still can't get it: staying awake the whole night for it. Me personally have never watched that parade. Yes it's not my hobby to watch or participate on parades, but the time makes it less interesting for me to watch it. Even though my bed is no more than 15 meters away from the street.
About 8.15 pm i opened the door of my mom's room, showing my face to say "I'm home". I had just finished my first debate training with my new team-mate preparing for the upcoming IVED. I washed my face, then out of a sudden my brain works and said "Hey dude, you label those people standing next by the road waiting for the buffalo as a freak, while you yourself had just come home after spending your time talking about something which has nothing to do with you, nor your family, nor your society, not even your country (the motion was "That more of NEW York Harvey Milk school should be established"). YOU are by no means a freak too!" Well, i am actually. huahahahaha..
Okay let's combine those two poles apart things. One word to describe them all: joy. People find it's joyful for them to do that while i see it as weird. I find it's highly joyful to have debating practices with all the preparation and post-training things while i can't even describe about what is so fun on it. People stayed awake, chilled out on cold, it's just the price to get the joy. And such price is no match to the satisfaction they get, to the pleasure feeling watching an excited face of their children, and the pride to have seen their culture. Me myself spend some thousands for taxis, printing matters and more, resisting pain and discomfort, sitting in front of my computer for hours doing the research, all for my joy. Just for your information, the very first place i visited after my operation is my campus, and the aim is no other than participating for this IVED selection. Call me crazy, and i don't mind. Each person is crazy in their own terms. One might find something weird but the other find it as a need. Life is not only yours, but also others.
