friends forever / at 17

It's Ramadhan here in Indonesia (being the country with the biggest muslim population in the world). Our muslim friends celebrate the month by fasting the whole day, starting from the dusk until dawn.

In the dawn, they break the fasting (hence the word "breakfast", I suppose). And we have this get-together tradition that has been going on for years. We usually have a rendezvous once every two months, and this time, it is also to break the fast.

And it was a nice time. It felt like Christmas, when I can get together with the people I love. Although this time, not many people came, but it was fun.

We chatted a while, laughing so hard that, had it been indoor, we would be kicked out. But thank goodness it was outdoor, so no one complained (to our faces). And suddenly, it hit me that most of the times, we were discussing things like our jobs and marriage (yes, one of our friends just got married secretly!! But she promised to throw a party on the 18th).

And I don't know... I felt a bit depressed at that time. I mean, how time really flies by. One day I got accepted at the best university in Indonesia, proving to myself and others that I am quite intelligent. And from that day forward, I met the people who eventually became my good friends and compadres for four years and more. Until now. It was the year 2000.

Six years ago.

And now we're talking over dinners about our past, present, and future. What the mysteries of time (and God) hold for us. What we will be in the near future and not-so-near future.

Each of us have problems. With work, with love... And that night we poured our hearts out to each other and sort of prayed for each other.

And that's what friends are for, right?

That's what friends are for.

I heard this song in The Simpson's. It was a very catchy sad song. So I decided to share it with you. After all, this is the little scars. I haven't been writing any scars for the last few months.

Oh, and I am so sorry for not being able to post the Burberry Golf jacket and Burberry sling bag I bought... yet.

Believe me, I'm definitely going to put their photos here.

At Seventeen
~Janis Ian~

I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired

The valentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
Were spent on one more beautiful
At seventeen I learned the truth

And those of us with ravaged faces
Lacking in the social graces
Desperately remained at home
Inventing lovers on the phone

Who called to say come dance with me
and murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems
At seventeen

A brown eyed girl in hand me downs
Whose name I never could pronounce
said, Pity please the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve

The rich relationed hometown queen
Married into what she needs
A guarantee of company
And haven for the elderly

Remember those who win the game
Lose the love they sought to gain
Indebentures of quality
And dubious integrity

Their small town eyes will gape at you
in dull surprise when payment due
Exceeds accounts received
At seventeen

To those of us who know the pain
Of valentines that never came,
And those whose names were never called
When choosing sides for basketball

It was long ago and far away

The world was younger than today
And dreams were all they gave for free
To ugly duckling girls like me

We all play the game and when we dare
To cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone
Repenting other lives unknown

That call and say, come dance with me
and murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me
At seventeen