BLACK MONDAY

Free Writing _ 3
My Sad Story; Black Monday

PAI and KPI
Thursday, November 25, 2010 at 10.30 – 12 .00

My sadness day over last two months was a black Monday. It was on Monday November 1, 2010. I was at campus all days long. I taught English in 6 classes the whole day. Actually I had no problem until the last class at about 17.30 p.m.
When everything was finished, I hurried to go home. For that, I went down stairs from building D to the basement of building E where I parked my lovely MX 135 Yamaha. As usual I wrapped up everything to put in its place. I got dress with windshield inside, followed with a jacket outer, and layered with rain coat. “Everything was done!” I whispered while breathing.
But I was shocked when I found that my front wheel of MX was flat.
I found it flat. It was leak in fact. Knowing that the day was getting dark, I started my bike and made its engine warm while thinking the solution. A flash of luck stroke my mind. I knew that that Monday was November 1, 2010 which means that I might get salary from Darmajaya. However, a new problem came. My salary was not in cash. It fact, It was on my ATM of BUKOPIN. Yet, I found no BUKOPIN ATM there.
Whatever happened I did not care at that time. Now the bike was ready to ride on. I sat on its back and drove the bike through the pathways among campus of UM Metro. Along the pathways, I met some of my students and asked them the nearest motorcar repair center. Some of them convinced me that along the Campus street there were some. I thanked them while saying good bye.
As I arrived at the front gate, I asked a man again about the same thing if he could show me the nearest motorcar repair center. The man told me that the nearest one was on the Campus Junction. I thanked him and hurriedly went away with a flat tire of my MX. I slowly crawled along campus street.
Finally I arrived at the repair center. It was about Magrib time in fact. I got off my motorbike and asked the man to get my tire repaired. I also asked him to replace the front tire because it has been too barren. It was dangerous if kept it remain. I told the man:” please replace inside tire if it had too bad leak unless repaired it as it should be.” The man nodded saying : Enggih, De..!.” I smiled at him introducing my self. “ I am an English lecture at UM,”. The man replied:” Oh ya…I have a brother there. I used to be security long time ago. But now I am retired and make my own business here.
The day was getting dark, so I interrupted the chat. I requested the man if he could lend me a motorbike to withdraw my money through ATM. He did not know well ATM, however, he let me his bike of old Honda Win. Soon I tried to ride it and get through street. 5 minutes later, I arrived at BRI ATM center a cross the traditional market.
After queuing for 5 minutes, I got into the room. There, I inserted My Visa Card. Unfortunately, after twice trying, the transaction was interrupted. Wishfully, I tried again in left side booth of ATM but the result remained the same.
An idea stroke my mind as I looked back at the queue up line. I saw two of them were my students. However, I kept grumbling until the bank authorities who got the machine repaired heard. “ Is there anything to help, Sir?.” I replied hurriedly” I had to withdrawal my money with this BUKOPIN ATM, I had two millions on that.”. The lady replied:” it was likely to have bad connection among banks.” I realized that since it made me sense.
I went out the ATM stall and met my students while asking for help. After greeting, I bravely asked the two students a favor. “ I have a problem. Actually I have two millions on my card.”. The two lady smiled and looked shy. “ I have only ten thousand in cash, Sir,” promptly she said. “ Oh, okay, no problem, in fact I need about 160 thousands, tomorrow I will pay it back.”
The fancy meeting ended up with a brilliant suggestion.” You may try in Danamon ATM over there, Sir” said one of them. “ Oh really, that’s good idea” I replied shortly. Saying good bye, I thanked them and hoped them to wish me luck.
As I went away, the front gate of the bank was closed already. I turned back to back gate leading to Metro main road. I rode the Honda Win carefully approaching the ATM stall of Danamon.
Arriving there, I saw two men talking to each other near the ATM Stall. It was lucky that the ATM was empty of people. I got into quietly. Inside, I inserted my Visa Card and entered my PIN numbers. It worked well and rocked. I could withdrawal five hundreds thousand first, then another five hundred thousand and finally two hundred thousands. So I totally could withdraw 1,2 million rupiah.
Being relieved of getting money, I went back quickly to ride the terrible bike. As it was working well, I carefully went back to the motorbike repair center. Along the way, I felt relieved as the money was enough to pay all of my debt.
Having arrived there, surprisingly, the man was not there. He had gone to take the outsider front tire when I arrived. However, the front wheel was unset. It turned out that the tire tube was okay. It had a tiny leak, therefore the man could repaired it promptly and well.
Waiting the process, I was very hungry. So I asked the wife of the man to make me “pecel lontong.” She is also a small businesswoman of fast food besides her husband. When I was having my meal, the man came bringing the front tire. Then, he hurriedly worked on that. As I ate out my food, the man was finished setting up the front wheel. Everything was checked up by him until my motorbike was truly ready.

I was very happy knowing that lucky moment. Thus, I asked the man how much all the cost in total including the pecel lontong. The man calculated the tire tube repair cost Rp 5 thousands, the tire and installation was Rp 120 thousands, and two litters of gasoline was 10 thousands plus pecel lontong and hot tea cost Rp 7000,-. So in total I had to spent Rp 142.000,- at that night. I gave the man rp 200.000,- , so he got me back Rp 58.000,-. “ thank you for help, “ I said while wrapping all things for home.
The night passed by and even it went darker. As my motorbike was fit I led home under chilly rain of Metro City. I maintained my speed up to maximum 90 km / hour.
After about 60 minutes I arrived at home at 8.15 p.m. safely.
The shadow of my struggle on solving problem on the Black Monday remained until I went to bed at 10 p.m.
Since then, I have never gone to Campus again without bringing money even just 5 thousand rupiah.