i DAMN !! | LOST MY SHOES IN THE MOSQUE SUPARTO BRATA Translated by Tenno Singgalang DAMNI! I lost my shoes in the mosque. On account of Friday Prayers at the new mosque near my office. Damn, it just was opened, and there are already casualties! It’s really too much! Here’s the story. On Friday, I went to work late. Itwas a bad day, rainingalreadyin the morning, Yeah, itwas the rainy season. T'l wait tll the rain is over, I thought, so I wouldn't be soaking wetwhen I got to work, Itwas Friday, man. On Fridays, the Muslim community prays together in the mosque. I wanted to go to the new mosque near my office to pray with the others after work. Try the new mosque, that’s how to avoid getting wet. “Ran! Mr. Darji has been watching you since earlier! Get on your feet! “Ooo. Ok, nothing’s changed, Mr. Ganda!” “No, swear, It’s true! If you don't believe me, go there,”| t Suparto Brata “Ran, come here, Ran!” the voice of Mr. Darji from his room. Mr. Ganda was not joking this morning. Damn!! Even though my name is Yadiran, he shouldn't call me RAN just like that. Someone who didn’t know better would think my name is ‘Jaran’ (horse). Damn, the supervisor. Late just once, and he'd be mad wo ~ “Have you becin to Borobudur, Ran?” YY “Yes, Sir, I've been there. But it was a long time ago, when I was in primary school.” What the hell? What a headache! Iwas late, so he made it complicated. Ah, it’s alright, get mad at me. The boss was angry as usual. Cause I was the only subordinate, wasn't I? And why did he mention Borobudur? What the hell was on his mind? ; “Do you want to go there again? Now that it's restored, T've heard it’s more beautiful then ever, Ran. You would go with me there, wouldn’t you” “So the office is going for our retreat?” “Damn the retreat!! I asked you to accompany me to Borobudur! Is that fine with you? I'm going to Munthilan, and I have no one with me, so the jeep'll be empty. Will you go with me?” “Ok, Sir. When are we going?” “We'll go as soon as the office closes.” As soon as the office closes? So I won't have a chance Say:INDONESIA the new mosque will have to wait rat put his supervisor's in-laws to pray? Well, wrying © hantings Borobudur is more ¢n¢ lived in Munthilan with your whole farnily> sir?” “4 actually my kids are o” their schoo! break now, but it's jus visit and will be so rushed! So it’s better if just the two of wer anyway, on. He net this supervisor has no driver. de the city, he asks a subor- ashort _ [need a backup ati the reas eded a backup driver. us go Damn, so that was Why didn't he just say i? Tes ore ‘That's why when: tsi _ dinate to drive. Ies usually ir, but this time his son was ig married, so of course b ually, ever he travels out Bro Ka‘ fe couldn't go. [had wanted to go, but appar- your own. Since I've been gettiny Go to Borobudur. Act ently it was expensive to get there oP working, traveling has seemed a luxury, + of living, Even if I worked overtime, it wasn’t to meet the cos ut now the boss has asked me go (0 Borobudur with my salary never enough enough. Bi him, surely free of charge, so be it IWsa pity not to be able to try out the new mosque For Friday prayers! Why should I lose that far. Friday prayers in the new mosque could wait for next week. There were still more Fridays to come. “Ifyou agree, then go your home to get your luggage first. My plan would be to drive back on Monday” Mr. Darji said. “What? I should go home first? Damn. For the thrill of seeing Borobudur once again, I went chance. Borobudur was quite through drizzling rain back home by motorcycle! Seriously wet!! It’s alright, I told my auntie that I would be back home late = 88 -morning. Arran; shoes were wet, s0 I took spare ones, a bray of the city, one should look trendy 4 I did it quickly! Told Wee dyiver to cycle as fast as pos. t he rate. But d. Damn! On Fridays, the d my clothes and ged my clothes and threw them in a backpack: My nd new pair. Going out sible. Didn't bargain for th Twas still too late. When | got to the office, it was already close office closes at eleven o'clock. “Did Mr, Darji go home?” I asked Dul, the guard, who was sweeping up the office floor. “Yes, You should wait here. He went to d. Before, he said we'd drive pick up his wife” “Ah, he changed his min alone” 1! Twas in a hurry! My boss’s house was far away. Damn His wife hadn't even prepared yet! It could be one o'clock by the time he got back. Suddenly I heard the Qur’an mosque near my office. I realized I'd stil being read from the new I have time to pray. [had to do it, Man!! i Fi ‘The sound of the Qur'an touched my heart, pulled me? nS ee “Gould you watch my backpack, Dul. I want to go to the mosque first for Friday prayer.” The rain hadalready stopped, so I didn’t have to run. There vas 10 era: wet, I was wearing my new shoes, $0! had to step gently as the pathway was disgustingly muddy. After the prayers, my shoes were gone!! Damn!! looked around but couldn't find them!! - 39 -INDONESIA They had definitely been stolen, Brand new shoes!! Damn!! Damn!! Damn!! Back to the office on foot without my shoes!! I regretted going!! Why should my heart be touched by the Qur'an?! Why should I stop by and pray? I'm heading out of town anyway, so it’s fine not to do the Friday prayer. _“Mr. Darji just left a moment ago! Your backpack is already} loaded into his jeep. His wife wanted to get some mangoes from the Gentheng market first! He brought his kids too, both of them. He'll be back again to pick you up!” said Dul, the guard. “Good! Can I borrow your motorcycle? I lost my shoes inl the mosque. I need to pick up another pair at home.” Itwould be a shame to go to Borobudur without shoes. I took Dul’s Yamaha home. I sped, racing with the famil who went to Gentheng market. The rain had already stopped s Iwas not worried about getting wet “Ran, you still haven't left?” “Not yet Auntie. I came to get a pair of shoes! I lost my fir ones in the mosque!” “How did that happen?” ‘Aah, there was no time, so I put on the same wet shoes before and quickly drove the Yamaha back to the office. As f as possible, without even caring if the mud splashed on my bac I got to the office, but the jeep was nowhere in sight. T chance to visit Borobudur for free made me run, like an old bla« train, until I was out of breath. I drove the Yamaha up onto tSuparto Brata f | office yard and handed the key to Dul right away. He smiled. “Aah, Mr Darji arrived, but I told him thatyou went home to get your shoes. He drove to your place to try and catch up with you there ~ his wife didn’t want to wait.” “Ealaah..!! What the hell is happening to me today?!!” “Come on, I'll drive you back! We can catch up with them!!” Dul said. “I rieed to go to Pandegiling anyway.” . “Ok, then,” I agreed, “Let’s go.” I hopped on the Yamaha behind Dul ~ he seemed to understand that I was in a hurry. Pandhegiling was not far from my home, in the same direction south from the office. “Ran. You drive because I don’t know how to get to your place!” “Ooh..hell.” When I arrived at home, Auntie came rushing up to me. _ “Ooo., what happened to you? Mr. Darwis just arrived here, Ran! Your supervisor! I told him that you weren't here. He said he would go without you, that he wanted to go right away. Mr. Darji | was angry. He said he'd wanted to leave in the morning, but it was already 1:30pm and he was still driving around and around the city!” What the hell!! So that’s how it is? Just because I wanted to see Borobudur for free, Tose my new shoes in the mosque, and then the trip itself gets cancelled Damn it! The next Saturday, I didn’t want to go to work, But I didn’t ‘have any reason not to show up in the office. And I didn't have ———EINDONESIA anything to do at home anyway, so I went to work as usual. When [arrived at the office, I went to my desk and found Mr. Ganda staring at me. Joking as usual, I thought. But he didn’t say anything. Itmade me nervous. “What? Did Mr. Darji call me again?” asked. “God. You're still alive?!” he said seriously, seeming shocked. “Mr.Ganda, I'm alive and smelly hahaha... I know you're representing Mr, Darji in the office today, but don’t overreact even more than he does... hahaha!” “No...no.., I really was surprised and shocked, You went to out of town with Mr. Darji, didn’t you? I thought you died too! This morning we received a call from the police at Nganjuk. The office jeep crashed with a truck, and everyone died... Mr. Darji, his whole family, and you. There was a backpack with your name onit. I sent everyone in the office out to notify Mr. Darjj’s family and yours.” “What?! Is this some kind of joke? Mr. Darj’s jeep did not really crash, did it?” “In the name of God! You're still alive?!” Suddenly, I realized way I swore in the mosque made me lose my shoes. Damn, because of the new mosque, [lost my shoes, but not damn anymore. God almighty!! Now, I understood why the sound of the holy Qur’an touched my heart, called me to the mosque. I realized the mean- ing of those lost shoes. Better | lose my shoes than my life. No oaSuparto Brata more swearing in my life anymore. Let it the shoes be gone still have my soul and my life. Da.., before finishing the word changed it to “Alhamdulillah,” thanks be to God. x