Beijing dogs<\/p>\n
Hawa Arofah<\/p>\n
I was overjoyed to set foot in Beijing again. Uncle Koo Tek Sian
\nhad invited me to the city for his 60th birthday party. "I'll
\nreimburse you for everything when you arrive," he told me by
\nphone before my departure.<\/p>\n
After staying with his family in an Indonesian-Chinese student
\nexchange program, I was already considered his foster child.<\/p>\n
I arrived at Uncle Koo's home at dusk. Beijing looked more
\ndeveloped than I remembered, with many more high-rise buildings
\nlining its streets.<\/p>\n
"I was getting anxious lest you weren't coming," Uncle Koo
\nsaid, helping me with my luggage as I got out of the cab.<\/p>\n
"Take a rest in the bedroom. We're dining out this evening.
\nAunt Lilian didn't cook today," he said as he opened the bedroom
\ndoor for me.<\/p>\n
"Where's Aunt Lilian?" I asked.<\/p>\n
"She's showering."<\/p>\n
"I want to wash my feet," I said, hurrying to the bathroom.<\/p>\n
"Hi, miss, welcome!" Aunt Lilian called as she emerged from
\nthe bathroom.<\/p>\n
I held out my hand and embraced the beautiful woman
\naffectionately.<\/p>\n
Aunt Lilian shook me gently by my shoulders. "You're getting
\neven prettier."<\/p>\n
I blushed and hurried into the bathroom.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
It was warm in Beijing that evening. Colorful lamps decorated
\noffice buildings, roads and apartments. I passed through a busy
\nroad with my uncle and aunt to reach a restaurant serving
\nIndonesian dishes. Uncle Koo and Aunt Lilian were fond of
\nIndonesian food, particularly rabbit satay.<\/p>\n
Back home from the restaurant, I excused myself and strolled
\nalong the streets of Beijing. The night was getting cooler as I
\nwalked past a large bridge, looking down at the glittering river
\nilluminated by street lights.<\/p>\n
I was suddenly overtaken by the urge to look under the bridge.
\nI stepped down from a corner of the bridge, going along the
\ndescending path worn down by an army of advancing and retreating
\nfeet.<\/p>\n
Drawn by the harsh sound of the radio, I walked over to
\nseveral cardboard shanties.<\/p>\n
As I walked closer to one of the makeshift homes, a young
\nwoman came out. She gazed at me with suspicion, her face
\nilluminated by one of the lamps overhead.<\/p>\n
"Good evening!" I greeted her in Chinese.<\/p>\n
She only smiled, but she gestured to me to sit in front of her
\nhome. I sat on a flat stone.<\/p>\n
"Who are you?" she asked.<\/p>\n
"I'm a student from Indonesia," I said, lying in a bid to win
\nher respect and also for protection; a foreign student on a
\nbudget would not be a target for robbery like a well-heeled
\ntourist.<\/p>\n
"Who are you looking for?"<\/p>\n
"I just want to wish you a happy new year."<\/p>\n
She smiled. Then she introduced herself. "I'm Ling Tian."<\/p>\n
"Are you married?"<\/p>\n
"Yes, but my husband has died. I'm here only with a dog. It's
\ninside, tied up. It can be ferocious. I want to have it put
\ndown!"<\/p>\n
I nodded. We sat for a few moments before I asked Ling Tian to
\ngo for a walk together round Beijing.<\/p>\n
"I'm eager to see the dark part of this city," I said.<\/p>\n
Ling Tian smiled again. She took me to the north.<\/p>\n
"Near Tiananmen square, you'll see lots of Beijing dogs
\ngathering," she remarked.<\/p>\n
"What do you mean by Beijing dogs?" I asked, curious.<\/p>\n
"Ah, you'll see for yourself."<\/p>\n
She was open in talking about her city but, to be frank, I
\ncouldn't be that open about the atmosphere in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
When Ling Tian finished her tales about life in Beijing, which
\nfrequently witnessed youth and student brawls, I remained silent.
\nAnd when she asked me to tell her about Jakarta and other cities
\nin Indonesia, I only spoke of the bright side of the country. I
\nsaid Indonesia was now a great land, with numerous tall buidlings
\neverywhere.<\/p>\n
I also mentioned the mushrooming discotheques and
\nentertainment centers in Jakarta, which were safe and relaxing.
\nIndonesia, particularly Jakarta, I told her, had never seen
\nsocial unrest, student or civil protests. It's always secure and
\nenjoyable.<\/p>\n
Ling Tian only nodded.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
We were already close to Tienanmen square. Under a large tree,
\nmany youths wearing vests and headbands were sitting with their
\ngirlfriends in the cold night air.<\/p>\n
Now and again, they laughed and then gulped bottled drinks.<\/p>\n
"We'd better watch from a distance. Let's just sit here," she
\nsaid, pulling my arm to guide me to a sidewalk kerb.<\/p>\n
I sighed. Images of the bloody incident that left many
\nstudents dead during the famous prodemocracy protest several
\nyears ago suddenly came to me.<\/p>\n
I remembered how thousands of students were driven off by
\narmored vehicles and pushed away with bayonets by incensed
\nsoldiers.<\/p>\n
There was the horrible image of dead bodies scattered over the
\nplaza's wet grass, stained with fresh blood.<\/p>\n
But that night, I saw young people roaring with laughter. They
\nwere drunk. Ling Tian called them Beijing dogs, fond of
\nsnatching, robbing or flirting with girls roaming Beijing.<\/p>\n
"Hey, are you off in your own world?!" she said as she tapped
\nme on the arm. "What are you thinking about?"<\/p>\n
"I'm thinking of the young people. Why do they like wasting
\ntheir evenings doing this?"<\/p>\n
"They are frustrated young people! They're just like us. They
\nwant to work in offices but find no vacancies. They wish they
\ncould stage demos but they're afraid of being crushed like the
\nstudents who came before."<\/p>\n
I listened to her account attentively.<\/p>\n
"Their frustration has made them wild like night dogs. They
\neven become robbers and purse-snatchers!" Ling Tian continued in
\nan annoyed tone.<\/p>\n
I looked at them from my seat. A girl emerged, walking near
\nthem. The gang rose to fondle the young woman.<\/p>\n
"Now you can see. The girl may be a new hooker. She's a
\nvictim. They'll soon take her away to a deserted place and rape
\nher. They are true dogs!" said Ling Tian.<\/p>\n
It made my skin crawl. And in a moment I did witness the girl
\nbeing dragged on to a motorbike by one of the youths, with the
\nothers following him.<\/p>\n
"It's a common view in the city," said Ling Tian.<\/p>\n
"Why don't the authorities arrest them?"<\/p>\n
"The government remains silent, to my knowledge. They are left
\nto go wild as long as they don't take to the streets to demand
\ndemocracy."<\/p>\n
I was amazed. The term democracy was familiar to her. "Why do
\nyou mention democracy?"<\/p>\n
"Don't be surprised. I'm an ex-student. I quit college after
\nmy boyfriend got me pregnant. Then my parents chased me away. Now
\nI'm a nobody."<\/p>\n
"So you've had a child? Where's your kid?"<\/p>\n
Ling Tian promptly stooped down and began to sob.<\/p>\n
"I'm sorry if I've offended you," I said regretfully.<\/p>\n
"My baby was dead. I strangled it soon after birth. You know,
\ninfants are completely worthless here. This country is
\noverpopulated. Lots of babies lose their lives after delivery,"
\nshe admitted, still sobbing.<\/p>\n
My heart swore at her. I thought she was worse than a dog.
\nHowever ferocious a dog might be, it would never kill its own
\noffspring.<\/p>\n
"I'm now a dog myself! A lone dog living in the city, with no
\nparents, spouse and relatives. I even had the heart to kill my
\nown child," lamented Ling Tian.<\/p>\n
I began to feel disgusted by her. This attractive woman was
\nmorally debased.<\/p>\n
It was getting colder in Beijing. I felt no more need to chat
\nwith Ling Tian. I rose and took her back to the shanty.<\/p>\n
"Curse me. I'm lower than a dog!" cried Ling Tian as we
\nreached the bridge again.<\/p>\n
I remained tight-lipped. Even when I flagged won a taxi and it
\nhad stopped, I didn't say goodbye. I couldn't not conceal my
\ncontempt for her.<\/p>\n
Translated by Aris Prawira<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/beijing-dogs-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }