Part 1: Pen Pals<\/p>\n
by Diar Adhihafsari<\/p>\n
It's 11 at night in Indonesia, yet Lia still cannot sleep. She
\nre-reads the letter she received this morning.<\/p>\n
She gets up and moves toward a huge world map hung on her
\nyellow bedroom wall. She traces the continent of Europe with her
\nfinger, then moves north to Denmark. She has put a pink pushpin
\nat the country's map. It means a country to remember -- always.<\/p>\n
\"Hi, Christina!\" she says to the map, as she does every time
\nshe receives a letter from Christina, her pen pal in Denmark.<\/p>\n
She met the Danish girl four years ago, when both of them were
\nstill in their freshman year at senior high school.<\/p>\n
Lia registered as a member of an international pen pal club,
\nthen, three weeks later, she received an exciting letter from
\nsomeone of her age who lived in Copenhagen, Denmark.<\/p>\n
She had never expected to hear from anyone in Denmark, as she
\nhad always dreamed about having some friends from the United
\nStates or Canada. She had never even thought that a European
\ncould also be a good friend to talk to. Just like Christina
\nStentoft, the Danish girl.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Dearest Lia,<\/p>\n
I finally finished my research report yesterday. I'm so
\nrelieved! Oh, by the way, we were asked to add a thank-you list
\non the first page of our paper.<\/p>\n
Guess whose name I put there? Yours! No kidding! Okay, you
\ndidn't donate any material, but you did support me, and that's
\nthe important thing.<\/p>\n
Remember when you sent me a gorgeous postcard? And you wrote,
\n\"Dear Chris. Just relax, think about anything beautiful (like me
\n-- haha -- just kidding. I mean like ice cream, chocolate, your
\nfavorite professor, or me. (Again, just kidding!)\"<\/p>\n
Well, the card sounded a bit ridiculous (haha). Nevertheless I
\ndid what you told me. You were right, Lia. The technique worked!
\nI could reduce some stress while working on the complicated
\npaper.<\/p>\n
Thanks a lot,
\nYour Friend.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Lia is so touched by the first part of the letter that she begins
\nto cry. She wrote my name in her thank-you list, she thought. Oh,
\nit's so sweet!<\/p>\n
From the very first time she received a letter from Christina,
\nshe couldn't figure out why her heart always trembled every time
\nshe read and learned all about Denmark.<\/p>\n
Sometimes she felt that it was a kind of sign, that their
\nfriendship was meant to be.<\/p>\n
Denmark<\/p>\n
It has been almost four years since Lia and Christina made
\nfriends through snail-mail, but they have only sent their
\nphotographs to each other once. Moreover, neither care about what
\ntheir pen pal looks like, as long as they love each other.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Dear Chris,<\/p>\n
I have bad news for you. Okay, let me take a inhale and exhale
\nfirst. Well, actually, I don't want to tell you this, but I
\nreally need someone to talk to about this problem. Hm -- I -- I
\nhad some problems with my health a few days ago and, well, the
\nbottom line is that I've got leukemia.<\/p>\n
No, please don't cry, Chris! I'm doing just fine, don't worry.
\nI keep going to the hospital every week for a routine check up.
\nYour Friend.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Christina cannot stand it anymore. She cries almost all night
\nlong. Leukemia is a terrifying word for her as a medical student.
\nShe keeps thinking about her pen pal, wondering what she can do
\nfor Lia.<\/p>\n
She just wishes that she could be there next to her best
\nfriend, hug her, kiss her forehead, and say, \"Don't worry, I'm
\nhere for you, Lia,\" but she can't. Denmark is way too far from
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Until she recalls something.<\/p>\n
She could phone Lia.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Indonesia<\/p>\n
\"Chris? Dear God! Isn't it terribly expensive to make an
\ninternational call?\" Lia screams. She is amazed and deeply
\ntouched by Christina's call.<\/p>\n
\"So what? I can't just stay quietly in my room and not do
\nanything for you.\"<\/p>\n
Then the two cry together.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't mean to make you worry about my health,\" Lia
\nprotests.<\/p>\n
Christina can only whisper, \"I know, I know. But I'm calling
\nto let you know that I'm never going to leave you alone, whatever
\nhappens.\"<\/p>\n
Lia's mother was surprised when her daughter hugged her
\ntightly and cried after reading Christina's latest letter. She
\ndidn't ask why, as she understood how her daughter was moved by
\nher friendship with the Danish girl.<\/p>\n
Friendship is a very meaningful thing for Lia. Once she finds
\na good friend, she'll do anything to maintain the friendship. Lia
\nhas never told her mother that, but her mother instinctively
\nunderstands.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Dearest Lia,<\/p>\n
I decided to change my major from dermatology to internal
\nmedicine so that I can learn more about leukemia. I did that for
\nyou, Lia. Please don't get mad or protest.<\/p>\n
I did this because I wanted to, because I love you. I know I
\ncan't cure your disease personally. But, at least I can do
\nsomething. I would feel guilty if I did nothing, and this is what
\nI want to do.<\/p>\n
Love, Chris<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
She always does such nice things for me, Lia murmured to
\nherself.<\/p>\n
She wondered how her pen pal would adjust to her new major.
\nAnd wasn't this a bit much to do for a friend?<\/p>\n
But she'd always believed this was what friendship should be
\nall about.<\/p>\n
Postcards keep coming regularly to Lia's house, offering best
\nwishes for her in fighting the disease. Yes, they are from
\nChristina.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Lia has no time to answer these postcards, as
\nshe is in chemotherapy.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
My Dear Lia,<\/p>\n
I begin to learn more about your disease although, of course,
\nI know you don't want it to be yours. Your leukemia is still in
\nthe early stages, don't be too worried.<\/p>\n
It's good for you to keep up with the chemo regularly. I'm
\nsure in one or two months you will see some improvement.<\/p>\n
I wonder whether your hair is falling out. Even if is, I'm
\nsure you'd still look pretty, Honey! Hang in there, Friend.
\nYou're going to be just fine!
\nLove, Chris.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Lia reads this letter from Christina that evening in the
\nhospital. She has been there for almost two months for advanced
\nchemotherapy.<\/p>\n
Chris was right about the hair part. Lia sees how her hair is
\ngetting thinner and thinner day by day,<\/p>\n
Yes, I have to be strong. The leukemia stands, but the show
\nmust still go on.<\/p>\n
Denmark: Two and a half months later<\/p>\n
Dearest Christina,<\/p>\n
You were right. Finally, I've overcome this awful disease. Oh,
\nI feel so relieved! By the way, thanks so much for all your
\nsupport. Your letters, your postcards and your prayers. They have
\nall helped to keep me strong.<\/p>\n
You know, staying in the hospital was horribly boring. I
\nprayed you were my doctor, but that's just impossible.
\nLove, Lia.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
The letter makes Christina jump for joy.<\/p>\n
The writer is a student of English Education at Tanjungpura
\nUniversity in Pontianak. This short story first appeared on
\nwww.tintota.com as Long Distance Friendship.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/part-1-pen-pals-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}