Author mentors office boy in the written word

Endang Roh Suciati, Contributor, Jakarta

There was something about the thin, unassuming office boy dusting down desks and sweeping the floor that touched Hudan Hidayat.

"At 6 a.m when I arrived at the office every morning, I saw him holding the broom, sweeping the floor, providing me with a cup of coffee, so full of obedience and patience. He didn't talk much, but worked. I was touched seeing him. I believed he must have hopes for his life beyond this," said the employee of the Ministry of National Education and an accomplished author in his own right.

The young man, Poniran, would start early cleaning the ministry in South Jakarta and preparing to run errands for the other employees.

The work for a monthly wage below Rp 500,000 was about all that this junior high school graduate could expect when he arrived in Jakarta from his hometown of Surakarta in 1997.

He had his widowed mother's prayers supporting him but the 25- year-old was confused about his future. "I didn't have a wish or desire about what I wanted to be," he said.

Under the tutelage of Hudan, however, Poniran has found his stride and become a published short story writer.

Hudan, whose works such as Keluarga Gila (Insane Family) and Sakit (Sick), are marked by themes of psychological disturbance, sensed the potential in the young man.

Born the son of a teacher in Yogyakarta and raised in Bengkulu, Hudan believes that achieving goals in life is a case of mind over matter.

"I told him he had to rise up by himself. I asked him whether he would spend his entire life sweeping the floor. What if the chance to be a government official never came, what if he got fired."

Hudan told Poniran he must have a creative skill for his future. He pushed him to try putting together paragraphs into a short story.

The relationship developed into that of mentor and student, with the two men studying late into the night putting together Poniran's ideas.

After about three months, there was a noticeable difference: Gone was the indifferent Poniran, replaced by a proud, hopeful young man intent on making a better future.

One of his stories has already been published in the daily Republika.

"I haven't written many short stories so far as I can only do it with the limited time and energy that I have," said Poniran, who writes under the name "Poniran Kalashnikov".

He has written about five short stories, receiving payment of Rp 250,000 for each published one.

His gains bring a sense of satisfaction to Hudan, who said he suffered from feelings of emptiness and physical illness before deciding to become a writer. His first short story was written in 1984 but, curiously, he suffered writer's block and did not publish another story until 12 years later.

"I don't know why I suddenly couldn't write. Maybe my technical ability is low or something. I spent my days working as a government clerk and passing 12 years without writing."

Now he has the chance to share his love of writing with others; Poniran was his first "protege", followed by another office boy, a security guard and a driver.

He also established the Creative Writing Institute (CWI) in mid-2003, which later published the short story anthology Lantaiku Penuh Darah (My floor is drenched with blood), including works of Hudan's students.

Hudan acknowledges that writing is not a means to wealth in this country, but it can be the stepping stone to a better future.

"By writing, there is discourse about life. Then someone will know their talent, their intention in life, where they are going," he said. "My satisfaction is if I can help someone to find the meaning of life."

Hudan admits there are skeptics who consider his project to be nothing more than a publicity stunt, with him writing the works behind the scenes.

He points out that he knows many editors at publications but he never uses the contacts to ensure publication of his circle's works.

Everyone has the potential to write, he says, but they still need a skilled editor. "If the writing does not become a short story, or novel, at least it can be a report."

He also sees it as one rung on the ladder to a better educated populace -- and setting their minds free.

"Indonesia will be successful through maximal education. It's time to finish the ceremonial things, those that are big and symbolic. We should get instead into the small concrete actions," he said.