Good citizen

Pak S. is an old man of about 50. He wears a felt hat, which has seen better days. His dark weatherbeaten face, wrinkled and as tough as water buffalo hide, is clear evidence that he spends the whole day outside. His job as a garbage collector does not require "dandy-ish" dress, so he wears a shabby shirt and trousers which are at least two sizes too large. When he speaks, he gestures with his arms for emphasis, which is necessary because he whispers. In spite of his wiry body, he is capable of pulling his garbage cart with its foul smelling 100 kilogram load without difficulty.

However, what is more striking about his appearance is his gold teeth which glitter when he laughs, which he often does; perhaps to show his valuable asset.

The ordinary man would say that poor people should help each other to lighten their burden, but nay, they cheat and squeeze each other. The following example may emphasize this allegation. One day Pak S. parked his up-to-date cart (because it was fitted with a set of secondhand car wheels and tires) in front of my house. Imagine his consternation the next morning when his cart had disappeared without a trace, even though the wheels were chained and locked. It must have been the work of a professional thief.

However, instead of lamenting the loss of his cart, he made a new one.

Every morning all the garbage collectors in the neighborhood go to an appointed place where they unload their garbage to be taken away by a truck owned by DKI Jakarta, but the driver of the truck demands a certain amount for each cart. So not only the rich pay illegal levies, but the poor people as well. It reminds me of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (the wretched people).

I believe that The Almighty is very generous to the have-nots, during the twenty years that I have known Pak S. he has never been seriously ill, save for a cough or flue.

A. DJUANA

Jakarta