On being rich
"Well, the richest man in the world is Bill Gates. Don't you want to be as rich as he is?," Si Buyung teased Si Upik. "He can buy an island, have his own private airplane, helicopter, breakfast in New York, dine in Paris and buy himself a queen and a kingdom if he wants to."
"I don't care what he has and what he does. Why envy him?," replied Si Upik. "Would you rather trade Sonya, your sweetheart for his riches? I wouldn't exchange my eyes for his wealth. It's only a pity that stories on the poverty of the rich are hardly ever published."
And I imagine a doctor practicing till after midnight almost every day. Even though he might make a lot of money, he must be very poor in regard to enjoying his spare, leisure time. When does he want to start living? Before he realizes he's become old, weak and sick. That must be some kind of poverty of the rich.
On the contrary, despite being poor in terms of money and possessions, pak Arif is certainly very rich in terms of his time. He ensures that every day, or almost every day, is a great day, a holiday, a feast of surprises of sheer delight and joy.
This is the case even while he is doing his chores, learning or exercising his feet, arms, voice, eyes or teeth. He's always aiming to outdo or surpass himself, rather than others, and busying himself with whatever he loves, likes or considers best.
"When anything happens to go wrong, never lose your wits," he says.
"You hardly ever can lose. You can almost always improve on what you did before. I met a woman without arms, who could handle a sewing-machine and nurse her baby."
Pak Arif certainly wouldn't sell his way of life for all Bill Gates' wealth.
Good health is regarded one of the greatest riches by my sports teacher. Nearly 70 years old, he still has a good appetite, perfect teeth, good eyesight and a strong voice. His body is still supple and I believe he can still run from Jakarta to Depok.
For those kidnapped or those being kept as hostages, even all the world's riches amount to nothing compared to one's life and freedom.
Whereas the wealthy and the rich are hailed and praised by the press, the "riches" of a poor man have been composed into verse in Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess. This is what I remember Porgy sings about: "I've got a lot though having nothing. I've got the sun, the moon, my woman, got no misery and live as in heaven the whole day. Because to me, the most valuable things, like the stars, all are given free.".
"Well, is it worth anything?," asked Si Buyung.
"Though one can have them for free, none the less, they are priceless. Just imagine, without the sun, the moon, the stars, the sea, the fresh air, the mountains, the streams, lakes, woods, flowers, birds, animals, fish, our brothers, sisters, our mothers, fathers, our sweethearts, our eyes, our health, our freedom, the world would become dull, dreary, cheerless, a hell and collapse.
"Without Bill Gates' wealth we would still live, laugh, be happy and might have heaven the whole day long, you Dumb-head," which is Upik's way of saying "Dear Brother."
CHEW G.H.
Jakarta