PLN fling
PLN fling
I would like to comment on Mrs. Linda Hollands' story on the front page of The Jakarta Post, Sunday edition of April 23, 1995.
Usually PLN messengers come to the house at 8 a.m. at the earliest. It amazes me that there were no servants around to take care of people who come to the house.
The point is, she had trouble with the PLN people from the beginning. Of course they talk about her to each other, which explains their attitude. To top it off, she doesn't forget to use the electricity but forgets to pay the bill, that's very nice. She has at least 17 days to pay her electricity bill and shouldn't put the burden on her husband. As a housewife, she should at least take care of things around the house.
Because she forgot, and was unfriendly, it probably gave them reason to get to her. Did she ever think of giving them just a smile and saying "thank you" for their effort to do their work well?
Does she know if the man has electricity in his own house, or about the inconveniences he has? That's right, he was not supposed to act like he did, but, over only Rp. 10,000, she's raising hell and making enemies, by putting this in the newspaper instead of just complaining to PLN by letter.
Since she has been here for eight years already, she must know by now how things work and that she can prevent unpleasant things happening. If she had just smiled, even though she didn't feel like it, it would have helped a lot. Indonesian men usually like to see a smile on a woman's face, even though he is just a tukang (laborer) and she is not the prettiest.
She knows that no PLN messenger boy will read and, moreover, understand what she has written. If they do, she shouldn't be surprised if somebody throws some s--t (pardon me) or something else over the hedge just to pester her. I think the best solution for her is to pay all the bills on time. Not to make life miserable for herself and family and, moreover, for the little man who tried to do his job and may have tried to get something out of it because she was plainly unorganized. I imagine that lack of money here is out of the question.
BEATRIX NOE
Jakarta