Something old, something new...

JAKARTA (JP): When Ani wanted to borrow a hundred thousand rupiah from me and I only gave her half the sum, she was visibly disappointed.

"I have to buy new clothes for Lebaran for my children and myself," she said, "and I heard that the costs of going back to my kampong has gone up, so this is definitely not enough."

"I am sorry, Ani," I replied, "but it is krismon now and I can't afford to give you more at this time. You will get your yearly bonus in a few days time and with your salary in advance you will have enough, or at least you have to manage in such a way as to make do with that sum."

Of course I gave her the rest of the sum later, because Ani works hard and although I do not agree with her, I don't think I can effect a reformasi on her so drastically.

Going home for Lebaran is a must for most migrants, especially those people coming from rural areas. I can't blame them, because life there is much more relaxed and pleasant, completely the opposite of life in Jakarta, which is hectic and fast.

Another thing is the new clothes. Why do people need a new dress for certain occasions? I suspect that a lot of it comes from the people wanting to show off their wealth. I remember a lady who insisted on wearing a new dress for every wedding she went to. She was under the illusion that people remember the dresses she wears and that they would know that she had worn a certain dress on previous occasions. Her dressmaker has of course a good time designing and making new dresses for her, but even he is happy that she does not go home to change when she is invited to three weddings in one evening as was often the case in pre- krismon Jakarta.

This new dress business is very personal and maybe also cultural. A minister of one of the European countries is said to wear the same dress on every occasion she goes to during her tenure in office. When she once did wear a new dress, the media was so surprised that all kinds of comments were the result. One even reported that she had worn the same dress but only back to front! Whether it is true or not, this comment signals that people, or at least the media, do notice whether a person is wearing a new dress or not.

To come back to Ani, she did manage to buy two new dresses for her children and a new sarong for her mother, who looks after her children, from the borrowed money and half her savings. Her sister will take care of the kebaya and a new kerudung (headgear) for mother, and her brother will take care of father. And herself?

"I am cheating," she said, smiling, "I only bought a new blouse. I will wear the culottes that you handed down to me. They may be old to you, but they are new to me and certainly to the people in the kampong."

Ria, my other servant, did not want to go home as she is still single and thinks that going home in this high season is not only a waste of money, but also of time, because the journey takes twice as long as usual.

"I can visit my friends here, and we can go to the zoo or to Taman Mini together and for the takbiran (glorification of God) there are usually good shows to chose from. My friends and I have promised each other not to buy a whole outfit. We will buy either a skirt or a blouse and shoes only when the old ones are worn out. We have noticed that you never wear new dresses for your Lebaran and yet you have always prospered. So we will do what you do, we will wear something old and something new this year."

I was impressed by so much wisdom, but I did not tell Ria that I do not expect the same prosperity to come my way for many years to come.

-- Myra Sidharta