Something old, something new...

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