Thank God, it's (not) Friday

Thank God, it's (not) Friday

JAKARTA (JP): "I was born this way. What's your excuse?" said
the T-shirt worn by Kevin, an engineering consultant working for
a major oil company. With a pair of faded blue jeans and
sneakers, he looked like a tourist who had just returned from
Bali. But he is not. He was sitting on his desk worrying about
the deadline for the completion of his latest contract. The only
thing that gave a clue to the reason for his casual appearance
was that it was Friday.

On Fridays, some companies operating in Jakarta allow their
employees to abandon the formal dress code: plain shirt and tie
for male employees and the "office look" for female staff. So,
Friday is the day when an executive officer would look old
fashioned if he wore his usual "uniform" and secretaries would be
uncomfortable with their fashionable tight skirts and blazers.

"I want them to look forward to something on Fridays," said a
lady entrepreneur about her decision to follow the trend,
allowing her employees to stay discard their uniform. "Look at
how excited they are with a more colorful appearance."

Enny and Santy, two secretaries in a high-rise office building
in the vicinity of the Semanggi clover leaf, always plan ahead
for Fridays. That's the day when they have the opportunity to
wear their ethnic accessories. And when the day comes, you could
mistake either of them for Renny Jayusman or Ully Sigar Rusady,
the two Indonesian singers who are well-known for their passion
in collecting (and wearing) accessories.

For Elviera, an environmental specialist, Fridays are her
branded days, that is the time for her to wear her favorite items
of famous designers. So, don't be surprised if you see her
wearing a casual dress from Emanuel Ungaro, shoes from Etienne
Aigner, a bag from Louis Vuitton, a bracelet from Bvlgari, a
wrist watch from Charles Jourdan, not to mention earrings and a
necklace from Cartier. "Not that I am crazy about famous brands,"
she reasoned. "I just feel comfortable wearing items for which I
have spent a fortune."

But a casual appearance on Fridays doesn't mean that staff
work leisurely during the day. "No way!" said Bu Rini, a finance
manager in a German freight-forwarding company. "Au contraire,
this is the time when we are bound to accomplish all the
outstanding tasks. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to sleep well
over the weekend. On Fridays, I am so busy that sometimes I don't
even have time to scratch my head."

What's so good about Fridays, anyway?

Ask Kurapai, a Padang-food vendor on Jl. Walahar. He believes
that Friday is the time for good deeds. During the day, between
11.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. he closes his food stall to allow him
and his two "waiters" the opportunity to perform Friday prayer.
"Well, actually these are the peak hours when everybody is
hungry, but we have decided not to do business during these
hours," he reasoned.

Padang-food restaurants and other shops run by Minangkabau
ethnics generally close during lunchtime on Fridays. Not that all
men have to do the prayer -- some shops are run by women who are
not obligated to perform Friday prayers at the mosques. They
believe doing business during the Friday prayers is a taboo.

After praying hour, however, business goes on at high
intensity. "This is the time to reap," said Usman, a sidewalk
vendor selling household items in front of Al-Azhar Mosque, South
Jakarta. "Usually, people spend their money more than the normal
rate after prayer."

There is no study to justify Usman's statement, but it is
undeniable that the income of sidewalk vendors around mosques
after the Friday prayer increases by two or three times the
normal business rate.

Recently, however, this good day has been used by some
politicians, including you-know-who, to launch their political
moves and "contaminate" the sacred atmosphere by uttering verbal
attacks and condemnation toward their political rivals. Usually,
the moves result in controversies that go on until the following
Friday when a new move is launched.

When the President failed to appear at the mosque where he
usually makes his notoriously confusing statements, speculation
soon grew. He and his aides had to conduct press conferences
denying rumors about his health. Had the President made it a
point to use Friday prayer for a mere devotion to God and avoided
microphones and TV cameras before and after the prayer, his
absence would have gone unnoticed. No need to hold an emergency
press conference. Neither do his aides have to appear on TV
explaining and denying things.

Well, at least politicians should learn that using religious
activities for political purposes will cause them nothing but
hassles. Take it from the number one person in the country.
Otherwise, Friday would no longer be a good and peaceful day. And
T-shirts would soon scream, "Thank God, it's not Friday!"

-- Carl Chairul