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