Typical

By Putu Wijaya

Wayan was invited to Jakarta to visit a foreign friend, a man by the name of John, who was about to return home. John had booked a flight for Wayan, and promised that his accommodation and meals would be provided for.

He wanted to bid a final farewell to Wayan, because it would be a long time before he came back to Indonesia. He didn't have the time to go to Bali himself, although Wayan had written him often, urging him to come so they could take their leave from each other.

These two men, the foreigner and the Balinese, had been friends for a long time. They'd met several years previously, when the foreign man was on vacation in Bali and Wayan had showed him around, taking him to see various things that were 'off the beaten track' for most tourists. A strong bond of friendship was forged between them.

Recently Wayan had written to him:

It would be terrible if you returned home without us seeing each other for one last time. Despite the difference in the color of our skins, we're like brothers. You've eaten and slept in my simple home and I feel as if you're part of my family. It would be most remiss of me not to see you before you leave. So, if you can, please do try and come to Bali, because I can't get away - I can't afford it and I have various ritual obligations to fulfill as well.

Wayan's letter stirred John's feelings of friendship, causing him to decide to buy Wayan a ticket. But when Wayan arrived, he wasn't alone; with him was a nephew, who was just a young man. Wayan explained to John that he had been a bit nervous about coming to Jakarta on his own. "After all, I'd never been on a plane before, and Jakarta's such a huge place; I was worried I'd get lost."

John was a bit taken aback. He hadn't planned for this at all, especially for the financial implications of Wayan's decision. On the journey from the Jakarta airport to Kebayoran, where John lived, Wayan mentioned several times that he'd borrowed the money to buy his nephew's ticket and that he was concerned about how he would pay it back.

"Stop worrying about it, I'll reimburse you for the cost of the ticket," John finally said. He didn't want anything to cast a shadow on his final reunion with Wayan. "But how long will your nephew be staying in Jakarta? I don't have another spare room, just the one for you."

Wayan was quick with his reply. "Oh, that doesn't matter, John; the two of us can share one room. One room would be enough for five of us if necessary."

John feigned a smile, though he had to stifle his irritation. He was well aware that dozens of families of Cambodian refugees could be accommodated under the one roof if necessary. But the point for him was that he did not want such an inconvenience.

Further, he wouldn't feel right, knowing that there were two people staying in a guest room meant for one. Especially when it also meant that he had to take on the added responsibility of an uninvited guest.

Later, after Wayan and his nephew had settled themselves, what began to irritate John even more was that Wayan spent all his time catering to his nephew's every need. Rather than being looked after by his nephew, Wayan appeared to be the one doing the looking after. He seemed to have completely forgotten that the purpose of his visit to Jakarta was to say farewell to John.

Not once did he ask about how things were going with him, when he would be leaving, what he would do when he returned home.

John felt that he was being taken advantage of and he developed an intense dislike of Wayan's nephew, which eventually turned into a feeling of disgust for Wayan as well. It became apparent to him that what he had interpreted as genuine friendship, forged over time through their letters to each other, was in fact no more than a disposable commodity, a stick of gum, to be chewed up and then spat out. Wayan clearly had no interest whatsoever in John. Our so-called friendship was just a convenient way for Wayan to get himself a free ticket to Jakarta, John thought bitterly.

Finally, after a week of their presence in his house, John felt that he could take no more.

"I'm sorry, Wayan, but I can't let you stay any longer," John announced. "I'm expecting a visitor tomorrow. And now that you've been here a week, it should be time for you to go home. You must be missing your family, and I'm sure they're missing you. I can understand that. So I won't keep you from them any longer."

Wayan was surprised to hear John's words but he kept a smile on his face.

"Oh, that's no problem, John. I'm used to being away from home, for up to a month sometimes. They won't mind. Besides, my nephew still hasn't been to the more popular attractions, either to Taman Mini or Ancol. In fact, now he's even thinking of looking for work here."

"But I'm expecting a visitor tomorrow."

"That's alright. It's a big room, you know. Plenty of room for three. If need be, the two of us can sleep on the floor."

"But my friend is bringing his family." Wayan was bemused.

"But you said the guest room was only big enough for one person. And now you say your friend is bringing his family. What will you do?"

"Well that's the point. He's bringing his family with him, his wife and child. There definitely won't be room enough for you and your nephew to stay there as well."

"Oh I'm sure there will. I can sleep anywhere, on the chair, even, if need be."

"I can't let you do that. You'd catch cold with the air- conditioning."

Wayan laughed, "Of course I won't. I'm used to sleeping outdoors. It doesn't matter at all. The more the merrier is what I think. I could even teach your friend's kid to dance."

John was at his wit's end. He felt that he'd explained the situation as politely as he could, but his guest didn't seem to have gotten the message. It was his house after all; he felt that his control was being undermined. Meanwhile, Wayan had already made known his plans to take his nephew to Taman Mini the next day.

Finally John decided that he would have to be more assertive. "I'm sorry, Wayan. I can't have you here any longer. I'm expecting a guest tomorrow. I hope you understand."

This time Wayan responded with some surprise. "Do you mean you want me to go home?"

"That's up to you. The main thing is, the guest room has to be vacated today because I have to get it ready for my guest. You're not forgetting, are you, that I have to leave Indonesia in just a few days. There are lots of people who are going to want to say good-bye to me. I have to give them the chance to do that. I'm sorry, but I hope you understand my position."

Wayan's expression changed. Now he seemed most put out. "But my nephew hasn't even been to Taman Mini yet!" "I'm sorry about that."

Wayan lapsed into silence, his face clouded over with anger. "How about if I go home but my nephew stays on for a few more days. He can sleep in the kitchen."

"That's out of the question Wayan. Anyway, I don't even know your nephew. It was you I invited, not him."

"Well, that's true enough, but he hasn't been to Ancol yet. What's the point of him coming to Jakarta if he doesn't visit the amusement park?"

John chose to ignore this question. His antipathy towards Wayan's nephew intensified. In his eyes the young man was nothing but a parasite.

"Thank you for understanding my situation. I'll be leaving Indonesia soon, so I'm giving my friends the opportunity to come and say good-bye. I'm sorry that I don't have the time to devote to other things at the moment. But here, I've organized a bus ticket for you. It leaves at seven o'clock this evening. My servant will take you to the station. You've still got plenty of time to get ready."

John put the ticket in Wayan's hand. Wayan was speechless with shock, especially since there was only one ticket. Obviously John wasn't going to pay for his nephew. This was a vastly different scenario from their arrival in Jakarta when they'd flown in and been picked up at the airport in a nice car.

Wayan was dumbfounded. How could events have taken a 180 degree turn in this way? Why was his nephew being treated in this manner? He was beginning to dislike John. In his anger, he saw that John was no more than a foreigner completely lacking in any compassion.

As Wayan packed his belongings, his face was thunderous with rage. "The son of a bitch!" he cursed. "Typical foreigner! If this is the way of the world, we're all doomed." Now he would be forced to turn out the contents of his own wallet which, as it turned out was fat with notes, to buy his nephew a ticket.

As Wayan and his nephew were preparing to leave, John was waiting, just in case Wayan came to say good-bye. But Wayan said nothing to him before his departure. His thoughts were focused on the young man that he had brought with him. His "nephew," it transpired, was a prospective son-in-law, a husband for his daughter who was in danger of becoming an old maid.

On the bus as it was leaving town Wayan muttered a curse: "He's evil, that John. Foreigners are all the same - at heart they're all still colonials. They always want to be boss. To lord it over everyone else. To do whatever they please!" Beside him sat his possible son-in-law, decked out in a brand new jacket but with a sullen expression on his face. He couldn't hide his disappointment at having to go back to Bali so soon.

Meanwhile back at his house John was beside himself. "God, I can't believe these people. Typical Indonesian! They're all the same - once a coolie, always a coolie!"

-- Translated by Pamela Allen

This short story is taken from Menagerie IV courtesy the Lontar Foundation.