Victim of circumstance

Claudine Frederik

Inri peered closely at the TV. Watching the face of the successful businessman on the screen, her mind involuntarily raced back to the early 1960s when she left her parents in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, torn apart by a struggle seeking greater government attention to the region.

The uprising had been led by Lt. Colonel H.N. Sumual -- the man now on TV.

A sense of great despair filled Inri, the same desperate feeling that she had to cope with in those early days.

She had arrived in Jakarta with two-year-old Ani hoping to soon find a secretarial position. Ani was the product of a marriage that hardly lasted a year. Her husband had left her with nothing when he snuck out of the house, never to return. Their child was only two months old when he left.

Inri sat very still as she relived that period of her life. Once more she felt the potholes as the becak (pedicab) driver cautiously drove her with little Ani on her lap. Their search for a boardinghouse was not easy.

During the ride, the baby spent most of the time crying; Inri assumed she must be thirsty or hungry, or both.

They called on several boardinghouses, the more respectable ones, but they were too expensive. After their long and tiring day without food and only a cheap glass of bittersweet tea, the becak stopped in front of a narrow alley.

"They won't turn you down at this address, miss," the driver said with unconcealed impatience. Inri observed with a worried eye the narrow alley, lined on both sides with near dilapidated dwellings.

"It is cheap, too, I hear," the driver added.

"Which house is it?" Inri asked.

"The largest house on the left. That will be Rp 2,000, thank you."

"What! That is a servant's wage."

"I have been driving you and your baby from eight in the morning to eight in the evening. Have a heart, miss."

Inri was too tired to argue further. She paid the man and walked toward the boardinghouse from where a faint light escaped through the curtained windows.

The room was located in the back of the house and was not too small for her and the baby. The daylong becak trip under a pitiless sun had taken its toll on little Ani. She had fallen fast asleep, and Inri did not wake her up to eat.

The following day, Inri bought a paper to look at the vacancies page. There were several administrative jobs available. She decided to go straight to the companies for an interview.

After a meager breakfast of two soggy buns and dark sweet tea, she, with Ani in her arms, set off in the early morning hours. She had to take the baby along since there was nobody to look after here.

At the first company, an import firm, she was heartily welcomed by the personnel manager.

"Take a seat, miss. I have to ask you several questions, all right? Are you married?" the manager said, throwing a worried glance at Ani.

"I'm divorced. I will leave my baby in the care of a nanny if I get a job."

The personnel manager looked relieved and said cheerily: "Have you brought your CV and reference letters with you?"

Inri took out a letter from her bag. It was a reference letter from the State Electric Company in Manado where she was employed before her shortlived marriage.

The manager looked up with dismay after reading the letter.

"I see that you have worked in Manado. Were you there during the unrest?"

"Yes, we lived with my parents."

"Did any relatives of yours join the antigovernment movement?"

"Just my brother-in-law. He is in the army."

"I see." The manager slowly folded the letter, trying to avoid the searching look on Inri's face.

"Sorry, we cannot employ you, miss." He hastily got on his feet and left her without any explanation.

Inri tried to take the rejection in stride. Little did she know that it was only the beginning of a painful journey that would leave her bewildered and sick at heart.

There were still two companies on her list. The second one was a large cigarette manufacturer whose brand reminded her of the stolen moments she and her elder sister had enjoyed when they puffed on their first cigarettes behind the kitchen.

The receptionist led her inside the personnel manager's room. He hardly looked at her, taking a form from his desk and moved his hand in the direction of a long table at the end of the room.

"Please, fill in this form and return it to me when you're finished."

Inri returned the filled in form to the manager who was still busy writing.

"Sit please," he said as he wrote on. He got through writing after some minutes and went through the filled in form.

"You have worked in Manado, I see."

"Yes sir."

"Have you arrived recently?"

"Yes sir."

The man finally looked up from the form while she struggled to keep Ani on her lap. Her attempts were futile.

Ani had managed to free herself and started to explore the strange room. Inri ran after her daughter and heard the man say as she caught up with Ani: "I am sorry miss, but I believe that we are looking for somebody with more experience. Good afternoon."

When she got out of the cigarette company, the becak driver pulled out of the shade and they both stepped in. Inri could not suppress an anxious feeling now. She had to find a job soon. Her parents had provided her with some money but office enough for a few weeks.

It was nearing four o'clock, office closing time. The last company was a well-known daily which was looking for a secretary.

For the third time that day she was led to the office of a personnel manager. Thankfully, he was different from the previous man, welcoming her in a cordial manner.

"So, you would like to join our company, that's good. Have you any experience?" He smiled encouragingly at her.

Inri once more took out her CV and reference letter, praying that she would have better luck this time.

"Very well," the man said momentarily, obviously pleased with her credentials. "We would like you to start on the first of next month. That is only a week away. You will be on a three-month probation at first. You will start on a salary of Rp 10,000. Any questions?"

Brimming with joy, Inri shook her head. "No sir."

Taking Ani up she walked with quick steps through the hall that led to one of the entrances of the office when someone called her name.

"Inri. Is that really you."

Inri turned around and to her surprise discovered someone from her hometown. At home, Bram Manusama was known as a fervent communist, someone who God-fearing people stayed well clear of.

"Oh, hello," Inri said in a lukewarm tone.

"And what are you doing here?" Bram asked.

"I just applied for a secretarial job and I got it. I start next week."

"Oh really." Bram's surprise was clear. "Who recommended you to the personnel manager?"

"No one," Inri replied. "But, why does it concern you?"

"Well, I am the sales manager here. I hadn't heard that there was a vacancy in the administration department."

"And now you know. I must be on my way. My little girl here is very tired."

At the boardinghouse, Inri felt she could splash out a bit more, and she ordered a good meal for her and Ani. Later, lying in the narrow bed, she heard people going in and out, bantering voices interspersed with giggles from young girls. Now and then, a door slammed shut and loud taped music filtered from one of the rooms.

"It won't be long now. I will look for a better room next week," she thought as she drifted happily to sleep.

"Well, congratulations," her landlady said the next morning when she heard the news. "And in whose care will you put Ani?"

"I suppose that I have to hire somebody for my little girl."

"We can take care after her, I have enough help in the house," the landlady offered.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

Finally the big day arrived. Inri woke up very early that day to avoid having to line up for her turn in one of the three bathrooms. Then she dressed with care and made her face up in an unobtrusive way.

One should make a favorable impression, she thought.

She refused breakfast, she was too excited for it. After leaving Ani in the care of the landlady, Inri left for her new job at seven. Like at other offices she was to start on the dot of eight.

But, when she entered the office the receptionist called out to her.

"Miss, there is a letter for you. I am to give it to you when you arrive. Sorry, it should have reached you sooner, but our courier has been sick for the last week."

Inri had no inkling what the letter held. She opened it, and read the words: Sorry, the position was filled by the general manager without our knowledge. It was signed by the amiable personnel manager.

"Sit down for a moment, miss," the words from the receptionist seemed to come from afar. "I understand, it must have been a hard blow for you."

"I don't understand it at all," Inri said through her tears.

"I heard that the letter did not spell out the real reason," the receptionist whispered. Inri patted her wet cheeks dry and looked enquiringly at her.

"It's only hearsay, understand. But the change to replace you for another was recommended by someone from your hometown. Bram Manusama. Do you know him? They said that he told management that you have a relative fighting on the side of the rebels in the Minahasa ..."

Now, sitting in front of her TV, many years later Inri resolved not to go further down the lane of bitter memories. She did not want to remember the hard years that followed, working as a housemaid for her landlady for board and three meals a day.

Better times arrived when the first president had to make way for a new head of state, Soeharto. In 1969 Inri had no problem finding a job. More companies were set up and more employment became available. In her new work environment she met a man she loved -- they are still married today.

"Mom, why are you sitting in the dark? Who is being interviewed on TV?" Ani, just home from work, looked at the image on the screen.

"Oh, some big shot in business," Inri replied lightly.

"I didn't know that you were interested in business, Mom."

"No, I'm not, dear."

Inri watched the animated expression on the man's face, who so many years ago had played such a different role in events that changed her life. She leaned over and turned the TV off.