Say “Amit-amit” to Smokers
09 Jun 2009 1 Comment
in My Stories Tags: bad smoker, say no, smoker
Crazy Doctorwww.miftah17.wordpress.com
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I was not feeling well that day. I was feeling so awful that I had to go to the doctor. I do not like seeing doctor actually. Like most other Indonesians, if the fact is true, I do not go to the doctor unless the illness is extremely bad or at least definitely annoying, or it prevents me from going to work for too long, meaning that I will earn less next month. What makes it worse; my employers do not pay for the doctor.
Now I was in the waiting room. I really hate waiting. The truth is no one likes it! I picked up a magazine from under the table and looked it up. Nothing interested me. All was about women’s stuff and quizzes since it was a woman magazine.
I look around the room, and I saw an old granny—a granny must be old, mustn’t she—who was holding her bloated cheek. It seemed that she was suffering from a terrible toothache. She kept making a disturbing sound which really perfected my bad day. Not the right person to talk with to kill this boredom.
In front of me was a good looking girl, a very pretty girl, to be exact. I might have spent hours chatting with her, but in the room she was busy talking to his spoiled boyfriend who seemed to need to see the doctor, too. The chance was gone. And I was too reluctant to get close to a charming lady sitting rather far from my seat. I was not really sure that she would like to talk to me, any way. As a result, I just had to wait and do nothing until the call was for me.
After about thirty minutes, which seemed to me like a whole week, the assistant pronounced my name. You can’t disagree with this; “the sweetest song to anyone’s ears is the sound of their own name”. Narsis!—I don’t really know exactly how to spell the word or what language the word comes from, and I, at first, even thought the word was the play of the word “najis”. I promptly lifted my ass off the seat and directly headed to the doctor’s room.
In the room I was so amazed—I don’t actually remember about what I really felt—at this sight that I statued for a while until the doctor asked me to sit down. I could not believe what I was seeing! In the room was the doctor smoking. “What the h*** are you doing?”, that was what I had in my head. Only did I not have a heart to deliver it to my mouth and say it.
Before he did his duty, which was asking me questions, I asked him this stupid question, “Don’t you know that smoking is not good for your health?” I knew that my questioning was like mapatahan ngojay ka meri—a sundanese saying which literally means teaching swimming to a duck, or mapatahan hiber ka manuk—another sundanese saying which plainly means telling a bird how to fly.
I am not an authority in health, but I often heard of the danger of having cigarettes. It is no secret that smoking is dangerous to our health. Equally, second-hand smoke (the smoke that is given off from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar or the smoke that is exhaled from a smoker’s lungs) is also recognized for contributing to a wide range of undesirable health effects including cancer and asthma.
He smiled innocently before he answered, “I’m a doctor, and I know what I’m doing!” I had no reason to argue or to follow the question. A “sweet” smile in his mouth did not make him look friendly at all. I even saw a mouth of a wolf with fresh blood in it when he opened his mouth to speak.
I know exactly what his answer meant. I would not have asked this ridiculous question if he had not been doing it at the wrong place. I anticipated that it was a wrong place to smoke, don’t you think?
This doctor, who was at the same time an “irresponsible” smoker, asked me questions. Although I was not sure about his being able to diagnose correctly, or give or recommend the right medicines, I answered all his questions one after another. I was consulting the doctor but I did not trust him. How could it work?
This discomfort, which shouldn’t have had been, finally came to an end. Before I left, without any intention to find out the answer, I asked him this silly question, “Are you sure I’ll get better in a couple of days as you told me?”
As he put out his cigarette end in an ashtray, he answered in a “wise” manner, “Only God knows what will happen tomorrow.”
***
As I arrived home, I was thinking about what had just happened. I had even forgotten that I had been sick a while ago. The doctor was not completely “bad”, in fact. At least he was right about one thing, only God knows about the future.
Above is only one real example of smoking at the right time—the time is always right for smokers, anyway—but at the wrong place. Have you ever been in an angkot full of smoke coming out of some revolting mouths of some disgusting guys? These guys are enjoying the poison and pretending that nobody is around.
At another place, as a caring future father with a pregnant wife, why does he poison his unborn son together with his wife with this hazardous smoke?
Have you ever seen a father smoking at home with his children around? Realizing it, he lets them breathe in this harmful smoke from day to day, week to week… Do not say that you are one of those irresponsible fathers. There are still a lot more examples. You mention it!
It’s not actually my problem if an adult jumps from the tenth floor of a building. I also do not really care about a man doing 120 km per hour in his car without a brake. And I won’t be really disturbed when a parent cuts his own artery to death. But, it will be my concern if you jump fro the height to a crowd down there, if you risk other motorists, or if you take your son or daughter to “hell”. Go ahead risk yourself, but not others!
I don’t mind smokers at all, and I have been there myself. But I say “No” to irresponsible smokers. Let’s say “NO” to IRRESPONSIBLE SMOKERS! And for pregnant women, why not say “AMIT AMIT” to them.
***
PS: A person who smokes should not be treated as less than a citizen. While their decision may be unwise for their health, it is not an illegal activity. They do not deserve to have their rights stripped due to their risky decision.
On the other hand, stopping smoking for an hour or two will not kill smokers, but letting children, pregnant women, and other non-smokers inhale the smoke does “kill” them.
Pemenang Lomba Foto Warta Kota 2008
11 Feb 2009 2 Comments
in My Stories Tags: foto, lomba, miftah, warta kota, winner
Pemenang Lomba Foto Harian Warta Kota 2008
Atau CitizenPhotojournalist
Penjurian
Oleh Dewan Juri
Tempat Mabes Harian Warta Kota
Susunan Dewan Juri
A. Arbain Rambey (Kompas) (Baju Hitam Paling Tengah)
B. Yudhi Soerjoatmodjo (GKJ)(Baju Kotak kotak Sebelah kiri)
C. Umar Widodo (Warta Kota)(Baju Putih Sebelah Kanan)
Talkshow citizenPhotojournalist
Lomba Foto Warta Kota 2008 Di Margo Depok
Foto Bareng Pemanang Dan Redaktur Pelaksan Harian Warta Kota
Para Pemenang
Pemenang I
Judul : Terlelap
Photografer: Hertony Hartawan
Camera : Nokia N71
Pemenang II
Judul : Passion at the wrong place
Photografer: Asep Miftahudin
Camera : Soner SE K510 i
Pemenang III
Judul : Nikmati Pemandangan Kota
Photografer: Herianus
Camera : Samsung SGH-i900
Pemenang IV
Judul : Telepon Sampah
Photografer: Muhammad Imam Muttaqin
Camera : Benq Siemens CL71
Pemenang V
Judul : Kopral Jono (sang idola)
Photografer: Muhammad Imam Muttaqin
Camera : Nokia N73
Accidental Winner
22 Jan 2009 1 Comment
in Catatan Anak Manusia, My Stories Tags: foto, lomba, winner
Passion at the Wrong Place
I was on the way to work on my motorcycle.I had to be there by 9 a.m. As a teacher or I prefer to call myself an instructor, I mustn’t be late to the class. It’s not the same if it is the students who are late. A teacher mustn’t do anything wrong, must he? Never mind. I’m not going to talk about a profession of a teacher, anyway.
I usually took mouse ways (read: short cuts) to avoid jams. It usually worked until then. In front of me was a local people’s wedding party. As usual, you maybe don’t include in this generalization, the wedding party took the entire street and blocked it, and made it reception area where invited guests had drinks and meals. It might be not the best place to have drinks and meals but they didn’t seem to have another choice, did they? I didn’t think they didn’t realize that the motorists and motorcycle riders, and also the passengers in the angkots were unhappy with the situation. They might be late to work.
Grumbling inaudibly, I took another way directed by Hansips—or should I call them Defense of Civilians? Of course it took longer time to reach my work place. It was about 8.15 and I should arrive as soon as possible for I had to have some coffee to refresh my body and browse the internet in the office to warm my head before the class. No, the browsing was not for the class preparation but to fill my hungry head with the latest news. And you know, I wasn’t and still am not connected with the internet at home yet.
Damn! I took a wrong turn so I had to turn around again. To make it worse, now I was at Pal Merah traditional market. The smell gave my head a heavy headache.
Thank Gods; I could get out of the smelly hell. But Man! It was a completely terrible jam. Cars and other vehicles moved very slowly, and sometimes couldn’t even move for some time. The sharply shining dry season sun made it worse. The fake leather jacket I wore burned and bathed my body at the same time. Soaking wet!
I was getting closer to the T-junction and when there I turned left. The jam got worse. Getting further, I saw a lot of motorcycles parked beside the street touching the pavement. Other vehicles move very slowly to make the drivers, riders, and passengers able to witness an “attractive” car accident. I believe all car accidents attract people to spend some time to watch but I usually don’t bother to stop by. But this time it was really unique, a real art work, or an engineer-made-formation. You don’t believe it? Take a look at the picture I captured. What do you say?
A lot of people took the pictures, and I thought it was too bad if I let this unusual happening go just like that. I took the pictures and took a look at the accident for several more seconds. Then I went on to the office. I couldn’t wait to show my colleagues the pictures I just had taken.
In the office I tried to astonish my colleagues with my pictures. But it wasn’t a complete success. Yes, some colleagues thought that I just had witnessed a history of the world, an event that only happened once in life time and the pictures I took were worth keeping in the museum. Do you think it was an exaggeration? Ups, I agree with you.
Some others didn’t think it was something special.
Hell. It doesn’t matter what people think about it. In fact, I don’t need them to agree with me. Whatever they think wouldn’t change anything.
One evening after a class I opened my e-mail and some e-mails were in my inbox. What attracted me was an email informing a photo competition, LOMBA FOTO KOTAKU, held by Warta Kota. After I read I found out that my pictures met the qualification to compete in the event. I promptly sent one picture to the committee by e-mail since it was three days before the closing was due.
Several days after my sending my picture I got a call from the committee telling that my picture with other 99 pictures would be displayed in a “Pameran Foto” (read: photograph exhibit) in Margo City Depok. I couldn’t believe it; my picture was in best 100 of 1042 pictures received by the committee, and would be seen by a lot of people in the mall. The committee also invited me to the exhibit and Photograph workshop they were going to hold on 13 December 2008. My God! It was probably nothing for others, but for me it was a miracle. I was so excited that I told about the news to my colleagues and family. My wife even told the news to her colleagues in her office too.
On the D-day of the exhibit and work shop I arrived there late because I had to work in the office in the morning. Firstly, I walked around in the Photo exhibit and try to find out about people’s reaction to my picture. Well, most people seeing my picture always took a close look at it to make sure that it was real, and they didn’t want to miss the details of it. Almost all of them were amazed at it. Do you think it is another exaggeration? Probably! Probably not!
Ok! Now I went to the work shop. It was close to an end actually, but the committee allowed me to join the workshop. And…it was the time for the committee to announce the winners of the competition. There would be five winners. I was sure that my picture was unique but I don’t know anything about photography. My picture might be photographically poor. In that case, I wouldn’t be too unhappy if I didn’t win. I had been in the best 100. It was possibly the best that I could expect.
The host started to announce the winners. He started with the fifth winner. A name and his picture were announced as the fifth winner. Actually I was rather disappointed because the fifth place could have been my best chance. I couldn’t have hoped better. But who knows probably the fourth winner was mine. Now I tried to focus on the host, in case my name and my picture’s title were mentioned. Well, it wasn’t my name. It’s ok. It’s not the end of the world. I had proved that my picture was among other 99 pictures as best 100 and I could share my picture with other people. That had been more that I expected. I didn’t hope any more. The first, second, and third place were unlikely mine. And I began to relax. No burden, expectation, nothing.
But…something bothered my ears when the host said that the second winner’s picture’s title was in English. I have seen all the displayed pictures. And there were only two pictures entitled in English, mine and the other one. And then, he mentioned the title which was…my picture’s and followed by…my name. Gods, I got the second winner. I didn’t believe it. I was full of happiness and excitement but I didn’t show people. I keep the feelings with myself. I was too excited that I didn’t pay attention to who won third and first. Man! Finally I became a winner, a winner by accident. But I feel like I have won the entire world!
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