Visits

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Set a Spell

For the second time in recent trips to JCO, I have looked up from my book to find a child sitting across from me. Not the same child. Two different children, both boys of perhaps 7 or 8 years, smiling.

"Hello," I said to tonight's boy.

"Halo," he answers.

"How are you?"

Nothing.

"Apa kabar?"

Nothing.

"Siapa namamu?"

He shakes his head. Big smile.

"Halo," he says.

"Namamu 'Halo?'"

Shakes his head. Big smile.

"Usia berapa?"

Shakes his head. I tap a cigarette from my pack, light the cigarette.

"Mau rokok, nggak?"

That brings a giggle; another, more adamant shake of the head.

"Aww, coba saja."

"Nggak!" he says, throwing his arms in the air, as if I have frustated him.

And then he jumps up, waves, and trots back inside to find his parents - and probably tell them about the strange bule who's trying to give him a cigarette.

But hey, ain't nobody aksed him to set with me in da furst place😜

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