the whole world is happy

Selamat malam dari Grant di Indonesia.

From no particular place or time, the joy of being
human, of being with other humans, of communicating returns! Yay!

I went to my fifth film of this holidays. Finally, though, I chose an Indonesian film.
The woman at the ticket window informed me thus. And I said, "It's okay, I speak
Indonesian." But my smile said, "No, you're right, I have no idea what I'm doing."
I grinned all the way to the door of the cinema where the two guys checking tickets
were smiling at my approach. Again it was queried whether I really meant to see this
film. With my eyes I said, "You're right, I've lost the plot, haven't I." With my words
I said, "I'm using it as a language exercise." They laughed and one of them took my
ticket at pinched me playfully on the leg.

I came out smiling too. Totally crap acting, ridiculous story, and didn't understand a
fair chunk of it because a lot of it was in slang, but I was feeling pretty good.

I went out and jumped in a taxi to go to the shiatsu massage place where they have
blind masseurs. (An old haunt.) The price had doubled. It was now Rp 30,000 ($4)
for an hour and a half. After the massage, I had a good chat with the blind masseur
and the sighted guy who runs the clinic. Then, after taking my leave, I headed out
to the road to  hail a taxi or jump in an angkot (public transport mini-van). When I
popped out from the arrow alleyway there was a group of guys sitting, talking and
laughing. One guy had his little trolley and burner set up on the side of the road and
the light above his cooking plate spilled over the happy mob. Instantly they were
talking and laughing with me or at me, I didn't really care, I was so relaxed. And I
joined straight into their conversation. "No, I'm not Michael Owen. Okay, yes, I am
Michael Owen. Can you tell me which angkot goes to Liverpool," (much laughter)
"Yeah, I'll have a drink," (a glass of hot, sweet tea is placed before me) "No, I haven't
eaten yet," (the guy immediately starts cooking up some roti bakar, "grilled bread",
also known in parts of Australia as "toast"). And we're

crapping on about this and that, and it's such a friendly mob you would've thought
they'd known me forever. And I could see that this was just a bunch of normal
blokes, hanging out on a Thursday night. And I was part of it. And I had no feeling
of enduring this; I greeted each new person who arrived on the scene with a smile
and perhaps a handshake. And I'm eating and drinking. And the cars and motorbikes
and angkots are passing. And I'm letting them because there's no hurry to go. Go
where, anyway? Eventually, (when I'd finished my roti bakar and tea) I stood up and
shook all their hands again, saying that I had to get to soccer training (more laughter)
Finally, a place where people appreciate my humour. And my smile spreads to the
people on the angkot. I help a woman on with her shopping. And the driver's happy
and another passenger smiles at me as we get off together. And, for a short time,
the whole world is happy.

Hope you're happy.