Different Context, Different Meaning

This morning, in the train, on my way to the office, I smell something fetid. Seriously, it smells like chicken's shits.

My nose began its investigation. There was an old woman sitting almost in front of me, and apparently the bad odor came from the sack she brought along. I am quiet sure it is a sack of compost.

Trying hard to resist myself, I took a little look at that old woman. Her left hand is bigger than the right. Look like she has a disease there, made the size is twice bigger than normal people should have.

But, what kind of human being I've become? At that moment, I didn't pity her, even a bit. Just because she brought that smell sack!

I am sure her left hand would bring a different meaning for me if we were involved in a different place, different time. May be I would ask kindly about her hand. May be.

This different-context-different-meaning thing reminds me of Batman's movie, The Dark Night. Joker just screwed my mind when he said "You complete me" to Batman.

Before watching Dark Night, "You complete me" was a romantic quotation for me. It was said by Jerry (played by Tom Cruise) to Dorothy in Jerry Maguire movie. Here is the complete quotation:

Jerry Maguire: "I love you. You ... you complete me. And I just ..."
Dorothy: "Shut up, just shut up. You had me at 'hello.'"

Then, Joker gave different meaning to that quotation. It's not about a woman completing a man's life anymore. It's a yin and yang version for someone chases a heroic character to make his villain side remains still. Batman has become a challenger to Joker's "why-so-serious" life.

Batman: "Then why do you want to kill me?"
The Joker: [laughs] "I don't want to kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, you ... you complete me."

That's what I am talking here. Different context will give different meaning. Even though they share the same quotation, Joker's meaning is completely different from Jerry's.

But, we just can escape ourselves from these contextual things.

By the way, I still have a curiosity about that Dark Night movie.What version would Joker tell Batman about how he got his scar?

Go the Reds!

This week, Liverpool FC got its two straight winning in English Premier League. And hopefully, the Reds' army will make the best winning account and bring the trophy to our beloved Anfield.

The winning impact against Sunderland and Middlesbrough may be not as big as if we defeat our biggest rivals. But, in the end, it's all about who has the biggest point.

So, go the Reds! Win all the games in the future. It's time to bring the trophy home. Keep the faith because You'll Never Walk Alone!.

"We are the real people's club." -Sammy Lee-

Jalan Embong Malang, Surabaya

Akhirnya saya pernah ke Surabaya juga. Terhitung tiga hari karena tugas kantor. Beginilah pola kegiatan saya di selama di sana: Hotel Ibis - mobil - SIBEC (ITC) - mobil - hotel. Dan itu berulang selama tiga hari.

Sehabis acara, saya pun meniatkan diri untuk berkeliling Surabaya, sekitar pukul 10 malam. "Ah, Surabaya kan terkenal dengan Jembatan Merah-nya." Begitu yang terpikir. Lalu saya pun bertanya pada office boy di Hotel Ibis.

"Mas, numpang tanya. Kalo mau ke Jembatan Merah, naek apa ya, Mas, enaknya?" Ketika itu saya bingung, hendak naik taksi atau becak dayung.
"Bu, Jembatan Merah ya adanya di seberang hotel ini, Bu. Ibu jalan kaki saja."

Hahahahaa ... Baiklah. Saya pun menunda kunjungan ke Jembatan Merah - yang sampai hari ketiga pun gagal saya realisasikan - dan memutuskan untuk berkeliling Surabaya dengan memakai taksi.

Saya tidak banyak berharap dengan tur malam hari itu. Bagaimana pun, saya tidak menemukan indikasi kehidupan 24 jam di Kota Pahlawan itu. Paling tidak, saya bisa melihat tugu ini, patung pahlawan itu, gedung ini, dll. Lumayanlah.

Yang paling berkesan adalah ketika saya melewati Jalan Embong Malang. Jalan itu seperti menjadi pemisah antara dua citra yang berbeda. Bayangkan saja, di sebelah sini berderet gedung-gedung tinggi, seperti hotel berbintang atau pusat perbelanjaan. Sementara di seberangnya, Anda akan melihat jejeran kios-kios berdinding kayu. Kebanyakan memasang plang usaha sederhana, tetapi sayangnya saya tidak bisa membaca plang-plang itu.

Kontradiktif, memang. Apakah ini adalah "Restorasi Meiji" versi Pemerintah Surabaya? Menerima perkembangan dunia modern - yang konsumeris itu - sekaligus tetap mempertahankan nilai-nilai lokal?

Atau, apakah ini adalah awal sebuah perubahan, bukan sebuah hasil restorasi? Saya tidak akan heran bila saya ke Surabaya lagi, saya tidak akan menemukan kios-kios itu. Gedung apa yang akan menggantikannya, ya?

Kita lihat saja bagaimana fighting spirit masyarakat Surabaya bila memang begitu perkembangannya.