During Bemo's Journeys.

Just wanna share what I saw during my journeys around Surabaya by bemo. No specific date can be told, but I remember each happening.

Story 1.

That bemo V, unlike the other ones, was clean, cozy and smooth. It was new obviously. There were only 2 passengers and 1 kernet on the vehicle, when it moved to the left of the road, allowing the kernet to advertise the empty seats to the passengers-to-be. An old woman with kebaya was waving her arm and quickly ran towards it. She had a big fish-smelly basket on her head and was sweating hard when she got into the side door of the bemo. As soon as she put her basket on the floor of the public transportation, the driver shooed her with harsh words, telling her that a good bemo shouldn't have a smelly nasty passenger like her.

She took her basket back to her head slowly. I saw the hurt feeling in her eyes and got hurt as well. Almost had a single tear for her, but...

Dictionary:

• Bemo = a public transportation in Indonesia; minibus-like.
• Kernet = a person who accompanies the bemo driver to advertise it (by yelling and shouting) and to whom we pay the fare.
• Kebaya = traditional Javanese clothing for women.

Story 2.

On bemo, I normally turn my handphone off. Pickpockets are familiarly found in such place so I always try to be cautious.

This girl was taking the bemo I was on, and having a seat right in front of me. To avoid sleepiness which can cause me lacking my awareness, I usually observe my fellow passengers on bemo. But I don't think I needed to have a second look to this girl to suspect that she was an ayam. She wore a tight t-shirt and blue jeans (which are normal to wear by Surabayan girls), but something in her aura made people easily think that she was "different". She sat like she was on a comfy couch, taking a wide angle for herself and played with her cell. Her eyebrows are cleanly shaved (or waxed, whatever). In replacement there are very curved fake brown eyebrows, painted by a make up pencil. I didn't comment it aloud, of course, when I thought it was strange to apply it to her actually-sweet face. Until two "women" took a place beside her.

The women looked dirty, but they did act very feminine. My eyes would have been still on the handphone girl if I didn't hear one of them talking.. in a man's voice. They started to speak in a language I didn't understand. Gay's language. I remembered my gay cousin once told me about the specific language the gays created. And vaguely I caught them talking about the girl who sat beside them.

The handphone girl hopped out of the bemo in front of Mitra and left. One of the "women" commented harshly, "Huh.. Lonte!" My lips curved up to perform a vague smile in response of his comment, and got a glimpse of understanding of what he said in his language. He was very much disturbed when the girl, intentionally or not, touched her breasts on his back. The other "woman" suddenly felt the need to explain me, "Itu lonte, Mbak. Lonte murahan." ["That was a hooker, Miss. Cheap one."]. I saved my laugh and just smiled to them.

Dictionary:

• Ayam = chicken; in this case: hooker.
• Lonte = a very harsh expression to describe a hooker.

To be continued...