Jakarta

I find myself stranded in the middle of a tropical rain in South Jakarta, Indonesia. Thank God I was smart enough to bring my rain boots and my rucksack is waterproof. I got lost in the middle of all the traffic and smoke. Plus, all the hagglers were hanging unto me like tan geikos on a cool wall. I hated that part. The rain was heaven sent to send me off to shelter. But I have no idea where I ran off to, I just needed to get away. 

I tried to read the signs but Bahasa is only slightly similar to Ilongo and English.

To top it off the sun was going down fast.

I cursed at myself for being so reckless and wind driven in this entire trip as my boots splashed in another hole from the broken roads. Strong is what you have to be when there is no other choice to be. I can feel my heart caste in bitterness like kopi luwak. But as the rain covers me from top to bottom, I find myself laughing.

I wasn't surviving well anymore in the comforts of my home in Venice so I asked for this. I asked for an escape from my daily routine because it consisted of constant draining thoughts of you which I couldn't handle anymore. So I asked for this, a true test of my means to survive on my own. 

I smell the familiar scent that use to be my means of surviving and behind me stood a man lighting his cigarette. Why did I have to give up smoking at a country that allows smoking in doors like it's part of what makes their entries authentic.

He offers me a cigarette.  I shake my head "no" and uttered "Tidak, treemakasih." 

He points at the sky and says, "Langit harus menangis."

and I reply, "Sometimes we need it to."

I kept on walking. Forget the rain. Forget the hagglers. Forget the smoke. Forget you.

I have always been good on my own. It would've been nice if it was us on our own.

Let the heavens cry, I need it to.