Short Story: A young man and two tellers

(The Jakarta Post, January 28, 2007)

By Ahmad Syam

All the customers standing in line for the bank teller shouted when a young man pushed in at the front of the queue.
He was wearing a blue shirt, black trousers, red tie and a black blazer and ignored others who had been patiently waiting in the long queue.
Both tellers, on the other hand, welcomed him and smiled at him sweetly. One must have said to him: "Good afternoon, Sir! What can I do for you?" He whispered something to her and she just kept nodding.
He put his bag on the counter in front of the teller.
In the meantime, a number of customers who had been standing in line for what seemed like hours got annoyed when the teller served him.
"Damn! He must be a rich man!"
"He can't do that, though!"
"I think he might be a bureaucrat!"
"Whoever he is, he must join the queue for bank service!"
"You're right! He shouldn't jump the queue!"
*****
It was 6.30 a.m. when I had left home. I had hoped I could avoid a long queue if I arrived early. Besides, it took about an hour to get to the bank on Jl. Diponegoro, Salatiga.
However, many customers had had the same idea; that was why there was already a long queue by 7.45 a.m. outside the bank, which would be open at 8 am.
It was to be expected as this was the last day of business before a long break. Banks would be closed for a week due to the Lebaran holiday; hence, customers had to anticipate what they might need during that time.
As a result they waited patiently in line, even though it seemed to take hours. There was no other choice. Leaving the queue would only bring other problems.
My wife, for instance, would be waiting for me at home and she would ask many questions. "How much cash did you get, honey? Is it enough to cover our expenses during Lebaran and a week after?"
"We're also going to go to visit our parents, you have taken that into account, haven't you?"
Knowing that I had withdrawn money, my children, of course, would say, "I want a new shirt!" Then, my second child would say, "I need new shoes, Dad!"
All this came to mind as I stood a long way back in the queue. Basically, if all customers had followed the bank's advice they would not have needed to be stuck in a long queue every year as Lebaran approached.
The bank had advised customers to get an automatic teller machine (ATM) card. They had even offered them one. With such a card customers could avoid queues.
Administration costs however, had alienated customers, especially those on a low salary. They seemed to prefer to stand in endless queues.
They didn't want to waste hard-earned money on bank charges.
*****
The tellers, both young women, were busy with the young man who seemed to be withdrawing a huge amount of money. One of them had to take boxes of money from other tellers. They both looked exhausted.
The appearance of the teller infuriated me. I felt tellers should not show any nervous tension when serving customers. They had been trained, as tellers, to perform their job in a cheerful manner, hadn't they?
Meanwhile, the young man stood at the counter. He sometimes looked impatient. He leaned over toward the window several times.
"Damn! A rich man with a bad temper! Look at him! Even though the tellers have given him top priority he is still displeased!"
"Probably, he is a rich man or a bureaucrat!"
"He has no sense of courtesy!"
"He's too rude!"
"He's putting both tellers under pressure, that is why they look awkward."
The customers stood in the long queue and didn't stop grumbling. Initially, they grumbled because the tellers had let the young man jump the queue.
However, they stopped blaming the tellers when they saw how the young man was harassing them.
I kept silent because this was the fasting month. At such time Muslims should not only fast but also avoid getting angry. I worried it could break my fast. To keep calm I told myself that this was to be expected in a big city.
Not only were the customers grumbling but they begun stamping their feet on the floor making strange noises. The young man ignored them.
Now, one of the tellers was filling the young gentleman's bag with money. The bag was getting fuller all the time.
The tellers had spent about 20 minutes serving the young man. I thought that was an appropriate time, considering he had withdrawn such a lot of money. Usually, each transaction only took five minutes if a customer made a small withdrawal. Most transactions only took five minutes.
After receiving his bag the young gentleman whispered something to the tellers, who just nodded.
Then the young man left hurriedly.
The bank returned to normal. The customers were cooling down.
However, when a customer stepped up to the counter both tellers began to shout, "Oh no, don't come here! That man just left a time bomb. Also, he robbed our bank!
Salatiga, December 2005
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2007/01/28/young-man-and-two-tellers.html

Article: Independence Day commemoration: Fun and games for all in Canberra

Although some fall over in the sack race in their attempt to be first to cross the finish line, 

the participants keep smiling. (JP/Ahmad Syam)

________________________________________
The Jakarta Post, August 12,2007
Ahmad Syam, Contributor, Canberra

The Willows Oval at Australian National University (ANU) is still quiet at 9:30 a.m. Only a few people have shown up, although the event should start at 9 a.m., according to the timetable. 

It is a lovely sunny morning. The sky is clear and blue. The green of the Willows Oval's grass is quite brilliant in the sunlight. However, the weather is very cold. The temperature is only five degrees Celsius. According to the TV weather forecast, on Sunday, July 29, the temperature was to be from minus one to 12 degrees Celsius. Today will be mostly sunny.

One by one, the Indonesian community in Canberra, children and their parents, dressed in warm jackets and jumpers, have been gathering at the Willows Oval to play Aussie rules football. They have come, not just for the games, but to commemorate an historic Indonesian day even though they have to fight against a freezing morning and wake up earlier than usual for a Sunday. They are paying tribute to Indonesia's 62nd anniversary of independence.

The games committee has set up the event well. A group from the Indonesian Embassy is preparing a barbecue party while a committee drawn from the students arranges the fun games. Nine children stand facing kerupuk (fish crackers) at 10 a.m. They will take part in the race to eat the kerupuk on a string -- in Australia this game is known as eating apples on a string. Two sessions have been arranged for children according to their age.

After about two-and-a-half hours all the games for children are finished. The winners of each heat for kerupuk-eating, the egg-and-spoon race, the sack race and the tug-of-war have emerged. The spectators, about 60 adults and children, shout "hip-hip hooray" for the participants, especially the winners.

Before holding the adult games, everyone breaks for lunch at 1 p.m. The smell of beef barbecue and other foods such as fried chicken and pumpkin cake for desert seduce all present. Also, there is Betawi asinan (salad to Indonesia taste from the Betawi in Jakarta). The asinan is very special for the Indonesian community in Canberra as people will not find it at any supermarket: They have to wait for a special occasion or party like today's.

The participants of the games, and also the spectators, have been working up an appetite and thirst. Meanwhile, it's warming up. The temperature is now about 12 degrees Celsius. Everyone enjoys the food and fine weather. The embassy staff have forgotten their routine activities in the office and the students have abandoned their assignments for a moment. They immerse themselves as one in the atmosphere, having great fun in the party.

Every year, the Indonesian Students Association of Australia (PPIA) collaborates with the Indonesian Embassy to organize events to commemorate Independence Day. Besides fun games, the committee also holds sporting events such as badminton, tennis, indoor soccer, volley ball and table-tennis. Like last year, some events have been held several weeks beforehand. 

Sporting and fun games are held on the weekend as most of the committee and the participants are students.

After the barbecue, the adult games begin. The games are the same as those for the children. Postgraduate and undergraduate students participate as one: There is no gap between PhD students or undergraduates. They are also from different universities -- ANU and the University of Canberra.

In the kerupuk-eating contest, all participants compete very seriously. The delicacy on offer is Palembang kerupuk, as can be found at Asian stores. In the sack race, another example of a keenly fought competition, the participants fall down all over the place as they attempt to run. Although everyone wants to win, the most important thing is that they have participated in the Independence Day party.

By 3 p.m. it's all over. Everyone shakes hands and expresses their appreciation to the organizing committees.

The games have been a source of joy for everyone. Most important of all, the games have revived everyone's sense of nationalism and brought them all together. (The Jakarta Post, August 12, 2007)

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