Cloudy Skies
Newcomer
- Jan 19, 2021
- 25
December 24th
Ten days after the inauguration of the first People's Consultative Assembly
-
"I'm not listening."
"Yes you are, Sayang. I can see you getting annoyed. That means you can still hear me!"
Sri turned to her husband with a small sigh and an even smaller smile, taking off her glasses as she approached him. They shared a kiss, for just a moment, before she tapped his cheek and closed her eyes, thumbing the golden chain hanging down from his collar and over the second button of his beskap.
"I'm not a politician, Tony... I'm looking into a job in the US. Now is not the time, and even if it is the time to start something, the legislature has already been filled. Even regionally-"
"Only for the Reformasi, my Sayang. You could create something new! You have a mind for this, you know how to handle money better than any of those idiots in Jakarta. With Russia and Europe and all of that... crap, you could really do some good for the country! You have a gift! By September you could have something special, and a chance at change..."
Sri paused, pursing her lips and taking Tony's hand. She led him out of the mosque before he had even been able to pray. He was too busy talking her up for whatever this was, just as he had been since the legislative results came in. Markably more left-leaning than either of them had thought, though whether that was from military intervention and bought votes... it didn't matter. These parties were old, and at the same time very new. More and more merged and dissolved every day, it felt like, and turning on a television was hearing the fifteenth recap of the Reformasi in any given day.
"You need to stop talking about this, Tony. I appreciate... your words... but I can't go through with what you're suggesting! I'm an economist, what am I supposed to push for when they ask for medical advice?"
"You know Sedyaningsih, don't you? She'd be a wonderful friend to have..."
Tony laughed and pulled away, turning his back before Sri could slap his chest too hard. They were stood in the street now, arguing about nothing and everything all at once.
"Enough, enough, Sayang! I yield! I'm just suggesting to you reform. Real, actual reform! You know that 'Struggle' crap is just more of the same, led by the family of the old guy! By Muharram you could have something real... I know you could! You told me..."
Sri turned red. "I told you that in confidence, just before bed! It was silly. Even if I wanted to..."
Tony smiled at her, then, and she huffed in realization of defeat.
Ten days after the inauguration of the first People's Consultative Assembly
-
"I'm not listening."
"Yes you are, Sayang. I can see you getting annoyed. That means you can still hear me!"
Sri turned to her husband with a small sigh and an even smaller smile, taking off her glasses as she approached him. They shared a kiss, for just a moment, before she tapped his cheek and closed her eyes, thumbing the golden chain hanging down from his collar and over the second button of his beskap.
"I'm not a politician, Tony... I'm looking into a job in the US. Now is not the time, and even if it is the time to start something, the legislature has already been filled. Even regionally-"
"Only for the Reformasi, my Sayang. You could create something new! You have a mind for this, you know how to handle money better than any of those idiots in Jakarta. With Russia and Europe and all of that... crap, you could really do some good for the country! You have a gift! By September you could have something special, and a chance at change..."
Sri paused, pursing her lips and taking Tony's hand. She led him out of the mosque before he had even been able to pray. He was too busy talking her up for whatever this was, just as he had been since the legislative results came in. Markably more left-leaning than either of them had thought, though whether that was from military intervention and bought votes... it didn't matter. These parties were old, and at the same time very new. More and more merged and dissolved every day, it felt like, and turning on a television was hearing the fifteenth recap of the Reformasi in any given day.
"You need to stop talking about this, Tony. I appreciate... your words... but I can't go through with what you're suggesting! I'm an economist, what am I supposed to push for when they ask for medical advice?"
"You know Sedyaningsih, don't you? She'd be a wonderful friend to have..."
Tony laughed and pulled away, turning his back before Sri could slap his chest too hard. They were stood in the street now, arguing about nothing and everything all at once.
"Enough, enough, Sayang! I yield! I'm just suggesting to you reform. Real, actual reform! You know that 'Struggle' crap is just more of the same, led by the family of the old guy! By Muharram you could have something real... I know you could! You told me..."
Sri turned red. "I told you that in confidence, just before bed! It was silly. Even if I wanted to..."
Tony smiled at her, then, and she huffed in realization of defeat.
