Attending Friend's Wedding
A few months back, I was invited to one of my friend’s weddings. I was really excited to go because, not only was he one of my closest friends from college, but the wedding was also in Bandung. For me, it was the perfect chance to relive some of my college memories. On top of that, my college friends and I were planning a staycation at a villa in Lembang, so I had pretty high expectations for the whole trip.
A few months back, I was invited to one of my friend’s weddings. I was really excited to go because, not only was he one of my closest friends from college, but the wedding was also in Bandung. For me, it was the perfect chance to relive some of my college memories. On top of that, my college friends and I were planning a staycation at a villa in Lembang, so I had a pretty high expectations for the whole trip.
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So, my plan was pretty solid. I booked a trip to Bandung that departs at 10 AM. The journey takes around 3 hours, so I’ll arrive by 1 PM in Dipatiukur. After that, I can grab a motorbike ride to the venue, which should take about 15 minutes. That way, I’ll get to the wedding venue well before 2 PM. The weddings will be started at 5.30 PM, everyone claps, yada yada yada, and then I’ll have one of the best moments in Bandung. I’m so excited!
On D-Day, everything went perfectly and smoothly, just as planned. I woke up at 9 AM, took a shower, and got ready. By 9:30 AM, I was done with my preparations and immediately headed to the travel office. In 15 minutes, I arrived there. The bus left right on schedule at 10 AM, and I settled into my seat, feeling relaxed. I turned on my favorite podcast to keep me company during the trip. Everything was going great—until I got a WhatsApp message from my friend.
“Yub, I heard that there are Persib’s Celebration Convoi today. Good luck :)”
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My supposed-to-be perfect day began to unravel. I was worried I wouldn’t arrive on time, or worse– at all. My worries started to become reality as the as the traffic got worse. The bus began moving slower and slower, until at some point, it couldn’t move at all. My mood completely collapsed when my bus driver announced that the Pasteur Toll Gate was closed due to the celebrations, so everyone would be dropped at the Pasir Koja Toll Gate–15 kilometers away from the wedding venue. Anjirlah, mana laper lagi.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse—it was only the beginning. Booking a Grab to the wedding venue felt harder than solving the toughest math olympiad problem. Drivers kept canceling, and I couldn’t get a ride for a long 30 minutes. When I finally did, the motorbike was so far away that I had to wait another 30 minutes just for pickup. And the worst thing is that, the estimated time to finally reach the wedding was 3 hours. Three miserable hours.
I looked around my surroundings. The streets were packed with honking cars, motorbikes, and a sea of people. The blaring horns, pounding drums, and roaring chants merged into a deafening noise. To my right, a group of junkies were flailing wildly on top of a pickup truck. The air was thick with exhaust fumes and the stench of sweat, while the heat from the idling engines only made everything more unbearable.
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As the journey went on, suddenly a 10-year-old kid poked my arm, trying to put a blue mark on my triceps. As I dodged his hand, he giggled and then ran away, blending with a group of other children then chanting Persib’s song. My Grab driver just laughed. “Ignore it sir. He was trying to invite you to the fun. It’s been a while since us celebrates victory like this”.
I started to realize that he and I, along with everyone else, were in the same situation. We were seeing the same sights, hearing the same sounds, and feeling the same heat. But somehow, we were different. While I was grumbling in the top of motorbike, they were singing in the top of pickup. While I wanted to rush time, they were savoring the moment. While I was grumpy and miserable, they were full of joy and excitement. If I get to choose, I would rather be in their situation. Thanks for the ‘fun’ invitation, kiddo.
I looked around my surroundings, again. Suddenly, the streets somehow looks majestic, painted in shades of blue with waving flags and glowing flares. The honking cars, pounding drums and screaming chants somehow transformed into a beat of celebrations. To my left, a lot street-vendors fulfilled with joy because their selling were in demand. The smell and heat no longer bear me down, as now my spirit blend with the euphoria of the moments.
Unintentionally, my mouth chanting by itself. “persib maung bandung, persib mang bandung, persib maung bandung, ooo oooo”.
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I think that’s all, bye!
p.s. Happy New Year (?)
