Harmony of ubud .3.

Relaxing beside of  Rijasa Swimming pool.

Harmony of Ubud . 3


He likes to eat betel-nut more than cigarettes. His lips look red because of the betel - nut. " How about the beautiful dream and the reality dream?" asks a youth wearing sarong. " That time was war time. When the night time was very quiet here. You were not born then. "..." One of my friends was chased by the enemy troops. He ran into the jungle. Because frightened, he ran to a person's house. He went inside and fell down unconscious !" .."In his unconciousness he dreamed beautifully, of being i heaven with all the angels. " ..." When concious he was more astonished. A beautiful girl was smiling at him. That girl was the one who saved him and looked after him. "


" A couple of years after independence Day, I saw my friend with the beautiful woman and two children. Actually thay had married, " says Wayan. " Where they now ? " asks Pan Dabreg........" Oh, he become General in Jakarta. Comes back home when Galungan Day, " explains Wayan. " You know Wayan , " says Pan Dabreg to his friend Wayan. " In the world there are many wars and hunger. in Lebanon, Afganistan, Iraq and Iran. " Wayan is quiet. The other listeners are silent waiting for his words to continue.


" People now more superior than before!" Pan Dabreg stops a moment to swallow his spit, then continues. " If big war happens the world will be detroyed!" ..." Right, replies Wayan. " Before, wars only used kris, sward or guns. Now they use bombs!" ..." Yes , yesterday, I looked at television, " adds someone who was in the warung yesterday. " What did your see?" asks a youth wearing sarong. " France exploded nuclear bombs in the Pacific. The smoke rolled up like mushroom, tall in the sky !".." Wah, the world situation is dangerous!" Sighs Wayan. "No - one will be safe."


" Therefore , everybody who is still young must marry quickly!" Pan Dabreg retorts. He points to the listeners one by one, including the girl who works in the warung. That girl is timid. " lho ? we are not old enough to be married! The government advise us to join Family Planning. If marry at young age, that means disagree with Family Planning. " says the youth wearing jeans, his hair wavy. In his hand he holds a packet of legong dance tickets. " ah , come on. As long as you don't make a child first, doestn't matter ! " answers Pan Dabreg. "Don't you be outsrtipped by nuclear war. When you still make love, even if there are one thousand nuclear explosions, you will not be hurt!"


" Suddenly dead!" Wayan replies. All of them burst out laughing. " The dead are nice dead! Die when you make love !" Pan Dabreg doesn't want to lose. Again the people in the warung laugh loudly Some people passing stop momentarily. " That is good idea!" The youth wearing jeans opens his mouth again. " Beginning tomorrow, we are married, O.K ?" He points to the girl in warung . That girl roars with laughter. " if we marry, " says the youth again. "We celebrate here, in the corner of Ubud. We close the coner for one week!" All eyes look at the girl.Feeling the people looking at her, the girl stops laughing. She hides her face under the table.


" and then, where will the traffic pass,?" flashes a person. " We'll make new bridge on top of it" says the youth, his finger pointing up. " Stiff.....eh shit ! Your fantasy too far-out !" says the youth with sarong. " First, sell ten thousand of your Legong dance tickets! After, you can marry this girl!" snaps the other . " How can i sell ten thousand Legong dance tickets to the tourist every day ? Even if five tickets sold that is lucky for me !" the youth wearing jeans answers. " Right, right, " says Pan Dabreg, " now everybody sells Legong dance tickets. Not like before. Many tourist and few sellers. "


" How about you, Wayan, I mean with your paintings ? " asks Pan Dabreg. The people become quiet . Talking about the economic situation makes them wrinkle their foreheads. " the person like me depends on the art shops. If the art shops and galleries don't want to buy them, i will be hungry!" " Aren't your paintings good ? You have high technique. Even more, you are famous . Why don't you open your own gallery?" asks Pan Dabreg. " I don't have capital, also i don't speak english! Surely i will lose in competition with them ! Even more, the tourist believe the taxi drivers more than the artist!" Wayan starts to be sad about himselft.


" Have you had bad experience ?" asks the youth with sarong. " Often. In front of my eyes, my paintings have been sold twenty time more than my price. The art shop owner doest not give me money. He said that is my fate ! The buyer didn't know that the artist was in front of him. " " That is business!" says Pan Dabreg . " You can put your paintings in my son's shop monkey Forest Street ! The price up to you. He doesn't make any profit from it. He will be happy to help you. He knows the sadness of artist because he is an artist. "


" Thank you for that, " says Wayan....." And think many artist the same fate. They sell their paintings cheaply to the gallery. Gallery or art shop will sell it for an expensive price. Better to make artist's co-operative. Sell their own art to the buyer!" Pan dabreg becomes enthusiastic. " Ya, i will try that. In my village there are a lot of artist, If more than twenty artist are in one group, we will make co-operative organisation !" Wayan agrees with Pan Dabreg's idea. His eyes glitter, full of hope. Soon after, the conversation finishes. They leave the warung . Some Legong dance ticket sellers start to do business in the streets. They offer ticket to passing tourists. That night, while Pan Dabreg sleeps, he talks again: " Nuclear, nuclear! Co-operative, co-operative ! Legong dance ! Legong dance ! Hey Wayan, don't sell your painting cheaply!" His wife perplexed.