Recover Soon, My Dear! Let Them Go Peacefully! (1)

It was early in the morning on October 26, 2011. A day that I will never forget during my lifetime. I was in a queue of Garuda Indonesia Airlines in Jakarta International Airport. I had already had my ticket at 11.20 that day, but something drove me to the airport very early in the morning to try to get earlier flight before 11.20. I did not know why I did really want to change it for earlier flight.

Drop of water in a window. One day in my office . . . .

As usual, it was always full flights from Jakarta to Yogyakarta. I did not force anybody else or airlines officers for my own purposes because I understood that each person in a queue had their own important considerations to get earlier flight. My father was hospitalized night before, so I did not want to disturb anybody else considerations by pushing them to give me the opportunity to get earlier flights "only" because of that reason.

It was 09.00 in the morning (I was there from 05.00) when finally the officer told me, "I am so sorry, Doctor, today it is really full booked. Even all business classes. The earliest flight for you is 11.20 as you have in your ticket." I told him, no problemo. I just wanted to see my father earlier if possible. That is how I finally walked into the lounge . . . when suddenly my brother called me and cried, "Sis, he is gone already.Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rojiun." I was so weak and got back to the airline counter to tell them my situation. "Oh Doctor, you should have told us earlier. Now it is totally impossible for you to get earlier flight," he said. I told him I did not want to push them only because my father was sick.

But my father just went away and it was too late for me. I was crying silently in the lounge. I did not remember anymore in detail what I did and what communication I did at that time . . . . What I remember was that I just kept praying for my father. What I remember was a day before I told him I had to go to Jakarta and told him about the story of delicious lapis legit from Bali which I served him. What I remember was indeed all good things with him and my late Mom. It was like two days to wait for my flight in two hours (To be continued).