THE DAY

Someone said that somehow every month we have our day of the month, whether it is true or not but in fact today it happened to me.

Starting with the lunch that wasn't a nice place choosen by Ratana, the food was great, it was because we were hungry or may be it was a great food, I got no idea. Phnom Penh was cloudy and had little rain during the day. We kept teasing Ratana by being bitchy about the place. A group lunch with Kwong, Sothea, Lina, Veasna, Ratana and the love birds of course, Sophie and Makara. Ordered the drink then it started with most of the food that we ordered were not available most of it. What a restaurant. I ordered my favorite fresh Guava juice but the color and the taste was so weird.

"They blend the skin as well, I guess," Kwong said.I could only giving a long sigh. As Lina's Guava juice coming, had the color even more terrible, brown, a dark brown.

"This is one is 18 years old Guava juice, " as Kwong pointed to my Guava, "and that one is 45 years old Guava juice, " he pointed to Lina's Guava juice. We all laughed. The good thing of being Kwong's in the group is that he always manages to bring laugh and jokes that we all love, not mentioning the experience he has in his life as he is one of the oldest.

Lunch finished and everyone headed to Fresco Café. One of my favorite place in Phnom Penh for having coffee during after lunch until around five to six pm. I usually go there on weekend for coffee, reading and writing some of my thoughts. Some of us had coffee and some of us had fresh juices plus the cakes. I was sitting at very behind and exactly under the air-cond, what I meant by under the air-cond was really under the air-cond so we did not feel the air cond at all but somehow I was so happy because I could get a good look to someone that I like in Fresco!.

The day of my month started from Fresco. The particular someone that I like giving me a smile and I was so happy.

From Fresco we went to Makara's soon-to-be Fresh Juices Café that she planned to open since two months ago, I guess but up till now due to some reasons she could not open on time. We discussed about this and that. I was happy giving her some thoughts, I was willing to help her as my background was in food business for nine years.We spent around a half hour there.

Then from Fresco Kwong dropped me at the Embassy. Yes, it was my schedule of practicing a Javanese dancing. As I ever told that I used to practice Javanese dancing back then when I was in Elementary School, it's been ages and now I am willing to do it again. This "Bambangan Cakil" dance really killed my bones. I am old and somehow never did the sport so when the dance practice started I got to learn and familiar myself with all the codes and moved. It was two hours time that I felt like twelve hours. Call me exaggerated but that exactly what I felt. I was happy though.

Finished the practice, I went back. Arrived at the Residence and my boss was having meeting with all his staff. I was taking a rest at my cold, cozy and comfortable room while texting to Kwong and Sothea about the program for tonight.

We met at Belami. A boutique owned by Sothea, Lina and their three partners.As usual we don't know where to go for dinner but then all of us finally agreed to go to Setsara, a Khmer Thai Restaurant and this time Kwong choose the menu as we all give him our own favorite food. Finished dinner all went home, Kwong dropped me at the Residence as he promissed to pick me up again at 11 pm to have a drink then do our ritual Saturday evening, visiting Heart of Darkness.

While waiting Kwong to pick me up, I was at the kitchen talking with the Butler and the Chéf. We discussed about one of the Indonesian mini series that playing at Indosiar that somehow I know that story was a plagiarsm from Korean drama series Stairway to Heaven. Then I brought my dvd player to the kitchen and played the Stairway to Heaven for them. They were so surprised. Another creative idea from the producers, I guess. Should I be ashamed or not, I am speechless already.

Ten thirty the meeting finished, my boss went to the kitchen to inform and I helped the Butler cleaned up the room. Then around 11 pm Kwong sent me text telling me that he was in front of the residence already. I went out and we went to have a drink at the Blue Chilly. A pub that somehow was not that famous but we loved to go there sometimes.

At Blue Chilly we sat ordered our drink and started to chat until someone who sat beside me was asking where I was from. I said I came from Indonesia. He was a little bit drunk somehow then he pointed to me, to himself and to a friend of him who sat beside him while saying, "Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines."

Then his friend was talking to me with a surprise tone in his voice. "You come from Indonesia ? Somehow I know because we met before and your face is so familiar but I did not dare to ask you." Eh .. I never know that I am that famous in Cambodia ha ha ha.

We started to chat about the life in Cambodia, all those classical mambo jumbo things. Looking at my watch it passed midnight already and I said good bye politely and asked Kwong to go to our next destination. Heart of Darkness.

Arriving at Heart of Darkness around 12.30 am, when I went inside I felt something different which I could not describe, I felt that I knew everyone there though of course not everyone there I knew.

First I met with Sok Ly, said hi as usual, he was telling me that he would have a workshop at Bogor on ten of July for two weeks and then I met Dara Chan, the owner of Salt Lounge, then after that Din came to say hi. I was greeted by Bora when sipping a bottle of Smirnoff Iced with Kwong near the bar. Knowing there are two empty chairs at the bar we both went to sit there. After that Dent came, then Kosal and Long.

I said to Kwong why tonight like everyone that I know was here. Then Kwong said to me, "May be it is your day of the month." I was stunned with what he said because I've never heard about it and come to think of it somehow it's true.I felt happy.

Getting sleepy and bored at the bar then we went to our regular place near the dance floor. Then started to get the feeling again, Igor was there at the dance floor dancing with David and not long time I was so surprise seeing Thy at the dance floor and dancing with David and Igor. Thy is always my favorite friend and I got this uneasy feeling.

I got the heart beat when saw Thy at the dance floor but then I felt a knife goes deep and deep into my heart seeing Thy dancing with David and Igor. I managed to be there for another fifteen minutes before went home.

Now I am in my room typing all this nonsense story. Somehow I need to release what is burdening my mind.

So, anyone if you ever feel what I feel now, I tell you something, treasure that in your mind. It's true that we do have our day of the month but may be I haven't noticed until I experienced that by myself. Thanks to Kwong to tell me that. May be it's nothing for him but I am willing to search and feel again my day of the month in the following months.

Now I can sleep with a smile in my face, like the sweet smile given by the particular person that I like in Fresco.

Good night, everyone.