Memoir

Not a Piece of Paper

It was March 17, 2012 when all is in their high spirit preparing for our NSTP Graduation Day. We conducted a graduation exercises and a party for those children who become our students for our NSTP-Tutoring, and as part of the Organization Committee. Cooking, cleaning and organizing programs are at our hands. So, sweat is an obvious evidence for our hard work. When the program started, that is the only time where we can sit and take a rest. Seeing our classmates and the children enjoying the party, the foods and dancing in to music is satisfying.

But someone caught my attention. He’s walking towards my direction with his “plastic” smile as I described it. I try to focus on different things like, looking on opposite direction, scrolling to my phone, combing my hair and all, but the next thing I knew he’s in front of me. I give him “What do you want?” look, for I got this feeling that this is one of his franks again. He pulled out something from the back pocket of his pants. A clean white paper folded in three diagonally.

“For you” he said

That moment the crowd change. In my ears I only hear loud beat. In my eyes I only see is him. Before anyone else does, even I’m still curious and a bit confuse, I take the paper. And with my feet’s own mind, it leads me to a place-private, quiet and away from my classmates’ eves dropping. Curiously, I open it and to my surprise, it is a letter.

Thoughts came out from my mind like: What is this for? Why giving me a letter in the first place? It’s my first time to receive a letter without any special occasion but, it simple message hits me. And it made me realize that this person is brave enough to say his goodbye, even the time of end is yet to come. And like his letter, I know, he’s for keeps.