Bald-headed
Ch. 10

He stared for a moment, wondering if Sugi believed him. Then he nodded and the two started walking again. A moment later Sugi said, "I didn't make this easy for you, did I?"

Birundasih smiled a little. "It's okay. I really can't blame you."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't. There is no reason to regret. I should have apologized. Maybe I should have written."

He shook his head. "To be honest, I'm still glad you came. Apart from everything. It's good to see you again."

"Thank you, Sugi."

"Do you think it's possible to start over?" Birundasih looked at him curiously.

"You're the best friend I've ever had, Birundasih. I still want to be friends, even if you're engaged, and even if it's only for a few days. What if we knew each other? Any more?"

Birundasih thought for a moment, thought about staying or leaving, and decided, since Sugi had found out about his engagement, it might be fine. Or at least not wrong. He smiled a little and nodded.

"I like that."

"good. How about dinner? I know a place that serves the best crabs in town."

"That sounds good. Where's where?"

"My house. I've been setting traps all week, and I saw some good ones get caught a few days ago. Do you mind?"

"No, that sounds good."

He smiled and pointed to his shoulder with his thumb. "good. They're at the pier. I'm just a few minutes."

Birundasih watched her walk away and realized the tension she felt when telling her about her engagement began to fade. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his hair and let a gentle breeze fan his cheeks.

He took a deep breath and held it for a moment, feeling the muscles on his shoulder getting more relaxed as he exhaled. Finally, opening his eyes, he stared at the beauty surrounding him.

He had always loved nights like these, nights where the faint scent of the rainy season foliage rode on the gentle south breeze. He loved the trees and the sound they made. Listening to them helps them relax. After a while, he turned towards Sugi and looked at him almost like a stranger.

God, he looks good. Even after so long. He watched her as he grabbed the rope hanging in the water. He started to pull her, and although the sky was getting darker, he saw the muscles in his arms flex as he lifted the cage from the water.

He let it hang over the river for a moment and shook it, letting most of the water out. After setting a trap on the dock, he opened it and started removing the crabs one by one, putting them in a bucket.

Birundasih then began walking towards him, listening to the chirping of crickets, and remembering lessons from childhood. He counted the number of tweets in one minute and added twenty-nine. Seventy-two degrees, he thought while smiling to himself. He didn't know if it was accurate, but it felt right.

As he walked, he looked around and realized that he had forgotten how fresh and beautiful everything looked here. From over his shoulder, he saw the house in the distance.

He left some lights on, and it seemed like it was the only house around him. At least the only one with electricity. Out here, in a corner of the city, nothing is certain. Thousands of homes may still lack the luxury of indoor lighting.

Birundasih walked to the wooden dock chair facing the lake and touched it, wiping the back of the chair. He could imagine Sugi sitting there, fishing, thinking, reading.

The chair was old and the weather was bad, the feeling was rough. He wondered how much time he spent here alone, and he wondered about his thoughts at such times.

"That's my father's chair" he said, without looking up, and Birundasih nodded.

He saw bats in the sky, and frogs joined the crickets in their nightly harmony. He walked to the other side of the dock, his hands touching the wooden blocks that stuck firmly.

The compulsion had driven him here, and for the first time in three weeks the feeling was gone. She somehow needs Sugi to know about her engagement, to understand, to accept it.

He was convinced of that now and while thinking about Sugi, he was reminded of something they had shared since their holiday season together.

With his head bowed, he paced back and forth slowly, looking for her until he found her.

Sugi loves Birundasih, in a picture frame of the heart. Carved on the dock a few days before he left.

The gentle breeze broke the silence and made him cold, making him cross his arms. He stood there, alternately looking down at the carving and then towards the lake, until he heard the man reach his side. He could feel her closeness, her warmth, as she spoke.

"Here is very peaceful" said Birundasih, his voice like a dream.

"I knew. I often come here now just to be close to the water. It makes me feel comfortable."

"I would do it too, if I were you."

"Come, come. The mosquitoes are getting more violent, and I'm starving."

The sky had turned black, and Sugi started heading home, Birundasih right beside him. In silence, his mind wandered, and he felt a little dizzy as he walked along the path. He wondered what he thought of his existence here and was unsure if he knew himself.

When they reached home a few minutes later, Cemong greeted them by rubbing his hairy body in the wrong place, Sugi's wet feet. Sugi told her to leave, and she left with wet fur on the abdomen.

Sugi pointed to his car. "Did you leave something there that you need to get out?"

"No, I've taken what I needed from there before."

"Pretty good" said Sugi when he got to the back porch and started climbing the stairs.

He placed the bucket near the door, then led the way in, heading to the kitchen. Right on the right, big and smelling of new wood. The lamps were made of oak, so were the floors, and the windows were large, facing east, letting the morning sunlight in. It was a tasteful restoration, not an exaggeration as is common when homes like this are rebuilt.

"Do you mind if I look around?"

"No, please. I shopped before, and I still have to keep the groceries."

Their eyes met for a moment, and Birundasih knew as she turned around Sugi kept an eye on her as he left the room. Inside he felt that little twitch again.