Ode To Latitude
Stranger

The euphoria of victory and the return of the Indonesian team to the homeland has passed. The players involved were given two days off before returning to the routine.  Lintang did not visit her parents just a short conversation with her mother enough to convince them that she was fine.

Latitude sees the schedule written on his mobile calendar. Today he has made an appointment with one of the orthopedic doctors who also works at the national team. They agreed to meet later in the afternoon at the practice.

Lintang sat in his room, opened his laptop and checked the incoming email. He was quite confused to receive many job offers, advertisements, sponsorships, and endorsements. Lintang did some research on the internet, he didn't get the information he needed. The last way he contacted Bisma who had been involved in shampoo advertising projects and audition ads for his club.

“The number you are heading to is off or out of range, try a few more moments”

“The number your calling is not active or out of coverage area, please try again in the few minutes”

Latitude lets the voice of Veronica, the service provider's virtual assistant finish her sentence without pressing the end button. He was busy reading the contents of the emails, sorting out which ones he would consider. Lintang was quite surprised, there was an advertising offer that directly sent him a cooperation agreement without waiting for confirmation willing or not. What they expect from sending regulations, pay, and sanctions in the first email. To Lintang looks like a coercion, without reading the contents of the agreement he directly pressed the trash can icon next to the email.

Lintang ventured to ask other friends who had first plunged into the world of advertising. Many of them who suggested Lintang to immediately find a manager to manage finances and schedule not a few also ask him to learn from Tara. Lintang considered the advice given, learning from Tara seemed reasonable but did not guarantee her position would be safe. Their relationship ended badly if they returned to work together then Lintang will have a debt of gratitude to Tara and vice versa Tara will take advantage of this opportunity to continue showing off to the public that they are still together. This vicious circle is truly terrifying.

“Manager?” batin Lintang called the word over and over again. To the knowledge of the manager can be taken from the closest person, parents or family. She couldn't have chosen her mother to be her manager given that she has many nieces and nephews who are often left at her mother's house. Not to mention that his brothers served out of town, his mother was often asked to accompany his son-in-law, and take care of grandchildren. Eventually Lintang only replied to the sponsor's offer message because the sponsorship contract was now due to expire.

*****

“Would you like to book a ticket?” tanya Arimbi sees Regata looking for flight routes Jakarta – Manado for next week.

Regata nodded.

“Papa's pocket will take you to RSIA (Mother and Child Hospital) Santisima” said Danu.

Regata asked Danu to explain further.

It turns out that Danu has been preparing assets for Regata since ten years ago, meaning that when he was in school Danu had invested 30 percent of his shares in mother and child hospitals. Now his shares are up 20% and he intends to propose Regata to be part of the hospital management. If Regata does not mind, he can work while continuing school not to become a specialist doctor but a hospital management major that will be prepared to assume the position of Hospital Director.

Not without reason Danu planted shares in the place, other than because his wife took care of the thalassemia foundation, the birth and death rate of mothers and children became a national concern at that time. Over time, Regata's case made it more intense to build a hospital because it felt an emotional closeness to a mother's struggle when giving birth.

Regata was amazed by the way his father looked. His desire does not make him blind to determine anything. If only his father wanted to, he would not be in the faction that takes care of development but who takes care of health because of the wind that Regata hears, he said, the allocation of education and health funds is very large to be vulnerable to corruption. People who are not in the field struggle there. Regata agrees to look at the place, who knows he can find a way out of the anxiety of his heart.

*****

It was late in the afternoon when Regata picked up Mia. Her little girl told me there was a futures series (FS) tournament in Lithuania that will be held mid next month. Future series is the lowest class badminton international championship. Regata had already consulted with his coach whether Mia could join the tournament as an independent participant but his coach suggested that Mia should participate in the national tournament first and register with a professional club.

“If you are at the club I believe Mia's progress will run fast, greater competition opportunities and fees charged to parents are not as large as professional players. If it could be better to stay at an existing club his dormitory” advice assistant coach Mia because coach Mia is quite old, all the responsibility of consultation has been left entirely to the assistant.

“Mia has another year before audition” assistant coach mentions some famous club names that open auditions for early age 11 years where at the age of 10 years prospective participants can already register selves.

“Om Genta!” shouted Mia girang.

Genta smiled broadly to show off his rows of teeth. Mia ran over to Genta while Regata walked awkwardly behind Mia. Genta's smile momentarily hypnotized Regata. Regata's cheeks are red.

“How are you?” ask Genta. She and Mia hugged each other.

“Baik” Regata represents Mia answering Genta's question.

Regata observes Genta walking in front of her while holding hands with Mia. Genta's face was more filled, the shirt he wore showed his broad shoulders. His waist and stomach line looked slender. The rolled-up shirt showed protruding muscles and veins in his hands.

Wait a minute, since when did Regata notice the opposite sex seintens it.

“My mom is inside, still in laser” Genta said turning her face towards Regata.

“Once you meet more beautiful” praise Genta.

Regata now feels all over her body as red as an Apple. The air around him was hot. Regata shifts the conversation around work, hospitals and clinics and tells her that in the end she allows Mia to achieve her dreams thanks to Genta's advice.

Shortly after Mia's turn to undergo treatment, while waiting for Mother Genta and Mia. Regata invited Genta to chat at the cafe which was right next to the clinic. The two dissolve in a warm conversation still around work and Maia because that's the only topic that makes them both not awkward with each other.

“dr. Edgar has called, mama has finished” said Genta interrupted their conversation.

Both went back to the clinic. Genta encouraged her mother who was in her early 80s, the still-beautiful old woman smiled.

“Renata” says mother Genta

“Regata mah” timpal Genta fixing his mother's speech.

“Oh yes, understand is old”

Regata laughed at Genta's mother's response. They agreed to wait for Mia because of her treatment soon. When everything was in order, the four of them walked out of the clinic. In the waiting room of the clinic, Regata's breathing paused for a moment. His chest felt hard hit.

The latitude went from the opposite direction, he looked at Regata. His flat face showed an attitude like two strangers did not know each other.

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