A Letter to My Returning Parents

Dear Mama and Papa (especially you, Mom, who blogs and reads blogs -- but I know you will tell Papa to read this anyway)

You are now on your way back home. To our beloved small house in that dirty, polluted but surprisingly ngangenin city. I do hope you enjoy your flight and you'll safely arrive there. You will see your youngest daughter there, waiting for you, her arms will stretch open to welcome you two in her big hug. You will exchange tears and laughters, stories and latest gossips, jokes and perhaps angers.

As usual, mom, in the first three days or a week, all you want is wait for Little Sis to be home from work, shower her with affection (and oleh-oleh!), although you know that she usually comes very, very late, and is very tired from those two jobs and long hour drive! Papa will call all relatives and rush to his favorite barbershop, because he hasn't had his hair treated in six months (talking about the pricey saloons here!). And of course, he will also force Little Sis to watch the video he'd made here. Little Sis will watch it, make few comments here and there (most of them are insults, hehehe...) and in fifteen minutes she'll grow bored with it. And she'll find a reason to leave hehehehe...

The minute I left the airport after making sure that you have entered your gate I already felt an emptiness inside. My, you are really leaving now. The king size bed will only be occupied by Samantha and I. This will be very different from when you had your vacation in other cities, because then I knew that you would be coming home. We will wake up in silence, nobody is in front of the computer -- writing blog entries or merely reading Indonesian news sites -- or in the kitchen serving breakfast or browsing the newspaper. Nobody will tell annoying things like "take your coat, it's freezing outside", or "don't forget to bring a hundred bucks home, the fridge is almost empty", or "you are always that unorganized!". You drove me crazy with your constant advises, but I wish I had been more attentive.

And, yes, "When would you have time for us?"

Yes mam, pap, I rarely had time for you. When I got home, the only thing I wanted to do is grab a cup of hot tea and check out my Friendster or blog. Many times you told me that you miss me, but then you understand that I am so busy. And although you missed me, you encouraged me to go out more often with friends. And how selfish I was to take you for granted. I am so sorry, for neglecting you. For not accompanying you to places you have wanted to see. For not being patient enough to tutor you with computer. Did I make you sad, feel stupid, or anything like that? Oh, how I wish I could turn back the time and do everything to make you happy and content.

I promise you, when you are here again, I will take you to the greenery and plantations you always mentioned. And get you the tour to White House that you dreamed of.

The memories of times we shared together during these past six months will always light me up. Trust me, I am really, badly, completely missing you right now, and I wish that you were here with us. I am glad that I had put pics of yours in this blog, so everytime I check it out I'd be able to see your faces.

Thank you, mama and papa, for putting up with my bad moods, egotism, insensitivity, laziness. Thank you for trying to understand me and cope up with me. Thank you, ma, for always preparing dinner though I rarely had them, and bringing me a mug of hot tea when I stepped inside at 9 or 10 at night. Thank you, pa, for going with me all the way to further Virginia -- a long journey with Metro! -- to take a look at the car. Most of all, thank you for loving me and caring for me unconditionally.

I love you, mama, papa. Always selalu deh.