" Waiting for Godot "


Tomorrow morning at 09.40 am will fly to Jogja to interview Sultan in the evening, finally after waiting in vain for weeks. Staying for just one night, hopefully all work will be done on Friday and in afternoon we can go back to Jakarta. I'll go with Cameraman only, minus Driver.

Just arrived from Bandara Soekarno-Hatta, trying to chase after Gus Dur, to make an appointment. I'm mindless. So damn hard to have only 10 minutes -after I made it shorter instead of 30-60 minutes of interviewing - to ask his opinion about KH Hasyim Asy'ari, his grandpa whose name is written in Indonesian history as one of The Education Leaders around 1920. The deadline for this episode is getting closer, but still I can't manage to get his statement yet.

According to his important role in politic and civil society, his thought is very important, moreover he once was a leader of Islamic Organization in Indonesia, NU (Nadhlatul Ulama), a big Islamic civil society organization established by his grand, and of course he once was The President of Indonesia before Megawati has been 'taking' his position randomly. He still has strong influence to his people, and perhaps for the society (though some people might say he was failed as a President and he's better being a thinker or nationalist that would aknowledge him as Nation Father, instead of playing in politic area that proven has treated him real bad when he was a President).

But, after waiting for 5 hours, as for the last information I got from his secretary, they have changed the plan to go back to Jakarta from Surabaya at 5pm, though the secretary couldn't give exact time for the flight. So I couldn't decide anything, only just to wait for his coming.

But then, I couldn't make it happened to meet him, because the airport gave wrong information about flight schedule from Surabaya. When at 7.15pm we heard that the first flight from Surabaya was already arrived, we then rushed to the Departure Gate on the second floor, searching out for his figure. (For privacy, he seldom comes from Arrival Gate which is more crowded). After some time we got information from the officer that he's actually already leaving the airport 10 minutes ago! Oh damn! I can't describe what kind of feeling we had at that time. We were just hopelessly staring each other, and started to blame the secretary and the situation. So we went back to the office in emptiness. I tried to contact his secretary many times, but he turn off the cellphone when he heard my voice on the line. So? No more explaination I reckon.

After telling my producer about the situation we had, he decided to try another way to get him, after I arrived from Jogja. So he asked me to just spend one night in Jogja and go back on Friday (by flight it only takes an hour). And I agree with his suggestion, since I've just arrived from travelling last Saturday. I really don't want to spend any longer in other city, not after the 32 days of last travelling. The tiredness still in place, and I need time to rest.

So the title of my story has not been ended yet. It's not even starting yet. Still "Waiting for Gus Dur" episode, until it meets the production deadline. Thanks God, my producer has extended the deadline from Friday to Tuesday, considering to Gus Dur's tight schedule. So, another sweating and butterfly in stomach's story and also the hectic time, is still waiting to come.