I saw him while I was walking about in the hillside streets of Pujon, Malang where the Mount Kelud rescue base is. This was after the Mount Kelud volcanic eruption. He sat by himself in the entrance area and I walked towards him, realising later that it was a cemetery. We spoke in Bahasa Indonesia.
“So do you work here?”
“No no I’m just sitting here. I am from around here. I been here since I was born.”
“Ok, so how old are you now?”
He laughed! “I’m 90 I think, I’m always here, but my kids are in Hong Kong and one married in Malaysia. She is Malaysian now.”
He continued.. “Do you know this cemetery is mix with all religions, they are all here?”
“Really? Wow.”
“Yes, it has everyone buried here, Islam, Hindu, Christians.. we are all here. Here everyone is the same. You should walk in and see the other cemeteries, just walk straight down and turn left. Yes you should go inside and see. Go now.”
I smiled and walked away, finding my way into the cemetery. I looked back to say goodbye to this weird man.. but he was gone…
(Mount Kelud, Jawa, Indonesia)
