The Story of Sigma Men
38. Second debate
~ Complaining and berating yourself for a lack makes us not understand how much wisdom behind all the complaints and insults.
Nine o'clock in the morning. Zahid rushed to Uzlah's house. Do not hesitate Uzlah served a cup of black coffee for the meeting that morning. They both sat on the porch.
“How was your lecture, Zahid?”
Zahid couldn't have discussed his lecture too long. He already knew that Uzzlah was not happy to talk about the matter of college. Even he himself had already felt the discouragement Uzlah the other day.
“What about your dealings with that Level Leader?”
“Today is sunny huh?”
Zahid turned the conversation away.
Zahid has understood Uzlah's change of attitude all this time. For him, Uzlah is not like before. Since the end of High School, Uzlah not as happy as before.
“How about business with your physics lecturer, have you been running?”
“Eh. Such is. Have you had breakfast?”
“Already,” reply Uzlah flat.
“How are you working these weeks? Smoothly, right?”
“Alhamdulillah.”
“Definitely exciting if it works?” ask Zahid spirit.
“Not really. More fun to college.”
“But if it works, we can earn our own income. Of course it will not trouble parents anymore.”
“How can we work well, while we are fools. We have to learn a lot.”
“But working it must be fun. We can get a lot of experience. Science demands experience. So, not only work, there we can also learn.”
“With college, we can add a lot of knowledge and insight. That's the provision to work later. In that campus, we will also know many people and add relationships. Can't we learn a lot through association?”
“For a quiet and short-tempered person like you?”
Uzlah turned his gaze towards Zahid who was on his right.
“What do you mean?” ask Uzlah.
“Adding promiscuity?! For a quiet and short-tempered person like you, Uzlah?”
“I don't understand what you mean.”
“That's just an excuse for you, right? I know that you want to go to college. I know you want to learn a lot. I can feel what you are feeling, Uzlah. You must be jealous of the other friend."
“I'm not envious.”
“If you are not envious, why have you changed like this?”
“That's what changed!” reply Uzlah ketus. His face grinned a little.
“What changed from us? Looky. I can still get familiar with you.”
Uzlah was silent petrified while looking at the cottage selling his mother.
“Uzlah, do you still remember our ideals when we were little first?”
Uzlah.
“Do you remember when we always studied together?”
Uzlah locking lips.
“Did you remember when you always lost playstation with me?”
Uzlah is still silent. Eyes glazed. He was stunned considering his past.
“Oh. How happy I am to always beat you. You're not good at every game. You're often reserved for playing football. Playing cards you always lose. You also never won a race with me.”
“It's all the past. Forget it!”
“We can learn a lot from the past, Uzlah. Why forget it?”
“Yes, I am indeed a loser,” said Uzlah flat.
“But you're always a champion, man. You often get top rankings. You were once a general champion. I salute you....
I follow many examples from you. You taught me to always read. You became my encouragement when I was lazy....
You taught me if I didn't understand. You explained something I didn't understand,” Zahid said gently.
“Zahid, I want to be like us.”
“I also.”
Zahid shone upon Uzlah's eyes, which seemed to sparkle.
“Hei Jambul,” Molok Zahid
Uzlah. “Basic you!”
“Ha ha ha.”
“Nothing Funny Little Strange!”
“You still aspire to like Newton, right?” ask Zahid.
“Yes. You still want to aspire like Einstein, right?
“Sure. Einstein number one.”
“Newton is number one,” complained Uzlah.
“Einstein top-class scientist. Isaac Newton was nothing.”
“Hmm.. obviously if Newton did not make his discovery, of course Einstein could not find Relativity.”
“Serah!” said Zahid. “Which Einstein must have changed the way humans think about the universe. ‘Energy cannot be created and cannot be destroyed’ it is a theory that is too classic for this very modern one-century two....
The cutting-edge ‘a mass can be converted into energi’ it is a very impressive theory. Whoa! Amazing!”
Zahid and Uzzlah were at odds with each other about who the theoretical physics scientists were most entitled to bear the number one title.
Zahid took care of Einstein, while Uzlah took care of Newton. Discussion about lectures, small affairs Uzlah and his sense of iron vanished swallowed by fierce debate.
Zahid lifted his cup of coffee, and at once he spread his gaze right into Uzlah's face.
He found Uzlah so tense because his champion was defeated, not tense because of the lecture business that made his heart cut.
“You are sure of your dream, Zahid?”
“Sure, Friend. How about you?”
Uzlah breathed heavily. Then he smiled.
“I have no dreams.”
“Lying! You said yourself that you want to be a professor.”
“That's because you can't keep your heart firm.”
“Again that was past bullshit. There is no meaning whatsoever in it.”
“You must have a dream, Friend!” zahid was excited.
“I salute a dreamer like you.”
“We must have a dream, Uzlah. Don't live just live. We must have a purpose in life."
“True.”
“If we get something we never dreamed of, then it is a coincidence.”
“What about destiny?”
Zahid confirmed his seat. Then he cast his gaze right on Uzlah's face. His face was full of friendship.
“Uzlah, if God predestines us to try, and if God predestines us to choose, how? The prophet Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa salam once said: Be eager to pursue things that benefit you. Ask God for help. And do not feel weak.”
Uzlah was fixated after hearing Zahid's words. He was pensive and thought about his lost identity because of the evil ego that possessed the recesses of his heart.
He felt that he was wrong in addressing every single thing that made him uninspired.
Really, he had very high ideals: professor. But that ideal was hindered by the bitter reality that plagued her: not being able to continue school.
That's why he changed so drastically, to the point that he stayed away from his best friend.
“We have a great dream. We aspire to be a one-century Newton and Einstein. We want to be a theoretical physicist. You remember right?”
“I am not a student,” said Uzlah sadly.
“Friends, don't let such little things get in the way of your big ideals. Comeon! Spirit!”
Uzlah took a deep breath and exhaled it. And breathed out all the turmoil and worry that had befallen him for days.
Zahid brought his chair closer to Uzlah's. He held onto Uzlah's shoulder.
“Friends, are any of us planning about our friendship?”
“Entah,” replied Uzlah slowly.
“Did we ever before want us to be one SD and often in the same class?”
Uzlah. Eyes glazed. He reminisces about his past with Zahid.
“Do you wish we can be one Junior High and always one class? Or is it because of my will we are also always one class time High School?”
“I don't know, Friend.”
“God's big plan always goes smoothly. If only we knew the surprises. I can't wait to become a famous scientist. You too, Friend.”
Zahid was an idealist. He has a big dream. And he was sure of what he dreamed.
Uzzlah is a realistic person. He always responded to everything based on what he felt right then and there.
He didn't look much into the future, all because of one thing: not being able to go to college.
“I hope you can be like before, Uzlah. There are many things I need to learn with you.”
“But, you're in college. While I'm not.”
“What's the problem? Did Abraham Lincoln go to college like me?”
“But...”.
“No but-button,” said Zahid quickly disconnect. “Again I still want to ask a lot about Newton's Law of Motion is very controversial,” said Zahid spirit.
“Sorry, Zahid. You're smarter than me. There's no way you're learning with an uneducated person like me.”
“Friends, that formal education does not necessarily affect a person's intelligence and genius. Wasn't Einstein not at home in that prison-like school?”
Uzlah.
“Don't get there because you didn't go to college you got down and not excited! Don't let it be because you don't want to study anymore and stop dreaming! Do not let because of not going to college you leave your best friend!”
Uzlah's heart was touched to hear the fiery words of Zahid. Eyes glazed. His heart is beating fast.
A moment later he felt that he was completely wrong in addressing the situation.
“I understand what you're feeling. You must be depressed about not being able to continue school. Your mother told me about your change of attitude...
You can say that college is just a postponement of unemployment. You can say that the student is just a hedonist and a popularity pursuer....
You can say that the campus is a place for fun and entertainment. You can also say that the lecture is only a means to relieve the shame of not being considered slang if not a student....
But, it's just nonsense from you to heal the pain in your envious-filled heart?”
Uzlah. He was stuck listening to the catapult for the sake of throwing.
He stared at the floor, bowed lethargic as if to his knees admitting the mistakes of his subjective attitude all along.
“Come, Uzlah! Until when did you become such a shy and pessimistic person? Till when? The status of students and not students is not a disparity.”
“Iya, Zahid.” the answer is slow.
“We hate things because we can't feel them.”
Uzlah mangosteen slowly.
“Take the wisdom behind all this, Friend.” said Zahid. “Prove to me that formal education is not the main factor that affects one's intelligence and success.”
Uzlah smiled crisply. This time his face was bright and excited.
“Did you remember our expectations of High School first?”
“Sure, Friend. We wish we were always in school. From SD, SMP, SMA, and. lecture.”.
The heart of Uzlah was touched. He turned his face before his friend.
“I'm sorry, Zahid. I'm mistaken. I'm ashamed I didn't go to college. I'm so envious of you guys enjoying your time in college....
I want to be like the old us. We learn together. We play together. We have been friends for over twelve years. I miss those days....
Honestly, I really don't want to let you go. I don't want to be away from you guys. Why did my heart become like this? I don't know......
Honestly, I can't stand this really torturous situation. I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be a stranger and an outcast.....
Because of my wrong attitude all this time, I've stayed away from you. I'm sorry.”
In both eyes Uzlah teared. I want it to feel like he is crying so much to vent the feeling that has been gripping him.
Want him to vent his heart so that everyone knows that formal education can separate friendships and long-standing romance.
Zahid took hold of Uzlah's shoulder. He saw Uzzlah's face grieving and feeling guilty. He really hopes that everything related to education does not eliminate the sense of friendship and romance.
“All will be beautiful just in time. And, still, Newton is number one!”
“Sure Einstein is number one,” complained Zahid. “Newton it's nothing. Just look at it later. I'll refute his Law of Motion.”
***
