Finding My Soul Mate (Part 3)

Here came the third candidate. The first time I talked to him was on the day of his graduation ceremony. It was in 1996. I came to my University with some of my friends. I saw there were some of my seniors wearing their academic gown and toga in a festivity around the hall. The graduation ceremony had just finished. I came there to congratulate them. Then someone called my name. I whirled and saw him “Hi, I’ve been waiting for you. “ He said. “Can we talk? I want to tell you something, an important thing.” I looked into his eyes, and he stared at me. He looked so serious. I said,” Yes, you can talk to me right now.”

He looked around and said,” Not in here. Would you follow me?” He walked down and sheer off the crowd. I followed him with a big curiosity. I’d never talked to him before. I didn’t even know his name. I just knew him as one of my seniors, and that’s all. I wondered what he would talk about.

Finally, near a big tree away from people, he stopped. And I did too. He gazed at me thoughtfully. His face was slightly flushed “Well, actually I really wanted to talk to you long before this day. I couldn’t because I didn’t have any courage. But I have to do it right now. I have just graduated, and I have got a good job. I am going to go to Kalimantan this afternoon to start working there. I don’t care if you have a boy friend or not, I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?.” He said. He breathed a sigh of relief, just like a heavy burden had just been released.

“What?!” I didn’t believed what I’d just heard. How could it be? It might be a mistake.

“I know you must be surprise. But please think of my offering. I will be a good husband for you.” He sucked in his breathe.

“How can you say that? We don’t even know each other. Deciding to get married is not a piece of cake. I need time to know you and you do too…”

“That’s it. I don’t have time. I…” He couldn’t finish his words. A car stopped on the road side next to the tree, honking. The driver said to him,” Come on, hurry up! You don’t want to miss the plane, do you?”

He stared at me,” Give me your phone number. I’ll contact you soon after I arrive in Kalimantan.”

I gave him my phone number. He nodded. “I have to go now. See you!”

He ran fast to the car, and then they went away.

I stood there for a while, trying to digest what had just happen. I forgot to ask him his name. I kept thinking, and finally I was sure that it was just a mistake. It was absurd. He did not know me; he positively did not love me. A marriage without love, what would it be? I was scared. I decided to refuse his offering. I was not ready to be a wife; more over to someone I did not know at all. But then I did not get the chance to talk to him. Several times he called me, I was not at home. The other time he called, I was out of town, under went on the job training. At that time, the using of phone cell was not popular in Indonesia. So, in short, we lost contact. And, time passed by. I thought he had already forgotten me.

One year later, in 1997, I was at home. It was on the day off. My phone rang. Then my sister picked it up. “Hi sis, come here. Someone wants to talk to you!” She said. I took the phone, then say hello. Someone there, a man, said that he called from Kalimantan. My memory flooded back. He mentioned his name. Oh God, that was the first time I knew his name. He asked how I was. I told him about my job. He said he was grateful that finally he could talk to me. “Do you still reconsider my offering? Listen, I need to see you. I’ll be home next week. I hope we can arrange a meeting. I’ll come to your house and meet your parents. I want you to know that I am serious. What do you think?”

“ Hold on, please. Give me a chance to think. Ok, of course we can arrange a meeting. Tomorrow I’ll go back to work. I will take one day permission next week so that we can meet. But can we choose another place for the meeting? Please, let me talk to you first before introducing you to my parents. “I said.

“ Well, ok. No problem if that’s what you want.” He said.

After arrange the meeting, he said good bye.

I received a piece of paper from the fourth candidate trough one of office boys. He wrote:

“ Hi, can I come to your dormitory to have a chat with you this evening?”

I replied with “Ok”. I gave the note to the office boy who smiled meaningfully at me.

That evening, he came to my dormitory. He sat at the veranda, wearing red jacket, smiling at me when I came to see him. Then we have a chat. Actually, we had one way conversation, because he was the one who talked much. He told me about his job. He worked at the company which was the main contractor of the project. He was a schedule controller who dealt with all of the companies that involved with the corridor block gas project. His duty was to supervise the work progress of all the sub-contractors and make the report to the owner of the project. It seemed that he had a good technical skill and wide knowledge about working on the field, especially on oil and gas field.

The first visit soon was followed by the second, the third, and so on. One day, when I got the note from him asking me appointment to meet, I said I couldn’t. I had to go home, because I get my day off.

I went home that day. I was surprised when he came to my house in the evening. Day by day I knew him more. He had a strong character, and strong confidence, supported by his physical appearance which was muscular. He also smart and really liked to learn anything new, especially anything dealing with his job.

One day, he came to my dorm. He looked serious. After talking about his daily activities in the field, he said” I had several time seeing you here. I believe you understand the reason why I am here. I don’t want to be your friend; I want more than just a friend. In short, I want to be your husband someday. Now I need you to decide if you accept me or not. I don’t want to waste my time waiting for you if you are only able to offer me a friendship. So, please answer me.”

I was a little bit surprise. How could he say that? He was so straight to the point. He was not a romantic man.

“Well, I don’t know what to say. I can’t give an answer now. What had happen to me recently was confusing. I need time to think about it. Why don’t you let our relationship just flow? Let it flow naturally.” I said.

“ I need a commitment. I want to know where you will bring this relationship. I don’t want to spend some time together with you if someday when I ask you to marry me you will refuse it, or you’ll marry someone else. I will make it simple, just say yes or no” He insisted.

I breathed a sigh. It was odd that four men asking me to marry them almost in the same time. I couldn’t think clearly. I knew that the decision was so important. My soul mate could be one of them or none of them. Oh God, what would I do?

“ I’m sorry I can’t answer it now. But I’ll think of it. Give me one week. Just seven days to find the answer. I need to pray to the God. I believe God will lead me to the best choice.” I said.

“Ok. I’ll be waiting for your answer. I’ll see you again next week.” He looked into my eyes, and smiled.