This morning while I was driving to school I realized that I was below empty on gas. Usually I would fill up before the little ticker gets in the red zone, but I hadn't had the time in the last few days. I made a mental note to fill up after school.
Not to anyone's surprise, that mental note vanished with the excitement of the last day of school before holiday. I rode across town to visit Dini (who has since moved back home from the hospital).
After sharing Christmas greetings, I decided to head home. However, I didn't make it farther than outside her neighborhood when the engine went dead and I was left coasting down the slight inclines of Sentul. When all movement stopped, I got off Leona and started walking her.
Moments later an ojek driver pulled off to see why a bule was walking on the side of the road with her bike, rather than riding it. He started rambling in Bahasa and making motions. I caught a few words, but not enough to figure out what he was saying.
However he flagged down a SPD (Security Patrol Detail) and helped me get my bike to headquarters. After the ojek made sure that my bike was safely locked and secure, he took me to remote roadside stand just beyond school to get gas (it was the nearest place where I could get some).
He bargained the price for me and drove me back to my bike. He was even kind enough to fill it for me and make sure my bike started. He accompanied me to the gas station to make sure I didn't have any problems.
The gas attendant, who spoke proficient English, told me that despite his lacking English, he frequently assisted people who ran out of gas. She told me that not many ojeks are willing to do that because they are too focused on getting their next customer. Usually they would just pass by and not think twice about it.
I thanked the ojek driver and paid him 35,000 (equivalent of three dollars and fifty cents). Now that may seem skimpy but considering the fact that most people would pay a maximum 5,000 rupiah, it is a small fortune. When I told my friends what happened, the only thing they told me was that I overpayed the ojek driver.
Being in Indonesia, I really find it hard to pay the bare minimum for services given by individuals. It just doesn't seem fair or right, especially when they work so hard to make ends meet.
However, I am grateful that the man decided to help me out when I was so far away from the gas station. It seems like a small gesture of kindness, but after experiencing it first hand, it's the smallest gestures of kindness that seem to make the greatest impact.
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