I felt uneasy sitting here. A few of the men were still staring at me piercingly. Just then, a waiter came along and offered beer, alcohol, peanuts and fried pork.
“Just beer,” I said. Maybe a sip of beer would wash away the chills I felt. From the warung, I could see on the stage four women wearing bikinis, in action and bending sideways as if in a trance like Trio Macan (popular dangdut singing group in Indonesia). There was also a singer whose body was shining due to her sweat, shimmering under the neon lights of the stage.
“O…o..o..o...iwak peyek,** iwak peyek iwak peyek nasi jagung. Sampe tuek, sampe nenek, Trio Macan tetap disanjung”. (excerpt of song: iwak peyek, iwak peyek iwak peyek corn rice. Until you’re old, a grandma, Trio Macan will still be celebrated).
***
“Crab, prawn, fish, moon, vase, flower. The stocky built bookie sat cross-legged in the midst, bye the side of the stage and shouted the words again. He shook the dice box; like a magnet it attracted the attention of people around it. I took a glance.