So, like, this is how the disaster started, you know?
When Boim just got back from work, paying off the three-month overdue school fees. The kids gathered around, all tense, to hear Boim’s story.
“This ain’t no joke, it ain’t no dog either. So, by chance, I saw it on our school program board. You guys know that our class is right next to the small parking lot, right?”
“Yeah, we know. And then?” the kids asked almost at the same time.
“Then I asked an administrative officer if that program is really gonna happen.”
“And then?”
“And then he shook his head and said, ‘I don’t know, man. I’m new here.'”
“And then?”
“So, I borrowed a phone from the office to call Nyit-Nyit’s house, asking why he didn’t come today.”
“And then?”
“And then his maid answered. Hello, who’s this?”
“Come on, Boim, stop beating around the bush! Are you gonna tell the story or not? We’ve been waiting!” Gito snapped.
“Yeah, he said it’s important news!” Meta whined.
Boim got flustered. “Yeah, yeah. So, here’s the deal. A teacher came in, and I asked about that program. Turns out, the principal is really planning to expand the parking lot, and our class is gonna be demolished. We’ll be moved to some empty class near the warehouse.”
The kids were shocked.
“The warehouse class? The cramped and smelly one?”
“Are you serious?” Meta said.
Boim nodded.
The kids started to panic. Fifi Alone, who just arrived, was confused and asked Anto.
“What’s up, To?”
“There’s some bad news, Fi.”
“What? Rita got pimples? Well, that’s normal. It’s her own fault for not taking care of her face. Unlike Ikke, who always bathes in milk, honey, and… well, she bathes in everything, except for dandruff. And the result? Ikke’s got smooth skin, you know?”
“What are you talking about, Fi? This is serious news. Our class is gonna be demolished. Boom!” Anto complained.
“Oh, did Gusur’s beard catch fire? Thank goodness,” Fifi said.
Oh my goodness, Fifi. Her deafness just won’t go away.
And then the kids immediately called for an emergency meeting in the classroom. The theme was crystal clear: we were not gonna let our classroom be turned into a parking lot. The follow-up only became apparent three days later. A day after the principal officially announced the expansion of the parking area. And naturally, a classroom had to be sacrificed, torn down to be relocated to another empty classroom. They said it was for the greater good. For progress. ‘Cause we can’t just turn a blind eye to the pressures of modernization, you know?
The kids fell silent. No one reacted, especially not IIA2, the class that got bulldozed.
But unexpectedly, during the first break, the Lupus class kids gathered in front of the principal’s office. They staged a protest. Boim and Anto agreed to go on a snack strike (even though they didn’t have any money). Meta, Ita, Utari, Fifi Alone, and the other girls agreed to go on a gossip strike.
Lupus was looking for the easy way out, going on a talking strike (whispering was allowed though). Meanwhile, Gito, Aji, and the other guys brought out the banners they had prepared at home. The banners read, “Don’t sacrifice our classroom for a fancy new car.”
The kids were really determined. Especially since there were suspicions that the principal wanted to expand the parking area because of his new Capella. Ever since the principal got a car, the parking lot felt cramped. The capacity was no longer enough. The principal often parked his car outside the parking area. Maybe because he was afraid it would get stolen, the principal finally decided to expand the parking area. And that meant tearing down IIA2.
“This is outrageous, Mr. Principal!” Fifi Alone shouted.
“Are you seriously gonna demolish our classroom for your personal interests?” Gito sarcastically remarked in the corner.
Gusur, who surprisingly had quite a high tolerance, joined in supporting the Lupus class. “Hey, can I read my protest poem now, Pus?” he asked.
Lupus nodded. Gusur had prepared a protest poem to support the demonstration held in the Lupus class.
Gusur stepped forward in front of the group. The kids applauded and anxiously waited for Gusur to recite his protest poem. A poem that he specially wrote, titled…
“TOMATO!” Gusur shouted enthusiastically.
“Why tomato?” Meta whispered curiously.
“Shh! It’s probably just a metaphor. It’s a poem, full of metaphors. The content must be serious!” Lupus whispered back.
With swagger, Gusur started reciting his poem with a hoarse but confident voice.
“Tomato, your color is red,
Your shape is round,
Your taste is sweet and sour,
Sold in abundance at the market,
Oh tomato, I know you contain
Vitamin C.”
The kids applauded proudly at Gusur’s poem. But there were some who were confused and looked around, including Lupus.
“Wait, he claims it’s a protest poem, but there’s nothing protest-like about it?” Lupus realized, finally understanding that Gusur’s poem titled “Tomato” was really just about tomatoes.
“What a crazy poet!” Lupus grumbled in annoyance. The other kids quickly realized and took Gusur to the back.
That day, the IIA2 class kids were still sulking. Until a messenger from the principal, an English teacher, stormed into the Lupus class. Mr. Punk, who was supposed to be the homeroom teacher for IIA2, had been absent for a few days.
“What do you kids want, actually?” Mr. Frans scolded.
“We want justice, sir!” the kids replied.
“You talk about justice. What kind of justice?”
Some of the kids stayed silent, while others grumbled.
“Lupus! You, answer, what kind of justice?”
“Sorry, sir, I’m on a speaking strike.”
“What about you, Gito?”
“Our class shouldn’t be demolished, sir!”
The other kids chimed in, supporting Gico’s statement.
“So you object to the class being demolished?” Mr. Frans asked.
“Of course, sir!”
“But this is already a decision. According to the instructions of the principal, the class has to be demolished. We need a parking area. We need our school to look organized to outsiders. Just look at our current parking area. It’s a mess. It’s because the location of the parking area is too narrow. The parked vehicles are all squeezed together. We need to expand. Think rationally, kids. You’re being educated to think forward.”
“Ah, that’s just an excuse, Mr. Principal,” said Anto boldly. “We know, Mr. Principal is so eager to expand because he already has a car, and that car can’t fit in the parking lot!” Mr. Frans’s face instantly turned red.
“On what basis do you accuse us like that?” Mr. Frans raised his voice.
“Before, Fifi Alone was forbidden to bring a car with the reason of not showing off wealth. But it turns out…”
“The prohibition for Fifi to bring a car to school was to educate students not to be extravagant. The school was made to show off wealth. We are not educating students to be consumeristic.”
“But the Principal is now bringing a car.”
“That’s for smooth communication. For our progress.”
“Well, but Mr. Principal never leaves the room. School matters are mostly delegated to subordinates. The car is only used to go home. Is this what you call smooth communication?” Aji said.
Mr. Frans looked flustered. The kids started to catch on and began shouting.
“Quiet! You all be quiet!” Mr. Frans couldn’t take it anymore. “You don’t know, this action can be brought to the school court. You have disrupted the stability of the school.”
“You said, our school is democratic. Every student can express their opinion. You also said, we are taught to think rationally. To think forward. Progress sometimes means having different opinions,” Meta’s voice sounded melodious.
“But you are subversive. You can be punished. You can be suspended, or even expelled from this school! Whatever the reason, this class will be demolished. You can gather your belongings and move to another class! Since the beginning, I never liked seeing your class like a kindergarten,” Mr. Frans yelled as he slammed the classroom door. Boom!
The following days were filled with gloom. Some kids sitting under the tree seemed to be enjoying the remnants of paradise. Because even this shady tree will be cut down.
All the kids in Lupus class were sad. From the classroom window, Meta, Ita, and Utari were sad because they couldn’t supply snacks during empty lessons anymore. From the classroom window, Lupus, Gito, and Anto couldn’t tease the girls who were doing sports during free drawing lessons. Gusur’s mat rental business was also in jeopardy. And when they remembered how willingly they sacrificed what they had for their beloved class. Buying paint with their own money, working on it day and night, cultivating a deep love. They couldn’t accept that their class would be demolished. If it was just passed down to the junior class, they would still feel proud. But if it’s demolished?
The gossip became more intense. They said the kids from IIA2 class would be suspended. But it seems like the kids will continue to fight until the bitter end. Even if the class is leveled to the ground, they will still sit on their old classroom desks, on top of the rubble. Sometimes they doubt, can they endure? Because they are fighting against those in power.
“Winning or losing ain’t the point anymore. What matters is that we’ve done something for something we love,” Lupus said, giving some motivation.
And right there, under the cool shade of the tree, Gusur was deep in writing a poem titled “Cucumber.” Yeah, who knows, there might be another protest coming up, he thought.
