…Ngopi dulu yuk…

"What a nice weather! It’s good, isn’t it? We probably would have nice sunny days this weekend", says a man with dark hair. He’s probably around 45-50, wearing expensive-looking suit.

"Yes, that would be nice if we have some sun light. The last three weekends were totally wet. Three in row!", replies the other man. He is around the same age as the dark hair man, wearing dark blue jeans and a dark sweatshirt.

Yes. This is a coffee shop. I work here. I see people come and go. People buying coffee before they go to work. People taking a break from work. People meeting people. Or people who just want to sit alone drinking coffee.

Small talk is considered normal here, eventhough in some countries people are just so cold that they seems to be allergic to it. Weather is one of popular subjects. Today is my twenty-sixth time hearing people talking about weather. It’s not because I am lacking of activities that I am counting people’s conversation topic. It’s just because I love statistics. Weather 26. Politics 10. Celebrity-gossips 16. Soccer games 9. See? And also it is not my intention to listen to what people are talking. It’s just because I suppose to stand here, making coffee for their orders.

"You see that man over there?", says the dark hair man. "He must be a terrible worker. Look what time this is! It’s not even 10 in the morning. And he is having lunch? What kind of worker attitude is that?"

The jeans man looks to the direction he is pointing out. And so do I. I see a young man sitting down beside a telephone box just outside. He is eating his hamburger. He is wearing a uniform. He must be working at the supermarket around the corner.

"That young man eating hamburger, you mean?", asked the jeans man.

"Yes. Well…. I am sorry, I must sound harsh. I just don’t like seeing people stopping from work while they are suppose to be working. It shows lack of dicipline, you know? I think if anyone is willing to push himself hard enough to run at his peak productivity rate, he would be able to get anything in his life.", says the dark hair man. He pauses a while, then says "Well, anyway.. It’s not my business."

"Yeah. I can see what you mean. But I don’t think we can measure productivity by only looking at people’s action which are directly related to production itself. Yes he stops working to eat. But how do you know that if he doesn’t eat now, he would give the same rate of productivity as before? He’s hungry. He feels weak. Maybe a little bit sleepy. Then he will produce less than what he should. Besides he may not be doing it everyday, I suppose? I don’t know.", the jeans man answers.

"Yes, I agree. I just don’t like the idea that people are doing something else besides of working during office hours. I may sound too conservative. I think people must have hard-working attitude. In the long run, that would make them great achievers", says the dark hair man.

"That’s true. People should be performing at their best. That is what every employer wants. But I would not disregard the fact that people have freedom to choose. To choose what is best. In some cases, people may choose to walk away from work for a while just to make themselves more productive in the remaining hours. That may sound strange. But that happens. Actually, I sometimes do that", says the man in jeans.

I am making cappuccino. But my ears can not stop listening to them. Very interesting. I just want to know what their final conclusion would be. Or, would there be a conclusion at all? Is this just another small talk, or should I take their opinions seriously? In fact, I know Harry, the guy sitting outside eating hamburger. I know he got an award last month in the store. His boss likes him. Of course he’s not earning money as much as this dark hair man, maybe. But, is he right about Harry should be pushing himself harder working? Does he make a fair judgment about Harry. The jeans man sounds right too about people are responsible to make the best choice. But, the best for whom?

"What do you say, Linda?", asks the jeans man to me. "What is your opinion?"

What do I say? I don’t know. But of course I got to say something. Or should I just give my best smile?

My answer is, "Well… I don’t have any particular opinion yet. I must admit that I like the weather talk better, though Here, your orders. Have a nice day, and hopefully a wonderful weekend!"

That’s my other way of saying "mind your own business, pal!"

Berkutat seharian dengan reports lumayan bikin mata dan pikiran penat. Ninggalin meja kerja barang 15 menit mungkin bisa menyegarkan. Kafein! Sebenarnya masih banyak supply kafein di sistem peredaran darahku. Pagi-pagi sebelum berangkat kerja: cappuccino. Jam 9 lewat: black coffee. Sekarang, jam 3 sore, badan rasanya ringan karena efek kafein. Tapi siapa yang mau nolak ajakan ngopi dari Nona Spanyol? Okelah, one more cappuccino!

Turun ke kafetaria, banyak manusia di sana. Kerumunan yang sana, entah siapa mereka, sedang asik ngobrol dengan bahasa setempat. Di meja sebelahnya, ada dua manusia yang gua kenal. Satu dari Rusia, satunya dari Kolombia. Pria. Pria.

"Ayo Vid, ngopi…!", salah satunya menyapa.

"Wah, gak tau nih. Gua udah ngopi cukup banyak hari ini. Gua sih nyari angin aja deh", jawabku. Alasan sebenarnya: gua udah janjian, nanti ah nunggu dia dateng dulu, baru gua pencet tombol "cappuccinno".

Kedua kawan tadi kembali ke obrolannya semula.

"Iya, gua udah tunggu elu, tapi terus elu nggak turun-turun, jadi gua langsung naik bis"

"Iya, tapi kan kita udah janjian."

"Gua nggak bisa tunggu lama-lama. Alasannya besok gua harus pergi ke Paris. Dan gua belum packing, jadi gua harus buru-buru pulang"

Yang satunya melirik ke arahku.

"Tuh, lihat nih. Gini jadinya kalo temenan sama orang Rusia"

Aku tertawa. Itu pasti candaan. Kawan satu itu pasti ngga berniat cari gara-gara sama orang Rusia. Apalagi mengingat fakta bahwa di sini populasi orang Rusia lebih banyak dibandingkan orang Kolombia. Dikeroyok satu kampung, bisa mampus.

"Lagi cerita apa nih?", aku nimbrung.

"Janjian berenang. Lu mau ikut gak? Jadwal selanjutnya hari selasa nanti."

"Oya? Ntar gua liat-liat deh" Hari selasa kan aku off. Malas juga berenang.

Kubiarin aja mereka kembali asik dengan obrolannya. Dari sebelah sana terdengar suara orang yang kutunggu. Dan juga ada dua orang lagi. Spanyol, Kanada, dan Denmark. Wanita, wanita, pria.

Duo Kolombia-Rusia bubar jalan. Aku tinggal balik badan, dan langsung terintegrasi dengan grup yang ini.

"Jadi gimana nih rencana "international night", elu masak ya?"

"Hah? Gak gua banget! Di rumah aja gua jarang masak"

"Ih, iya tau gak? Masa si bos juga nanya gua, apa bisa bikinin masakan Kanada? Lu tau kan, Kanada itu ya mix dari mana-mana. Jadi mana ada masakan Kanada?"

"Huff, gini nih jaman sekarang. Susah! Cewe terlalu independen. Laki elu apa engga komplen tuh di rumah ga ada yang masak?"

"Ye, kalo di rumah ya gua kadang-kadang masak lah. Tapi ya gak tiap hari. Cowo gua tuh yang malah lebih sering masak"

"Buset. Memang susah nih, cewe-cewe sekarang."

"Kalo di Indonesia gimana? Pada masak cewe?"

"Yah, dulu-dulu sih pada masak. Tapi jaman sekarang mah gua rasa orang-orang pada beli makanan aja, terus dimakan di rumah"

"Oyah, elu mau ke Houston yah? Elu pilih tinggal di rumahan aja, jangan apartemen. Enak loh lingkungannya."

"Iya nih. Tau deh. Gua males aja kalo banjir"

"Hah? Ada juga toh banjir di Houston?"

"O iya. Tapi mungkin gak separah di Jakarta"

"Hmm. Emang setinggi apa?"

Salah seorang menunjuk sekitar 10 cm di atas kepalaku.

"Walah, itu mah beneran banjir atuh?"

"Oh iyah. Kalo underpass mah udah tenggelem aja"

"Jakarta gimana? Setinggi apa banjirnya"

"Yaa.. Segituan jugalah. Tapi nyantai aja, ga di semua tempat kok"

"Cowo gua akhirnya bisa berangkat nih November"

"Lha elu kan berangkat bulan September? Berarti dua bulan jauhan dong?"

"Alah, gua sih setaun gak ketemu juga gak masalah"

"Anjis.. Cowo elu pasti terlalu lunak nih sama elu"

"He he, ya bukannya orang-orang Denmark pada gitu semua?"

"Hah?"

"Iyah. Gua kenal banyak tuh. Cowo-cowo di tempat gua kuliah dulu. Cowo gua. Juga elu. Pada gampang diatur"

"Anjis! Gua harus ngobrol berdua nih sama cowo elu. Ada yang mesti diluruskan"

"Coba nanti lu tanya istri elu di rumah. Pasti dia juga bilang elu gampang diatur"

"Gila ya Vid. Cewe-cewe jaman sekarang nih kaya gini?"

"Cowo Kanada gimana? Pada keras gak?’

"Hmm.. Gimana yah? Macem-macem deh."

"He he, tapi gua enjoy pacaran sama cowo Denmark"

"Gila nih. Gua harus omongin cowo elu. Salah nih kalau gini terus."

Lima belas menit berlalu. Berlalu dengan cepat. Cangkir kopi sudah kosong. Waktunya kembali ke tempat kerja masing-masing. Suasana obrolan penuh tawa dan cela-celaan mesti ditinggalkan. Back to work!

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