I went to the dentist at my former university’s medical centre. I was told to eat particular foods and then come back after a few weeks to be x-rayed. I cycled home and decided to take the routes I used to take when I was still a student there. I cruised into and out of a neighborhood – the houses were small, one-storied, painted cream and looked very similar to each other. The roads were wide and quiet.
And I arrived at the business strip, which looked like little Hongkong. My dream self thought to herself that the place had changed so much since the last time she was there. In fact, it looked totally different.
I stepped into a toko kelontong that mostly sold storage boxes and containers. I just browsed lightly and went out. Outside, I saw a textile shop closing.
I rode my bike and went to a different spot of the strip. It was getting dark and the lights and billboard were lighting up. The colours and ambience seemed like something from Miyazaki’s “From Up on Poppy Hill”.