'Extinct' cockatoo rediscovered in Indonesia A species of cockatoo feared to have become extinct has been "rediscovered" with the sighting of a handful of breeding pairs on a remote Indonesian island, researchers said yesterday. (Daily Star) (photo: AFP)

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What am I doing?

Dear Readers,

Jakarta is a tough city. Some people make it, some don't. The tougher it gets, the more people people need to relax. So, a financial crisis is actually good for a bar (at least until the customers max out their credit cards). However, good times or bad, Jakartans are very career driven. Conversations with new acquaintances get right to the point: they want to know if their new acquaintance can be useful to them. 

For one Dutch customer this was different. Henk was a frequent and valued customer in BuGils Jakarta. A pleasant drinking companion, he would openly converse on any subject, except when asked what he did for a living. He would only giggle and say : "Hihihi… Well, that is what I often ask myself. What am I doing actually? Hihihi!"

Some would turn to me for an answer. But I could only shrug, though I had known this Dutchman for many years. I considered him a friend and he often stayed in my house during his visits to Jakarta. He gave no indication that he was engaged in an illicit activity, but he did travel frequently, was always dressed well, and never out of reach of his laptop.

We called him The Spider, as he did have to seem contacts in every major company in Asia. When he told me he had set up an office in a Jakarta apartment, and invited me over for drinks, I saw my chance. He had turned his apartment into a small office and he explained proudly he had four girls working for him. There were computers and papers everywhere. I looked around discretely for clues, but the abbreviations on the maps didn't say me anything. Henk poured the drinks.

"How is business, Henk?" I said. He shook his head in disbelief. "Busy. It is incredible busy. I need to add more staff…"  I tried once more: "Henk, what is it exactly what you are doing?" ... Again he started giggling. "Hihihi… you can say I am a consultant… But on the other hand I often ask myself: Am I really? Hihihi…!"

I now started to think he actually was delusional. The way he giggled, in a high female tone, was not normal. When he went into the kitchen for more wine, I jumped up and sneaked into the room where, earlier, I had noticed a blackboard. I switched on the light. The huge blackboard filled almost the whole wall and was full with scribbles. But when I looked closer, I realized that it was all unreadable. It looked impressive, with lines and circles, connecting words and numbers, but it was all gibberish. Again he had beaten me.

We crossed paths again a week ago, when I went to the airport to pick up an arriving staff member (Aan from One Tree) and was greeted enthusiastically by Henks' wife, who he had married a few years earlier. I had not seen them for over a year. She told me that Henk was still inside collecting his suitcases from the belt. This was my chance, I thought, and I promptly asked her if Henk was here for work or holiday. Clearly confused on what to answer, she hesitated. I fired the next question: "WHAT exactly is it that Henk does for a living?"

She now became really nervous, and she started stuttering. "huh… well, he uh…". Sweat beaded on her forehead and while she was looking for words, she craned her neck over the crowd, looking for her husband. Then she turned to me and whispered: "To be honest, Bart, I know I am married to him and I should know, but I also have no idea! It's crazy, isn't it?" She helpless and forlorn, I felt a pang of sympathy. She continued: "I think he is a kind of consultant. What do you think, Bart? He is, isn't he?"  Suddenly she moved away, towards the gate, when she spotted Henk approaching. The Spider would probably always be a mystery, not only to me, but I realized now also to his own wife.

That night they came to the BuGils Bali. It was a pleasant evening with the usual affable crowd. After a couple of drinks and lively discussion, one guy popped the usual question: "Excuse me, Henk. You seem to travel a lot. What is it that you do for a living?"  Henk started giggling, but before he could say "Ja, what am I doing?", I jumped in, saying, "You better ask his wife. She told me this morning at the airport what he does. She can explain it much better".

This was cruel, but I thought that putting his beloved wife in an embarrassing position would force Henk to come clean. He instantly froze. He stood up next to his bar stool and in total confusion he looked from her to me. He stumbled: 'No…. She does not know what I am doing…' The wife, first shocked, but now enjoying the fuss, played the game along. "I know exactly what you are doing, my darling. Already for years. Shall I tell them?" She gave me a wink. The other customers around the bar were all aware that there was something going on here. Henk gulped his Gin Tonic and repeated in an almost angry tone: 'It is very difficult to explain people what I am doing. I advise companies. I advise people."  "With what?" the customer promptly asked. "It is difficult to explain", Henk replied. "If you cannot explain this to us," the man said. "How can you explain it to your clients!?".

Henk asked for the bill and left immediately. His wife followed, then turned to us and flashed a big smile and a thumbs up.  The people around the bar giggled in choir: "Hihihihi….!"  Until today nobody has a clue what Henk is doing. Maybe he should move to Bali and relax a bit….

Bartele
 

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Widi early in the evening, with colleagues Aan and Pipiet.
Widi happy and in the mood
Widi trying to get the last customer out...

BuGils Bali regulars having a good time during the Grand Opening...

The Grand Opening on last october 18th.

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