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SPECIAL EDITION. TONIGHT BUGILS JAKARTA CLOSING
PARTY
I hoped to have one healthy, quiet year in Bali. The BuGils Bali bar however, that opened a few months ago, seems to go through a lot of the same troubles as her fading sister. I managed to develop a good relationship with the local authorities and hired a security guard through the local and powerful banjar. These banjars have small armies standing by in case something happens in the neighborhood. Some call them thugs or mafia, others call them neighborhood security. I am too new in Bali to give a definition, but I do know that our local guard is very useful in organizing the parking around BuGils, keeping beggars out and keeping an eye on customers that have a bad reputation in Bali. These Balinese banjar guys are good guys, when they are on your side. So I was shocked when Widi called me in the middle of the night. She had returned to the bar after closing, because she had forgotten something and found that our security guy had organized his own party in the bar! Together with some mates they were drinking beer at the bar and listening to dangdut songs! What were my options? Kick him out, facing the possibility of having the place burned down? No option. Instead I warned him that, if it would happen again, I would directly inform the banjar. I told him at the same time that I had been very happy with his services so far, but that this was unacceptable. I did not show anger but expressed my disappointment with a sad face. He apologized and promised it would never happen again. The next day he was back on duty with his hair dyed in a bright blond color. He was now dressed in an official security uniform and was a different, more correct person all together. The day after that, he brought in some Russian customers, good drinkers and was clearly happy that he could add something to the business. But yesterday, just before I left for Jakarta, he came to me. He was clearly upset. It was about our Chinese neighbor, the proprietor of the villas just behind us. The owner had decided to block our parking space by building a security house in front of our windows. At the same time he put up a sign 'no parking'. This was a disaster. I need my parking space. He earlier had threaten to build ATMs there, than he wanted a large concrete arch and now finally he had decided to build a big concrete jailhouse in front of BuGils. 'He cannot do that!', our security guy said. 'I can make it disappear!', he continued. 'Satpam dia udah takut!’ (his guard is afraid already!). His security is not from here. Easy. The banjar also does not like him. He never hired locals to work in the villas!' I quickly went to the site. Some workers were digging a huge hole right in front of our bar. Some customers saw me overlooking it and came out of the bar, shaking their heads in unbelief. One Indonesian wife of a regular was instantly upset when she heard about the plans of our Chinese neighbor and went straight to his office, shouting angrily at the people there. I was thinking over my options. The first reaction was one of anger and revenge, but that would not solve anything. After all, it was his own road he was building on. Did he do this because he did not like to see our place busy? Or maybe because his overpriced villas were empty for a few weeks already? Our satpam slammed his fist on a table. 'Kalah dia, pak. Sumpah, kalah dia, kalau aku panggil tim kita!' (I swear he will lose if I call my friends!). I did not want this to escalate, it would give a bad press to the bar. Besides that, his daughter was actually very nice, and I had a good relationship with her. I decided to invite her for breakfast the next day. The building of the satpam guard house had continued over night, and some enormous concrete pillars had been erected. I learned that the office staff of the villas had resigned the day earlier. Not sure if my security guy had something to do with it, as he did not speak much that morning, but he did have a constant grim on his face. The daughter came with her boyfriend and the breakfast was quit amicable. On purpose I seated them on the table in front of the building site of her father. We had a nice chit chat before she said: 'now lets come to business'. I expected her to explain me about the behavior of her father, but no! She was unfolding a proposal for me to buy a life insurance policy! I just had to laugh. I politely ignored her sales pitch. I even pulled my chair two meters back from the table, cleaning my nails, but she did not finish till she had reached the last magical number of 100 billion rupiah that I would get 30 years from now. I told her that I am in a bar business, and I would never reach that age! It was the only moment that she halted her sales talk, looking me silently in the eyes. I think that at that stage she finally realized that I probably was right. 'Why is your father blocking my view and parking space?' I asked her. She was embarrassed by the whole case and explained that the father was not an easy man. He was very moody and impulsive. It would be very difficult to persuade him to do something else. But the main reason is that BuGils has a kitchen exhaust against the back wall. The smell of the food is disturbing to the people staying in the villas and the exhaust is hanging over his territory. We should move it somewhere else. He blocks the parking because the cars are using his entrance to get there. She offered her help to find alternative parking in the neighborhood. I felt sorry for her. When she left I walked up to the security guy, asking him again to promise me that he would not do anything before I would tell him to do so. He nodded, but he the look on his face did not convince me at all... Today I arrived in Jakarta. I first want to enjoy the final week of BuGils Jakarta and remember the many good moments we had there. The best stories however, often come from the bad experiences, and we certainly had a few in BuGils Jakarta. And it is not over yet. Apparently Taman Ria is claiming the bar and the floor as theirs and they will not allow us to take it out. Is doing business in Indonesia easy? Yes, it is, but only if you can restrain yourself from reacting impulsive. And you need to have a beer once in a while...
POSTSCRIPT: Just before sending out this
newsletter, I received a sms from the daughter of my stressed neighbor:
“Dear Bart, I told my father to stop building and remove the security
post. See you soon.”
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The
BuGils Jakarta story is almost over. This Saturday evening the beer will
flow for the last time in Taman Ria. It was a great source for stories.
That bar had a different power than the other bars that followed. It was
the first, it was the best. 
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