My latest form of procrastination, not moving on with my life, and generally allowing my deadline to loom ever closer, is to watch the soccer. I’m not referring to the European, Premier league, or anything that resembles Manchester United. No, no, even I don’t have time for that drivel. I’m talking about the boys’ round-robin tournament that takes place every Saturday on the oval (a.k.a. abandoned block of land the locals have erected skewed goal posts on) across the street. From the lofty height of the forty-fifth floor I can watch the little ant-sized players run about the field (which floods every time it rains) and even hear the whistle blows of an umpire, who never leaves the back line.

 

As far as I can tell there are four teams that play on a regular basis; Blue, Red, White and Fleuro Yellow. On special occasions they take over the grass lots neighbouring ‘the field’ and have at least four games going at once with special guest teams (a.k.a. more colours), but it’s my local fellas that I follow… well as best I can without a score board, forty-five floors in the air (…conditioning) and reading the paper.

 

Lately, I’ve found myself getting caught up in their games, despite knowing nothing about what’s happening (read: doesn’t know anything about soccer/football). I cheer. I yell. I generally become retarded and make up little songs.

“Robbed!”

“Go white team!”

“Woohoo, Yellow gonna kick your ass, yellow gonna kick your butt, Yellow gonna make you face-plant in the mud,” and do a little dance in my ‘POW!’, ‘WOW’, ‘GIRL POWER’ pjs.

 

This week, I received a message (see I have friends!) on Facebook mid-game from a guy I went to high-school (a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away) with. He’d just found out that I live in Jakarta and was keen to share his “Oh My God, that’s so dangerous,” sentiments and his “What about your physical safety?” and the “Wow, aren’t you scared living in such a foreboding (his word) place,” and blah blah, social ignorance, blah. I couldn’t help myself… “Physical safety? Not today, I don’t think the kids can kick the soccer ball that high; I can heckle all I want.”

 

For the record, White team beat Blue team by two points, though Blue were ripped off on a few out-of-bounds issues, if you ask me. (Note: out-of-bounds is only considered such when the ball is so far off the field that it hits the trees.)

I didn’t catch the Yellow vs. Red game, I got hungry. From warm ups I’d say Yellow were on their game though, and they had the dry end on the field in the early half.