There Short Stories Beek, Aart Van text Jakarta Pustaka Sinar Harapan 1 1997 eng 149 hlm. ; 18 cm. CONFESSIONS OF ANOLD SOLDIERI have come to love this part of Bali most. The sea is tranquil, a blue extension of the green carpet that quickly crests toward the islinds volcanic epicentre in meticulously sculpted terraces of paddy. Bravely I welcome the midday heat in the aftermath of a spicy lunch on the balcony of what has become my favorite restaurant in town. I hear the faint clanging of gamelan music in the background with its heightening pace, so much more hurried than the Javanese variety. The ever faster rhythm of the music and the constant whirl of the ceilin g fan, although too high up to touch me, lure me into a place where time and the responsibilities we concoct to fill them do not exist. It is a space where the Arab trader of six hundred years dgo, the in-quisitive tourist, the Hindu farmer and the Dutch soldier can all appear laughing in the same room. There this humid world, unalterable, defines the colour green in endless hues and there erased are the streets, the vehicles and the only Karaoke bar intended to obscure it. Thus to my relief the sum of forty years which have marked my absence from these islands, can be reduced effortlepsly. These people bear me no ill will. I knew they would not, but words fail me in describing my relief. I have searched behind their eyes as I have told them of my origins in a halting, cautious sort of way. I have kept in reserve my Australian identity behind my back, just in case I found no acceptance. I have concluded the Dutch find more favour here now than Australians simply cause too manv of the latter cruise the streets on rented motorcvcles. Yet I have never quite stopped rvondering how I am perceived by those I meet, although I have determined long ago that most people do not give their judgment of others a great deal of thought. For short periods I find myself breaking out of my pattern of concern over the opinion of others, only to find that I have taken on an air of competence and false wisdom so that I become less than pleasant company. Fortunately the frowns of disbelief of those ttnfortunate to be in my Presence rapidly bring me back to reality. Needless to say I amstill in search of a balance. Cerpen Kumpulan 808 808 BEE f 979-416-404-6 220719 20220719083544 INLIS000000000001165 Converted from MARCXML to MODS version 3.5 using MARC21slim2MODS3-5.xsl (Revision 1.106 2014/12/19)