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Luxury for the Layman
by Andrew Whitmarsh
Raised in America's cowboy heartland, Andrew Whitmarsh eventually got
a Peace Corps assignment near Russia, where he would have frozen solid,
had it not been for their vodka. Since moving to warmer waters, he
has nearly been blown up by a volcano, chased by feral pigs and asked
to touch a pregnant woman so her baby would have a 'nice, big bule
nose'
You have all the money in the world – the time – the power. You are allowed to sinfully indulge in your most delicious, most hedonistic and sinfully decadent desires. You could have a couple of critically endangered Amur leopards skinned and made into car-seat cushions; eat one of the last 50 Crested Shelducks, just to say you ate an animal into extinction; have a necklace made of Jadeite, the rarest gem in existence; get an apricot foot massage given by a bikini clad Cameron Diaz.
These things might sound ridiculously pleasuring and exorbitantly gratifying; at the same time though, there are some that dare not dream so big and in fact have no desire to do so. In an effort to find out what everyday people consider luxury, I hit the streets of Jakarta and polled the masses.
Anna, 26, Receptionist: 'I would like just one full day at Taman Sari Spa. Right now it's just too expensive for me to go there – maybe when I get married.'
Trish, 42, Copy Editor: 'Any time spent outdoors - with fresh
air - is a luxury.
I feel so trapped in this city, suffocating on the noxious fumes.'
Lulu, 23, Personal Tutor: 'As I have to take both a train and bus to work and back, which is 2 hours both ways – I'd just love to be able to take a taxi instead; any taxi will do, it doesn't even have to be a Bluebird.”
Yenti, 22, Office Cleaner: 'I want to go to Bali. It's my dream.'
Erica, 27, English Teacher: 'Books in Jakarta are really expensive. So if I could buy just 3 new books, without considering price, that would be enough. Oh yeah, and a kilo of pecans.'
Ida, 35, University Lecturer: 'It's my dream to own a house in Jakarta. Not a fancy house, one story is enough.'
Laura, 28, Sales Consultant: 'As a single mother and with a job that requires I keep my hand phone on 24/7, all I ask is to get an afternoon nap – is it so much to ask for?'
Sidik, 31, Office Boy: 'I commute by train at Rp 5,000 each way,
but it's not very comfortable. To take the train with air conditioning
instead, which is Rp 10,000, would be a luxury.'
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