Day 60 – Perahu Kertas Berlabuh

This is it. The 55 days project. Plus five. 5.55. Funny. I saw that number this afternoon. Guess the universe was trying to tell me something, or reconfirm something. 555.

I started very late. Perhaps, knowing that this would be my last day, a part of me didn’t want to believe it. Walaupun hari-hari produksi ini bukanlah momen yang selamanya gampang dan mulus, malah seringnya berat dan keparat, ternyata di bawah sadar sana, saya merasa ada bagian yang merasa kehilangan dengan itu semua.

Pagi ini, saya pergi ke Pasar Cihapit bersama Keenan dan Berna, babysitter saya. Saya membeli aneka keperluan dapur, plus beli tempe bacem di warung nasi langganan saya (Bu Eha – you guys might have read her name in my ‘Cuap-cuap Penulis’ in Supernova 1). I just want to have the best lunch ever. After lunch, in a normal dining table that is, not on a sofa bed like I used to have in HQ, I started planning to escape.

I could hear Keenan was crying out loud when he realized I was gone. And I couldn’t bear it. So I left my HQ again, menemani dia nonton teve, sambil membacakan cerita. I just waited until he calmed down. Baru lepas pukul 3, saya bisa ‘kabur’.

I moved slowly in the beginning, bahkan beberapa kali sempat tergoda oleh ke-kurangpenting-an Facebook. Dan ternyata, memang ada ‘alur macet’ di awal Bab 46 ini, yang ketika jalan ceritanya dikoreksi, aliran kreativitas kembali lancar.

Saya bikin taruhan dengan produser saya, bahwa Perahu Kertas akan selesai pada pukul 9 malam. I said, I could do it. Lima menit menuju pukul 9, it’s finished. But, hey, I wanted to write an epilogue. So I added a half page. 9.05 PM, the story is completely finished. 12 Maret 2008, 9.05 PM, Perahu Kertas lahir.

I checked my word count. Ready? It’s 84,911 words.

The longest single novel I’ve ever written in my whole frikkin’ life.

The night was not over. Saya menyempatkan makan malam di HQ, terakhir kalinya dalam masa produksi Perahu Kertas. At 9.45, I went downstairs. Keenan masih bangun, dan kami sempat bermain. Bahkan saya sempat menonton American Idol.

The last part of the day: printing. Kemarin, saya sudah membeli toner baru karena tahu akan mencetak ratusan halaman. Dibantu oleh adik saya (dan komputernya yang super aneh bin ajaib itu), saya bertemu muka dengan Perahu Kertas pertama kalinya. Gosh. It was a FAT BABY! Tebalnya sekitar 4 sentimeter lebih. It was the thickest draft I’ve ever printed.
Everybody, I proudly present, my new baby:


Pic #2: Tampak Samping

And to my newborn, let me read to you the meaning of 555 in Angel Numbers:

Major changes and significant transformations are here for you. You have an opportunity to break out the chrysalis and uncover the amazing life you truly deserve.

Bon voyage, my child. May you have an amazing life. May you reside in many hearts. May you touch many souls.

Farewell, my child. You've broken your chrysalis. You belong to the world now. You’re free.