Today, on my way to go home, I bumped into some kind of underworld mundane, the first and the most frightening one that I have ever seen. A superstitious creature which came to life with its thick compact powder, fake eye-lashes, and artificial hair extension. It was a dragqueen. Well, don’t bother to comment nor criticize me for being discriminative on somebody’s profession. I am an open-minded person who are able to close her judgement towards many kinds of social revolution. A person who does not impose morality reason to adjust discrimination or stigma towards those who are “Divergent”. As long as those individuals do not attempt to harm me.

Self-defense, that is how I prescribed my perception about that Dragqueen. It was started several hours ago as I walked down the street heading to my home. Having been a little bit exhausted after a long hours of working, I decided to stop by the mini market around the neigbourhood to buy stuffs. In the place I’m living, the enviroment was not really conducive. It was a crowded area contained with new buildings and old houses. It was like a fusion between an old town and a newborn city developed by multinational companies. The area named Karet, a native’s origin located in the southern part of Jakarta City, Indonesia’s Capital. As the superior will always oppress the inferiors, the old town is getting vanished, replaced by 30 floors skyscrapers. However, the natives who were reluctant to move keep staying in haphazard housing, creating the area more likely a slumps between splendid apartments. The obvious gap, triggering social unrest. Transforming the streets and the neighborhood as a dangerous place to walk alone, especially in the night. Some jobless origins, strangers, or drunkers could possibly come across you and endanger your life.

Once, I ever met  a stranger in the quite street who approached me like he intended to ask about direction. But then he turned to ask something about a girl’s name that he didn’t even know how to pronounce. Being suspicious on his countenance, I refused to answer. Seconds later, all of a sudden, he moved his hands like wanted to grab something from his pocket. At the time he showed that gestures, I reflexly runaway as fast as I could. Tonight, near the same street, a scary creature came approached me with its bizzare manner. Its face was covered by a super white, flour-like, compact powder. Under the deem light and unsafe environment, it was looked like a thread. In response to the sudden disturbance, I was shocked and tried not to be in contact with the creature in every context. However, The Dragqueen keep bothering me and said some annoying words. I could have been objected directly, Instead, I turned around and got into the mini market, seeking for protection. In reality, that unstable state of mind creature, followed me from behind and confronted me regarding my respond towards it. That creature, with its true tone voice said, “Heh, Saya bukan setan untuk ditakuti.” It was just speaking but turns out, it even frightened me. Thus, once again, I tried not to respond, Ignored its existence for IT WAS SUPERSTITIOUS! However, The creature kept coming and yelled the foremost cruel and rude curse a woman could ever heard. As it yelled, “Gue sumpahin lu ga punya anak!.”

It was devastating to hear the words. Forcing you to be furious and wanting to fireback. So, I cursed it back. Saying every single words it pointed. I didn’t care and i kept passing the creature. Pretending that it didin’t exist, haven’t realized that few meters away, it had a companion. However, I encouraged my self to keep walking.  At once I took the left to the street leading to my place, I had a glimpse beside, finding the Dragqueen and its companion were stalking me. As I walked front, I heard them were talking about a strategy to commit a felony. They intended to harm and beat me in the most ferocious way to a human, at the moment the street’s getting empty. Having been overheard, I decided to dropped by at a tenant, pretending to buy something. I thought it would be helpful, However, that superstitious creature which seemed out of common sense, got into the tenant as well, pacing up and down around me. Turning around like it was dancing and speaking some dirty words. Not responding to its attitude, The creature walked away and waited me around the corner. Counting the time to commit an assault. Their eyes glared, full of hatred. Their lips were hissing about something maltreating and abusing human. The street was narrow and they talked loud enough to be heard. That’s why I kept staying in the tenant, shivering and wishing the ghost will vanished from the street. I prayed for safety and after a couple of minutes trapped in a thrilled situation, The Ghosts finally moved along. As I saw the chance, I took my leave as soon as possible, running along the empty street while glancing backwards repeatedly, staying alert, just in case that superstitious creature suddenly appeared from nowhere.

While running, I tried to grab my keys out of my bag. Tremblingly snatched the keys out to open the fence. Meanthime, staying alert that the ghosts might attack me from the back. After successfully open the fence and locked my self in. I got into the house in shrieking. I was horrified and frighten. It was the firts time in my life expreienced an attempt to a serious assault. The scariest thing you could ever imagine as an expat who live alone.

As many big cities around the world, unsafe district will always exist. Those places gave no mercy. No matter how innocent you are, how decent you dress up, and how good your will to be generous, whenever you are out to pass the streets, there is always be a thread. Overpopulation, poverty, hunger, and unemployment potentially triggered crimes. In a daylight, The less-have witnessed fancy cars, luxury buildings, and consumptive people indulged their apathy lifes. In the other side, they were trapped in hunger and undignified standard of living. In my country, We could see parents exploited their children for begging in a sidewalk. We could see an outcast jumped in and out of one bus to another, performed out of tone melody with his wrecked ukelele. We could see some drop-out school boys pushed passengers to donate for pseudo orphanage. And as I experienced previously, We could see Dragqueen wandered around the streets accompanied by an antique music man, luring some delirious night revels. An extragagance that potentially turned to be an assault when its ended with objection.

Hence, Who is to blame? Ourselves? The superstitious creature? Stranger? Unemployment? Environment? Or some greedy Government who leave them abandoned?

The answer depends on our paradigm. And fellow viewers, its not even a Thursday night!.