Star Collector, Beyond 8973
Moved to Nevada for good, since he was seven, without his only brother. Michigan, Michi, or James—spent his life adjusting, trying to fit himself there knowing that he was basically alone as a kid. He made friends there, one is Dashiell, the other two are Hanks and Timothy. He cherished them the most, especially Dashiell who is more like a younger brother to him; he knew he always wanted one.
Oh, it’s Michigan James Soehartono; although he was born in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the name was simply given to match his older brother’s first name, Micha Elian Soehartono. Separated within two years age gap, they both agreed to call each other by name. Two months before he was born, Michigan’s dad made a silly deal with his best friend to name their kids based on their favorite actor and actress, James Dean and Audrey Hepburn. Eight years later, life kissed its fate; Sleeping With Sirens released a song titled ‘If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn.’
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For the fifteen years that he lived, he only knew two emotions; happiness and sadness, not long before his parents decided to come back to their very own place with a huge sense of longing, Indonesia, on the last summer break. Maybe life was that simple for him; constant and structured.
All he had to do everyday was to walk his way to school, to take three or five sausages, three stacks of toast and some meatballs for lunch (as long as he remembers, he never forgot to put ketchup along with his meal.) To run his way back from school, to greet his cat—Magnum—from one meter away since he is allergic to cat’s fur, to help his mom do their chores, to take care of his cameras, to surf at Santa Monica with his dad on holidays and sometimes be a part-time lifeguard, to cook dinner for his family—trying new recipes he found on internet, to read any book he has until he fall asleep upon his arms.
Maybe, Michigan was yet to learn how life really is. He was yet to taste anything bitter and sweet, cold and warm, simple as tingling and complicated as longing. Maybe life is not that simple, or at least, not as simple as Michigan always thought before.
It’s odd and strange when you look back at something and realize, life is indeed, always on its own track. But at some lucky times, it’s alongside yours.
