Man, what a day! I swear, Bengkulu never fails to surprise me. Woke up this morning, sun blazin’ through my window on Jalan Jendral Sudirman. Thought it was gonna be a chill day, ya know? But nah, life had other plans.
First off, I hit up my favorite warung for breakfast. Nasi goreng, baby! The smell was insane. I mean, who doesn’t love fried rice at 8 AM? But then, I spilled my kopi on my shirt. Classic me, right? I was like, “Great, now I look like a walking coffee stain.”
So, I’m chowing down, and suddenly, I hear this commotion outside. I peek out, and there’s a crowd near the Benteng Marlborough. Some dude’s yelling about a stolen bike. I’m like, “Really? In broad daylight?” So, I grab my stuff and head out.
Turns out, the bike was stolen right under the noses of a bunch of people. I mean, c’mon, folks! Keep your eyes peeled! I start asking around, and this one guy, he’s all like, “I saw a guy in a red shirt.” I’m thinking, “Great, that narrows it down to half the city.”
Then, I get a call from my partner, Rina. She’s at the Pasar Minggu, chasing down a lead on a petty thief. I’m like, “I’ll be there in a sec!” So, I hop on my motorbike, zooming through the streets. The traffic on Jalan Soekarno-Hatta was a nightmare. I swear, I almost lost my mind.
Finally, I get to the market. It’s packed, as usual. Rina’s there, looking all serious. She’s got this knack for making even the most mundane things seem intense. “You won’t believe this,” she says. “The thief is a kid! Like, 12 years old!” I’m like, “What? A kid? In Bengkulu? This is wild!”
We chase after the kid, weaving through stalls selling everything from ikan bakar to fresh fruits. I’m dodging people left and right, trying not to knock over a pile of durians. Those things are dangerous, man!
After what feels like an eternity, we corner the kid near the Taman Kota. He’s got the bike, looking all guilty. I’m like, “Dude, what’s your deal?” He just shrugs. I mean, I get it. Times are tough, but stealing? C’mon!
Rina and I decide to take him to the police station. On the way, I’m thinking about how crazy this day has been. One minute I’m sipping coffee, the next I’m chasing a kid through the market. Bengkulu, you’re a wild ride!
We finally get to the station, and the kid’s mom shows up. She’s crying, saying she didn’t know he was out stealing. My heart kinda breaks, ya know? I mean, it’s tough out here. But still, rules are rules.
After all that drama, I head back to my bike. I’m exhausted but kinda pumped. I mean, this is what I live for, right? The thrill, the chaos, the unexpected twists.
As I ride home, I can’t help but smile. Bengkulu, you’re a mess, but you’re my mess. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Just another day in the life of a detective, I guess.