Best Friend of Bad Luck

In middle school, I made friends with a rich kid named Yuloyo who always bring me bad luck every time we were together. Actually not all the time, but all my life exorted experiences always have a connection with Yuloyo. Yes, every time I got extorted by strangers, thugs, etc. it always happened when I was with him. Although our appearances are both the same skinny-looking nerd, strangely I was the only one who always got unlucky, and Yuloyo had never been extorted at all.

A story when I was going back home after school with Yuloyo, we both saw a thug who is picking his nose so deeply with his finger and showing a funny facial expression. I could hold my laughter but Yuloyo cant, he laughed so loud. That thug suddenly turned his sight on us, and with a rage face, he pointed his finger at us. We don't have much brave to run away, so just stand still in fear watching him come to us. He was mad and then ask me for some money. Strangely it's only me the one who get extorted and he left Yuloyo unharmed. 

More story, when we were on public transportation, Yuloyo just borrowed my new hat which looks very nice and kind of expensive. Suddenly there was another thug who came inside and saw us. When Yuloyo gives that hat back to me, the thug suddenly approached us and ask for it. Nothing we could do, I just give him my hat and again, he left Yuloyo unharmed. 

Another story when we were hanging out, right after we bought some street food snacks, there was some high school student who ask for my snacks only. Strangely, again and again, my snacks were only the ones that they asked for. He just left Yuloyo to eat his snack peacefully. Fortunately, Yuloyo still want to share his snacks with me after they left.

One more story during the inter-semester holiday, we want to rent a Play Station 2, and we decided to save some money so we could play it together for a longer duration. While on the way to the rental place, there was another thug who asks my money. I just gave him all of my money and again, the thugs just left Yuloyo untouched. It makes me kind of sad, but luckily, cuz Yuloyo was rich, he's the one who was willing to pay the whole rent so we could keep playing it together.

Once at a point I feel so annoyed, I thought all of the thugs that extort me were some kind of conspiring with Yuloyo. Maybe I'm just destined to prevent someone's bad luck. Or maybe all of that situations just want to teach us something. But despite all of that was true or not, the lessons that I can take are: always looks low profile, be humble, respect each other, don't overlook important items, and do not act arrogant.

Now that I'm older, went to high school, go to college, had a job, and get married, Yuloyo and I still became best friends. And don't worry, until now every time we're hanging out, I'm never being extorted by strangers again. I've learned how to make a secret pocket to put my money in, always look simple, only wear cheap items, eat healthy, and keep doing some workout exercises so I do looks bit dominant.

Fiction Inspired by Gilang Bhaskara - Indonesian Comedian life story.

Short story about friendship, short story about teenager, short story about growing up,