That call

It was Aug. 5, a Sunday. I was just having lunch at about 3 p.m. at the office when two of my uncles called me. They told me that my father was sick in Cibatu, Garut. They wanted me to go home a.s.a.p.

What?

I just called home (in Bandung) on Saturday and there were no signs that he was ill. I called home right away.

"Bapak is in Cibatu with mother and grand pa," said my younger brother Pitra.

I couldn't get my mom or my grand pa's home in Cibatu. After some more calls, my youngest uncle broke the news.

"Your father has just died."

.....

.....

.....

Finally I got my mom. She broke in tears telling the news over the phone.

While grieving for the loss, I thank God for taking him in Cibatu and not while driving home to Bandung. My parents were about to leave Cibatu when my dad felt a chest pain.

I was told later that it was a swift, sudden death. Most likely caused by a heart attack, presumably painless.

My mom said he could see that my dad's eyes dried up and she saw that final breath.

He was 65. We held the burial service on Monday morning at my mom's family funeral in Cibatu.

Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi roji'un.

Allahumaghfirlahu, warhamhu, wa afini wa fu anhu.