It isn't unsual for people here have a reserved seat for their friends. You can find them during lunch time at the food court or coffee shops. But rarely on public transportation. Then again, this is Jakarta where any absurd things can happen.
Once I went with a friend of mine to watch a live show from one major television station here in Indonesia. When we were about to take a seat. a mother with her daughter told us not to sit there. They said there are people going to sit there. Yup. There were several empty seats but we coudn't sit there. So, while grumbling we took another spot and sat there. That's when we saw many people just arrived and take the reserved seats. They probably have many seats reserved for the whole neighborhood. Goodness!
Why I suddenly talk about this? On dailynews Kompas dated 14 october 2012 there was a story about a guy try to have a seat reserved for his friend. From his conversation through handphone, his friend was waiting in another busway stop. So, when he got two empty seats he quickly put the backpack on the empty seat. He then take another near empty seat. Then another passanger entered the busway. The new passenger was about to take a seat when this guy stop him. He said the seat has been taken. The new passenger was upset and persistently asked where is that person? Not here? So, why can't he sit there? After another angry passengers terrorizing this guy, he finally gave up. And even decided to gave up both his seat and the reserved one. That guy left the busway when it reached the next busway stop.
