for Edy and his son Rachmat, coffee is a family affair. This father and son duo were brewing coffee, dishing mie ayam and distribute the occasional road Pijat session from the Suharto era. Back behind the bustle of Sudirman, nestles in the shadow of Senopati, is standing coffee and Edy Rachmat kaki lima .
Business is good. Edy and Rachmat serve all taxi drivers and construction workers to doctors and office workers sneak away for a quick cigarette and a cup of Kapal Api.
Although Rachmat, 29, may be too young to remember the early days of the business adventure of his father, Edy recalls quickly with zeal.
"I got this basket since the 70s," he said on a car horn at random, the jackhammer and the occasional sweet smell of instant coffee. "I do not remember have this cart. This basket has put food on the table for Rachmat and his siblings for over 40 years. "
But the years were taking a toll on Edy. Last year he had a stroke, so Rachmat took over the heavy lifting and coordination, storage basket every night after midnight when the two decide to call it a night.
"We get here at 14 o'clock, when the taxi drivers have to take a break in the shade," said Rachmat. "We live down near Ragunan, by the house of Gus Dur. We do not get home until the first prayer some evenings. We close at midnight, but we have to change buses a few times and some of the buses are not on time. Most nights we get to bed around maghrib . "
While some people might look for hours like this and wonder why Edy and his son came all the way from Ragunan to Senopati just to sell coffee, the father-son duo quickly some dishes small business advice 101.
"This is the best location in the city," said Edy craning his neck to watch the cranes and flowering skyscrapers along Jalan Senopati. "It is very well located for pedestrian traffic. We all taxi drivers who stop to relax and have a cup of coffee. Then across the street, we have our friends selling gorengan (fried snacks). And next to them there is a guy who fixes flat tires. And just down the road there is a school and a hospital. There is nothing like that in Ragunan. And if there was, we have to fight against a lot of other people for first place. I Betawi. I do not want to have to push and shove a place to sell coffee. "
And why should it?
Jakarta has always been a city of possibilities. If the market share does not seem attractive in a part of town, then just pick up and move down the street. and if that does not work you move a little further down the street. that's the beauty of a chaotic city of 20 million as long as you have passion and drive, there is a place for you in the Big Durian. There is a place for everyone.