Desa Panyalahan

Pada Jaman dahulu, di Tasikmalaya ada sepasang suami isteri di daerah itu. Kehidupan mereka cukup tentram dan bahagia.  Pada suatu hari mereka menemukan seekor harimau kecil yang ditinggal mati oleh induknya.  Harimau itu dipelihara oleh mereka, dididik dan diperlakukan seperti anggota keluarga sendiri.  Ternyata hewan itu tahu diri, ia menjadi penurut kepada sepasang suami istri itu.  Harimau itu tumbuh menjadi besar, ia cerdas dan tangkas.  Harimau itu diberi nama si Loreng.

Demikian erat hubungan si Loreng dengan suami isteri itu sehingga ia dapat mengerti kata-kata yang diucapkan suami isteri itu.  Kalau ia disuruh pasti menurut dan mengerjakan perintah suami isteri itu dengan baik.Suami isteri yang bekerja sebagai petani itu semakin berbahagia ketika lahir anak mereka, seorang bayi laki-laki yang sehat dan menyenangkan.  Inilah saat bahagia yang mereka tunggu-tunggu sejak lama.  Apabila mereka pergi bekerja di sawah, bayinya ditinggal di rumah.  Si Loreng ditugaskan untuk menjaga keselamatan anak mereka.

Pada suatu siang yang terik, isteri petani pergi ke sawah untuk mengirim makanan kepada suaminya.  Melihat kedatangan isterinya si suami segera menghentikan pekerjaannya.  Ia segera menghampiri isterinya di dangau.  Di sana si suami melahap makanan yang dihindangkan isterinya. Baru saja selesai makan dan minum, tiba-tiba mereka mendengar suara  gerangan si Loreng.  Si Loreng nampak lari pontang-panting, melewati pematan sawah terus menuju ke dangau.  Si Loreng mengibaskan ekornya berkali-kali dengan lembut sembari menggosok-gosokkan badannya kepada suami isteri itu.

 “Kakang, (sebutan untuk suami) mengapa tingkah si Loreng tidak seperti biasanya?” Tanya sang isteri.  “ Iya, Isteriku…aneh sekali.  Ada apa gerangan?” sahut sang suami.  “Kakang! Lihat…!” teriak sang isteri.” Mulut Loreng penuh dengan darah!” Sang suami tesentak kaget, mulut si Loreng memang berlumuran darah segar. “Loreng…? Kata sang suami.” Jangan-jangan kau telah menerkam anakku.  Kau telah membunuh anakku!”

Si Loreng menggeleng-gelengkan kepalanya.  Sehingga darah di bagian mulutnya berhamburan, si suami seketika meluap marahnya.  Ia segera mencabut goloknya dan memenggal kepala si Lorong!.  Si Loreng yang tak menduga diserang tak sempat mengelak.  Harimau itu mengerang kesakitan, ia tidak melawannya, sepasang matanya memandang ke arah sepasang suami isteri itu dengan penuh rasa penasaran.  Karena hewan itu belum mati si suami segera mengayunkan goloknya dengan penuh kemarahan sehingga tiga kali, putuslah leher si Loreng dari badannya.  Binatang itu tewas dengan cara mengenaskan.

“Kakang ! Cepat kita pulang !” Mereka segera berlari ke rumahnya. Sampai di dalam rumahnya, mereka mendapati anaknya masih berada di dalam ayunan. Bayi itu nampak tertidur nyenyak.  Dirabanya tubuh anaknya itu, diguncang-guncang tubuhnya.  Si bayi pun terbangun dan tersenyum melihat kedatangan orang tuanya.

Kedua suami isteri itu bersyukur karena bayinya selamat dan masih hidup. Setelah puas memandangi anak bayinya, setelah merasa lega atas keselamatan anaknya, kini mereka mengedarkan pandangan ke sekeliling ruangan dalam rumah mereka, perhatian mereka terpusat pada tempat sekitar ayunan anaknya bagian bawah. Mereka mendapatkan bangkai seekor ular yang sangat besar berlumuran darah tergeletak di bawah ayunan.  Sadarlah kedua suami isteri itu bahwa si Loreng telah berjasa menyelamatkan jiwa anaknya dari bahaya yaitu dari serangan ular besar. Suami isteri sangat menyesal, terlebih si suami, karena telah tergesa-gesa membunuh harimau kesayangannya.  Hal tersebut membuatnya salah terka.Dalam bahasa Sunda, salah terka disebut nyalahan.

Untuk mengenang peristiwa tersebut, maka tempat tinggal suami isteri itu dinamakan "Panyalahan". Lama kelamaan Panyalahan makin banyak penduduknya sampai menjadi sebuah desa yang ramai.

Desa Panyalahan story in English

Once upon a time in Tasikmalaya, there lived a wife and a husband. Their life was quite peaceful and happy. One day, they found a stray tiger cub left by its dead mother. The tiger cub was cared by them, being educated and treated like their own family member. In fact, the tiger was appreciative, it became obedient to the couple. The tiger grew into a big tiger, he was clever and tough. The tiger was named Loreng.

The relationship between Loreng and the couple was so close, that Loreng was able to understand every words said by the couple. If he was asked to do something he would obey and did what he was asked. The couple, who were farmers, were even happier when their child was born, a healthy son. This was the happy moment they had waited for a long time. When they went to the field  to work, the baby was left in the house. Loreng was asked to look after their son’s safety.

In a sweltering afternoon, the wife of the farmer went to the field to send the foods for her husband’s lunch. Seeing her wife’s arrival, the husband immediately ceased his work. He quickly approached his wife in the lake. There, the husband ate the foods served by his wife. As the husband finished eating and drinking, they suddenly heard Loreng’s roar. Loreng then seemed to run hurrily, through field into the lake. Loreng flicked his tail repeatedly and softly as he rubbed his body to the couple.

“Kakang (a call for the husband), why does Loreng’s behavior is not as he usually is?” asked thee wife. “Yes, my wife, how strange. I wonder, what happened?: said the husband. “Kakang! Look!” Shouted the wife. “Loreng’s mouth is full of blood!” The husband was startled, Loreng’s mouth was indeed stained with flesh blood. “Loreng...?” Said the husband. “Don’t tell me you have pounced my son. You have killed my son!”

Loreng shook his head, which it made the blood on his mouth splattered, the husband got even angrier. He quickly drew his machete and chopped Loreng’s head! Loreng, which he did not expect to be attacked, did not manage to evade. The tiger groaned in pain, he did not fight back, one of his eye stared at the couple curiously. Because the beast was not dead just yet, the husband swung his machete three times immediately and angrily, Loreng’s head was chopped off of his body. The beast died a tragic death.

The couple were grateful since their baby was safe and still alive. After satisfied staring at their baby and felt relived of their son’s safety, they began to look around the room on their house, their attention was focused on the place below their son’s cradle. They realized that Loreng had saved their son’s life from danger, namely from the attack of a giant snake. The couple regretted it, especially for the husband since he hurriedly killed his dear tiger. This caused a misunderstanding for him. In Sundanese, misunderstanding was known as Nyalahan.

“Kakang! Let’s go home quickly!” They run to their house as soon as possible. Arrived at their house, they got their son laid down in the cradle peacefully. The baby seemed to sleep soundly. They touched their son’s body, and shook it. The boy woke up and smiled upon his parent’s arrival.

In memory of that incident, the place where the couple lived then was named “Panyalahan”. As the time past, Panyalahan was getting crowded which it became a busy village.

The positive and negative influence of television

ESSAY WRITING
The positive and negative influence of television

It is agreeable that television is one of the most advanced technology in this era. The advancement of television (TV) can be measured by how comfortable it is to be watched, like its size, whether it is big, or slim like most today's TV or commonly known as LCD TV. Or it can be watched in most places in the house from living room, bedroom, even bathroom like in most movies, but of course not in toilet. However, a television could be nothing without TV channel. In Indonesia, there are a lot of TV channels that broadcast some programs for people to watch.
TV, in fact, gives influences to people, particularly the youngster. To be precise, it is the TV Programs that give influence to some people. Of course, there are two influence that are caused by the TV Programs; good influence and bad influence. There are some programs provided by TV channels that give good influences to people, like information, motivating, and SOME entertainment programs. However, there are also programs presented by TV channels that give bad influences to people, mostly the entertainment, which some are good, while the others are not, and even worse.
These TV channels can be considered as a source of information which can be global news, local news, history, origin, religion, sports, lifestyle, etc. For instance, like TVOne which mostly broadcasts news, global, local and sports, even though it also broadcasts a program of discussion like Lawyer's Club. Another example is MetroTV, which mostly broadcasts news as well, global, local and also sports, but again, it also broadcasts some good motivating programs like Kick Andy and Mario Teguh.
Entertainment, in this country may have a good influence to some people. Entertainment like Stand Up Comedy could be one example of good entertainment, since it encourages people to think in order to understand the joke. Not to mention, some jokes also related to real-life situation and condition, which some jokes are true, or ridiculous and awkward to imagine. Another good example of entertainment, and very fortunately a kid entertainment, film series like Upin dan Ipin, a good example to know our country neighbor Malaysia's culture, language and such. And funnily, the program uses a language which is quite common to some Indonesian people's ear, Malay. It is due to some Indonesian actually speak Malay, almost all region of Kalimantan and some regions in Sumatra to be precise.
TV Channels, however, also have bad influences just as stated in previous paragraph. Entertainment in some television channels, MOSTLY in Indonesian, and I even dare to say, ONLY IN Indonesia, there are a LOT of exaggerating entertainment in Indonesia, particularly film, mostly known as Sinetron. People used to watch some sinetron like Tuyul dan Mbak Yul, Jinni oh Jinni, and Om Jin. But now, a lot of people are getting truly tired of it. Most people still watch series like Raden Kian Santang or such though. This bad influence came from an illogical or ridiculous fact that came from the film itself, or some films, particularly sinetron, that teach the youngster to do things that they are not supposed to do. One big example is like sinetron Kamu which features the so-called boyband which are still kids. The ridiculous thing is, kids which can be said to be around 10 or even less, said and sang things about love. Seriously? A 10 years old kid talks like an adult about love? It can be said annoying to most people, particularly the adult. The worse thing is, most kids nowadays IMITATE them. Sooner or later, sin deeds would be done ONLY because of this, since even a 13 to 18 years old would do anything even sinful for so-called love, whether pure or fake love.
Again, one bad influence made by the entertainment of a TV Program, is the illogical and ridiculous fact of sinetron. For instance, there are sinetron like Kasih dan Amara, where the protagonist is seemed to willingly accept whatever treatment she got from her step-mother and step-sister, it's a good example of patience, a very patience indeed, until this Kasih girl seemed to seek a payback to her step-family. Not to mention, most sinetron seem to legalize touching, kissing even more than it, which the youngsters are curious of trying such things. There is a scene that OFTEN happens in a lot of sinetron nowadays. It is a scene where the protagonist (mostly boy, man, gentleman or whatsoever) are helping the damsel in distress (of course a female!), and this scene mostly ends where the protagonist loves the damsel in distress, so does the damsel, and the story escalates very truly absolutely quickly, they end up dating. What next in the next 20 years in sinetron? They end up married?
It matters a bit for the adult people, whether the young adult or the old adult, who were used to the Indonesian entertainment. For the youngster, however, whether teenagers or kids, whose minds are still fresh and easy to fill with anything disregarding whether it's right or wrong, logical or illogical, they would consider it to be a positive and common thing to do by the people.

The Strange Alibi of Mr.Blackwater

The Strange Alibi of Mr.Blackwater

by

Nizamuddin Arriyadhi

It’s been a hard night, Gregory Whitewood the Britain detective was on the way home, after solving a case. It was a murder case he solved, one unique case he had ever encountered. Four days before the case opened, he was employed to look after a man named Brian Castleburn discreetly for three days. This person whom he spied, was an owner of a casino, a bar, and a parlor, and was said to have wealth of $1 million dollars. Thereby, he was known as A million $ man, or at least that’s what his trusty subordinate, Steve Blackwater, as well as the one who employed Greg, recognized him. Even though, Brian was not known to be a man of such wealth by society but an owner of a rather small casino.

His subordinate, Steve, came to Greg’s detective office. As he entered the office, Greg was smoking the cigar, looking out of the window as he was a man wondering something to happen, and turned it off when he realized he had a client. “Sir Gregory Whitewood?” “Yes, I am. How may I help?” “Let me introduce myself first. I am Steve Blackwater. Now let’s get to the problem…” “Well, sir, before we talk, you may want a cup of coffee or tea or alcohol over there.” “Such a surprise you have Vodka there. Not alcohol, I’m driving. That Britain tea would please me most.” “Then please wait. Oh, just start talking, I’ll listen.” “Well, Mr.Whitewood, I’d like to offer you only a simple request. I want you to follow my boss, for 3 days. I suspected that my boss had a business with arm-dealer. I want you to only report to me what he is doing for 3 days. Do I make myself clear?” “Crystal clear, sir. May I have the photo, the name, and the address of your boss?” “A Photo? Sure do. Here it is.” “Oh, Mr.Brian Castleburn, the owner of Royal Casino in this town. In that case, you are the bartender who runs the Castle Bar he owns.” “Yes, I am. But… wait, did I tell you I am a bartender?” Judging you knowing that bottle there is Vodka, while there is no Vodka written on the bottle, I suppose you are a bartender.” “Impressive. You live up to your reputation as detective indeed. Anyway, I’ll pay you as soon as you finish the job via transfer in bank.” “My pleasure.” “Well, mr.Whitewood, if you’ll excuse me.” “Yes, by the way, sir, allow me to say this to you: Elated you to make you acquaintance.” Then Steve smiled, and he left the office.

Steve Blackwater was a man with a very athletic tall stature. He said he was a bouncer of Mr.Brian Castleburn’s bar and had ever been his bodyguard as well. He, however, promoted to be his personal assistant after Mr.Castleburn’s success on managing the bar. He was promoted because he was not a brawny brute man but with brain as well. He was ordered to run the bar while his boss, Brian, managed the casino. Steve, in the town, was secretly known as a look-alike of a police officer in the city.

The detective, thereafter, started to cover himself up, wearing sunglasses, a trilby hat, and taking newspaper with him. As his spying progressed, he would start to do something which was common for some people around him to do like sitting on nearby seat and reading newspaper, listening to music, or else when the target was about to realize he was followed. He would also open his coat to make his appearance seemed different, so the target would not realize his existence. Upon doing this, Greg felt like a ninja. The detective, however, suspected the casino owner. He dressed normally like how a boss, an owner of casino should be at first day of his spying. But in the third day, he totally covered himself; he wore a long coat that covered his neck, a hat that covered his hair, and sunglasses that made his face barely unseen, not to mention of his hairy beard and the way he walked with hand on the pocket. And it stayed the way it was until the job finished.  He, however, did go to the place which can be suspected as a place of arm-dealing both at the first and the second day of spying.

After the job done, Steve the client paid the detective Greg via transfer, and Greg was surprised, since the payment of the job was too high, which was suspicious to him.  He was paid $500 only to spy a man! It’s illogical unless if Greg was also asked to arrest him along with the evidence of his arm-dealing. Greg, feeling curious, had sensed there’d be another case for him. “That was an easy job, but the payment is… Well, now this is what I’d call a peculiar event. According to my instinct, I suppose there’d be another case after this. I really am certain of it.” And he was right. A day after Greg spied the casino owner; he was found hanged with a chair RIGHT below his hanged body in his house by his servant.

There was a letter of testament found in the table near the hanged body. It was typed: “I suppose someone did try to kill me. Tell them: Bring it on! I’ve got cancer! I rather die than let myself killed! I hereby abdicate my bar and my casino to Steve. I too hope Steve was the one who found this letter.” Greg was firstly suspicious with the chair since it was peculiar to him, not to mention the position of the body was too high Mr.Castleburn to hang himself who had a short stature. He suspected it to be a murder, and the suspect that he thought of at the very first was his client.

He investigated the house to find some clues. Strangely, he found two cups of coffee and two cakes, which each cup and cake was located opposite, as he was with someone before committing suicide. The police, however, assigned the case as suicide. But Greg couldn’t just accept the police’s decision. “Sir, I don’t think this is a suicide case!” “If so, what do you have in mind of this case?” “A murder” “Excuse me? And how would you explain this testament?” “Well, officer, it is typed, and anyone can type it. But firstly, as you can see here, the chair, it’s suspicious!” “Oh, by the way, would you introduce yourself? By the look, you surely are a detective…… Oh! Wait a minute! I think you look familiar! Oh yes! You are Detective Gregory Whitewood! Oh thanks goodness!” “What? Why is it officer?” “Well, Mr.Whitewood, our best inspector should have been the one to solve this case.” “Where is he?” “He said he took a vacation, a bonus from his friend.” “Oh, I see. Then would you let me handle this case on his behalf?” “Oh, of course! It’ll be my pleasure! Just tell me if you need anything!” The case, then, was for Greg to solve.

This client who employed Greg to spy the dead casino owner was said to just arrive from his vacation. He inherited the casino as well as the halves of the owner’s wealth, which the other halves were inherited to his family. This, certainly, startled and puzzled the detective, due to the fact that he was paid $500 for a simple job: to silently tail a person, a rich man with no bodyguard. And then the one who employed him later took over the casino from his target, which came to the detective’s mind that the client had a quiet motive to murder his own superior. He started to suspect him even more; however, there was something in his mind, “Now I’m sure HE was the one who murdered the owner! That payment was too high for a simple job! There must be something behind this. I should ask him something about this.” He took his long coat, his cap and his walking stick. Then he turned his car engine on and rushed in to his client’s house that not even a horse could outpace him.

His client, seeing him from outside, had already prepared for this. He knew that the detective would suspect him. “Just as I thought, I was probably wrong employing him. He is one careful fellow just what people said of him. But, hah, I have anticipated this right off the bat!” He then went down to the front door, and welcomed Greg. “Ah! Mr.Whitewood! What a surprise! Please come in!” Then Greg came in, placing his hat and his coat on the place that Steve had provided for him. Greg was wondering when he saw a hat, a coat, sunglasses and a fake beard until Steve said, “You may have a sit, Mr.Whitewood.” “Oh! Thanks.” Greg sat in the classic couch of a classic luxurious house of Steve Blackwater. “What is it you need, Mr.Whitewood?” “Okay, Mr.Blackwater, say, elated to have made your acquaintance…” “Excuse my interrupting, but can we go the point?” “Well then. Forgive my rudeness, but may I ask you something about the murder? Because I’m afraid you are involved in this case.” “I’m sorry, do you suspect me or something?” “It’s not like that, but I’ll be blunt I was suspicious of your payment of the job you gave me before. And again, my apology of my rudeness, please understand it’s my duty to suspect.” Steve replied it slowly, “Ah, don’t mind it, Mr.Whitewood… But tell you what? It’s absolutely impossible that I am the culprit of the murder… As you know that I have my alibi, and I think I told you where I was when Mr.Castleburn hanged… I was just arrived this morning via plane… I too, was surprised that I’ve got to take over the casino and to receive my boss’ money. So, it’s impossible for me to murder my own boss.” “But, sir, that doesn’t explain of your illogical payment for such a simple job.” “Aah, yes, indeed.” Steve looked at the clock as he was like a busy man and it was alarming. “I’m sorry to interrupt our conversation. It’s been a pleasure as well to have your acquaintance. But as you know, I now am a busy man.” “Yeah, thanks for the time, mr.Blackwater.” Afterward, Greg took his hat and his coat.

The detective Greg, however, still dissatisfied. He had realized it was Steve’s plan to extrude him when Steve interrupted his politeness from the start and when he replied slowly to have it timely exact with the time of the alarm. He, too, had realized something. “So I myself was the one who strengthen his alibi. There MUST be trick or something of his alibi. Wait, what if he didn’t really take the vacation? I think I’ve got to check it out myself.” Thereafter, he rushed to the airport and asked some of the worker there, whether Mr.Blackwater did take the vacation or not. He was disappointed; he learned Mr.Blackwater DID go to his vacation according to a ground crew he asked. However, he also learned that Mr.Blackwater was in incognito. As he learned Mr.Blackwater’s condition on Airport, he remembered about the fake beard he found at Steve Blackwater’s house.

As he sat and started to smoke with his pipe, he overheard a conversation between a ground crew and a pilot. “Yo homies, you just been to Hawaii, haven’t you?” “Yes, what is it?” “I heard someone brought a gun! Trying to hijack the plane! Is that true?” “Yes! I was terrified you know! Good thing the cop was on the flight too! He was on vacation he said. And he was right behind the dude; then he tackled him.” “Hey, you saw what happened?” “Nope, a passenger told our crew.” “If I was there, I’d kung-fu his ass and arrest him myself!” “What? You learn Kung fu?” “I can Kung fu! Ain’t nobody got time for learning that!” “Don’t tell me you learn it from movie.” “Ah! Screw you!” Their conversation ended as well as Greg’s smoking, and he smiled. “Now this is interesting.”

He then asked the chatting crews. “Excuse me, gentlemen. I’m Detective Gregory Whitewood, on duty for the police. May I know the name of the police who capture the hijacker?” “Oh, sure, Sherlock. Anyone in Las Vegas knows who he is. And I suppose you know him as well. He is Inspector Tommy Towngate.” “Now he’s the real kung fu fighter in town. He was a gangsta back in Brooklyn by the way. And then someone from Las Vegas befriended with him.” “A white gangsta?” “Sorry for interrupting the chat, but is Inspector Tommy’s ticket is not his name?” “From what I heard from my crew, no, it isn’t. It’s name is someone else.” “What? Isn’t it against the law?” “Well, Sherlock, a few people thought he was that gentleman bartender of Castle Bar, Steve Blackwater. But I realized when he said ‘You’re arrested’ like he is a cop. Then we recognize him to be Inspector Towngate. Well, since he saved us from the terrorist, our crew didn’t mind him being the wrong passenger.” “Is that so? Very well then, gentlemen, thank you for the information.” “Anytime, Sherlock!” He walked away, leaving both of them as the pilot started to wonder. “Wait, man, I think I know that dude.” “What? That detective? You don’t recognize him? Nigga, you serious? He is Gregory Whitewood!” “What?! Aww, heck! I should have asked for an autograph! He is like a hero in this town!” “Yeah, much like that Tommy you mentioned.”

As he walked to the park, he called the inspector who investigated Mr.Castleburn’s case. “Yes, mr.Whitewood?” “Inspector, may I know the name of the inspector who’s got the vacation? Is it Inspector Tommy Towngate?” “Yes! Yes, it is!” “Is he a friend of Steve Blackwater?” “Yes he is! He was the one who made that punk into a police officer. Oh God, to think Inspector Tommy was a punk back then. By the way, when I went to Castle Bar, I mistook Mr.Steve Blackwater to be Inspector Towngate. I suppose they are like twins or something.” “Okay. One more question, inspector, did he just get home today from Hawaii?” “Yes. And, how do you know this all exactly, mr.Whitewood?” “Just intuition. A detective intuition. Anyway, thanks Inspector!” As he hanged up his phone, he laughed, laughed of victory. People around him were startled of him, thinking he was going crazy, even though some of them recognized who he was. “Oh wait, I shouldn’t have laughed just yet. I should make sure of it to Mr.Blackwater. Hah, it seems now the wood is going to absorb the water.”

Afterwards, he raced his Porsche to to Steve Blackwater’s house to strike him down with his analysis. He called him while driving, which was actually forbidden by law to call someone while driving, not to mention on how fast he drove. “Mr.Blackwater?” “Yes?” “Are you home?” “I am.” “May I go to your house?” “Yes, of course.” “Well, I’m going in.” Steve prepared some tea, Britain tea, to show his guest his respect, before his guest arrived. Steve, however, was not aware that the detective he asked to spy his boss would arrest him and would drag him to prison. He was certain that his plan went smoothly.

Steve had waited him and welcomed him. The condition was just like when Greg came to his house to accuse Steve. “Oh, a tea of my homeland! How kind of you!” “It’s the very least I can do to respect you, Mr.Whitewood.” “Yes, thank you kindly. But sir, would you like to hear my analysis on this case of Mr.Castleburn?” “Of course! It’d be an honor to hear an analysis from detective such as you. But as you know, my boss is assigned to commit suicide. What else do you want to analyze?” “It is NOT a suicide, sir.” “Then how did you know that Mr.Castleburn was killed?” “When I arrived, the first thing which was peculiar was the chair.” “The chair?” “Yes, the chair. I felt something was strange. Well, the chair was right below the hanged body of Mr.Castleburn. How could a man hang himself with a chair right below him? It should have been moved back a bit.” “But he would climb it with chair, since he is one short fellow.” “That IS it! His stature made it difficult for him to hang himself, unless he jumped. But if he did, his hanged body would slowly swing forward and backward after he hanged himself, making the chair for him to stand to fall on the back and a bit further, not right below it. If he put the chair in reverse, it’d fall right below it, but the chair was unfortunately on the back, not on the front. Then I’m sure, somebody with tall stature would hang him up to the rope.” “Magnificent analysis, Mr.Whitewood. So, who’s that culprit?” “I’m afraid it’d be you, sir.”

Steve, looked calmly as calm as the lake can be, replied him. “That’s quite a confidence you showed to me. I told you, my friend, it was impossible for me to be the culprit, the murderer. Beside, I heard there was a testament there. It’s clear he committed suicide.” “It is typed, isn’t it? The testament?” “Well, yes.” “Anyone can type the testament, even by me, or by you.” “Then how would you explain my alibi? I DID take my vacation by plane.” “Are you sure, Mr.Blackwater?” “Of course! You may go to the airport to make sure of it.” “In that case, let me ask you if you really are sure you took your vacation. There was something happened in your vacation while you were on flight, wasn’t it?” “Well, there was nothing happened on the flight.” “I’m sorry then. I do have to arrest you.” “What? Why?” “The plane you flight with was hijacked.” “Oh yes! I forgot to mention it.” “No, you didn’t, Mr.Blackwater. If you did, tell me what happened to the hijacker. Don’t tell me you also forgot it as well.” “Well, I…” Steve started to look worry and was speechless.

Knowing this, Greg started to take a deep breath. He was going to explain the whole of Steve’s doing. “So, the procedure of your crime is like this: firstly you ensure Mr.Castleburn to get out of the casino, dealing with the arm-dealer like you said, whether it’s true or not. Secondly, you have your bonus of vacation from the boss, which for you was the perfect time to kill him. After you had it, you gave it to your look-alike friend, who is surprisingly a cop, Inspector Towngate. This one was what confused me most until I make sure of it myself at the airport. You did this to strengthen your alibi against the casino workers and of course me, Gregory Whitewood. Thirdly, you hired me to spy Mr.Castleburn to make sure he was okay but then he committed suicide a day before you, or exactly Inspector Towngate going back to Nevada, without involving you at all, which is why your payment to me spying him was illogically high. But the thing is, Mr.Castleburn died at the third day of me spying him. The one I spied was not Mr.Castleburn, but someone who looks like him you might hire to fool me, and asked him to wear the hat, the coat, the fake beard, and the sunglasses at your house upon my first visit to your house. You killed Mr.Castleburn at the third day I spy him.” “Well, all those 3 are actually true, I admit. But it’d be nothing without…” “…evidence. Well, mr.Blackwater, you DID not take the flight to Hawaii yesterday. It was your friend, Inspector Towngate. May I know what were you doing at 3 days in this town?”

“Outstanding, detective, very outstanding. I suppose you also know that I went to his house from the living room which had two cakes and two cups of coffee.” “Aww, I forgot that point.” “Well then, you got me. Fine, I admit, I AM the murderer of Mr.Brian Castleburn. You may arrest me now.” “My pleasure, Mr.Blackwater.” “Anyway can you tell me what happened to the hijacker? Did he manage to hijack the plane?” “Fortunately he didn’t. Your friend who flied replacing you took care of him.” “Tommy? Thank goodness.” “Impressive, Mr.Blackwater, you tricked for your alibi well. You used me and Inspector Towngate to strengthen your alibi of Mr.Castleburn’s murder, or exactly using me to strengthen your alibi against Inspector Towngate, and using Inspector Towngate to strengthen your alibi against me. Simply amazing, you confused me out there.” Greg handcuffed him with the handcuff he got from the inspector. They gazed to each other, one looked as if to say, ”Elated to make you acquaintance, but I win this battle of wits, my friend” while the other one looked as if to say, “Elated to make you acquaintance as well, congratulations on your winning.” They then went to the Police.

Greg started another conversation with his custody. “Well, Mr.Blackwater, I think now is my turn to ask you something.” “Sure. What is it?” “The motive of you murdering Mr.Castleburn is more than his wealth, isn’t it?” “I knew you’d realize it.” “Then you would surely explain it.” “Sure thing. Well, I talked to my boss that I wished to turn the bar I run into a restaurant. I also wished to be free from him.” “Free? From him?” “Yes, my boss had two bodyguards, one was me, and the other was Inspector Tommy.” “Is that so… Wait! What in the world…?!” “At 20, He escaped to Brooklyn, New York.” “And be a gangsta there.” “That’s right, and, how did you know it?” “Don’t mind it, continue it.” “I met him when my boss and I were on our business trip to New York. He told me he wished to be a police. I gave him some money of mine for him to go back to Las Vegas and motivated him to be a police officer.” “That’s good of him.” “When I was 24, I heard he was promoted into Officer. I was truly grateful. 4 years later, he was promoted into Inspector and was known to be a hero like you in this city.” “Then let me guess, Mr.Castleburn was angered due to Tommy’s betrayal and he wanted to send an assassin to kill him, which your motive was to protect Tommy from this?” “Exactly.” “Wait, so Mr.Castleburn is a mafia boss?” “And why didn’t you realize right off the bat?!” “Oh my God! I should have arrested him before you murdered him!” “Yeah, my apology. When I killed him, I was also planning to turn the casino into a school.” “Too bad for your failure because of me. I somehow felt guilty because of it.” “Hey hey, don’t mind it, it was your job after all.”

Arriving at the police headquarters, Greg turned Steve in to the police. Tommy was the one who took care of Steve, he didn’t realize he was used as tool of alibi to murder his former boss and was upset knowing this fact. He, however, did his job professionally disregarding it was his friend who was the culprit. Steve then whispered something, while at the same time, Greg also whispered something: “Elated to make you acquaintance.”

Story based on Detective Conan