Dul
010. Bitter and Sweet

In the aftermath of events that imprint on Dul's childhood memory, the first stage where he served as a drummer is the most memorable. Preparations for the art stage have been prepared in advance. All the students practiced intensely for two weeks. Photographs of the previous years art performance displayed on the corner of the school wall, making Dul imagine what he would be like with a marching band uniform.

The previous afternoon, Dul welcomed a pack of famous branded nuggets his mother bought from a mini market. Shown by the luxury he got as an art supply, Dul's heart was sad because his mother could not participate a little entertained.

Tomorrow morning, Dul focused his hopes on Mbah Lanang as a companion to go to the stage of art. And that night, he sat in front of the television while opening his bag again. Take out the marching band uniform wrapped in plastic and look at it for a while.

Then his head turned to the door. Remembering Mbah Lanang who went to the stall after the magrib and has not returned even though the clock shows almost ten o'clock at night.

I have to wake up early tomorrow.

In fact, that night Dul slept curled up alone in front of the television while hugging his roll. Mbah Lanang who used to accompany him to sleep never went home. Hours later he woke up to a knock on the front door.

“Dul ... Dul ..” Excite Mbah Lanang. The loud knocking many times made Dul stand staggered open the door.

His Mbah Lanang came home at dawn. “Mbah .. already want morning, do not get up late, yes. Today I am performing art. Mom said yesterday.” Dul said slowly reminding Mbah Lanang who was holding the holster, then patting the pillow nearby.

“Iya—iya, do not forget. Later Mbah anter. You sleep again, it's still dark.”

Along with those words, Mbah Lanang closed his eyes and snored within seconds. Dul lay on his thin bed with eyes that could not be closed again. Now he was worried that Mbah Lanang could not be awakened in the morning.

Dul tried to close his eyes for a while, but Mbah Lanang's snoring could not bring him back to sleep. He got up from the bed and went to the bathroom. From the holes in the zinc roof of the bathroom, Dul saw the sky that began to color. He decided to take a shower before Mbah Wedok woke up to prepare his provisions. Getting ready early is better, he thought. At least he saves time Mbah Wedok who does not need to wake him.

“Nuggetnya, Mbah fried six aja, yes, Dul. The rest is simple for your dinner. His name Mbah addedin,” exclaimed Mbah Wedok when Dul was wearing his TK sports uniform. The marching band outfit will be worn when it arrives at the event venue.

“Iya, Mbah,” says Dul. He finished getting dressed and now stood holding the bag while staring at his Mbah Lanang who was still soundly asleep. “Mbah .. wake up. I'm leaving already. Later late,” said Dul slowly.

There is no lawfulness. Mbah Lanang flinch in a face down position. Dul crouched down near Mbah Lanang and shook the man's shoulder. “Mbah, come. I'm done. Collect it at school. It's seven o'clock, Mbah. We will miss the bus. Mother said not to miss because the venue is quite far away. I paid for everything. Mbah ...,” call Dul again.

Mbah Lanang opened his eyes slightly. “Your mother rumbled, why didn't she anter. Patience, any minute. Buses will not leave if anyone has not come,” said Mbah Lanang in an unclear voice. The man then moved his head to the wall to divert his gaze from the crouching Dul.

“Where's your class? Here, let Mbah enter the provision.” Mbah Wedok appeared with the lunchbox in his hand and immediately grabbed Dul's bag from the boy's hand. “Pak ... Sir! Wakes up. Anter Dul first, then sleep again. I want half eight. It's too late!” mbah Wedok.

There is no law at all. Whether it was because of soundness or because lazy to obey the cry of Mbah Wedok, Mbah Lanang still lay down on his stomach not moving at all.

Dul stared blankly at the wall which already showed at half-eight in the morning. There's no hope. Buses that will take Kindergarten students to the Park; the location of their art scene, must have departed.

Mbah Wedok grumbled in a loud voice but was not heeded. Mbah Lanang remained asleep. Dul felt all his preparations were in vain and his knees were limp. All the fanfare on the stage of art he had imagined in the past few days, evaporated already.

Do I have to go alone? But the money given by Mother is the same as Mbah Wedok. Can't ….

Stone as high as twenty centimeters from the collapsed fence post, it is always Dul's choice to sit when his ears do not want to hear the quarrel in the house. The sound of Mbah Wedok's tirade is slightly muffled if heard from outside the fence.

The front of his Mbah house faces a high wall directly adjacent to the Polsek backyard in which there are several sports fields that are rarely used. Dul stared at the wall for a while. His head then looked down at the box of supplies in his lap. His little heart was endlessly hoping for a little miracle that morning. Maybe God would move his teacher's heart to come and pick him up, for example.

“You, really, are still here? Not to leave? Why?”

His daydream was startled by the voice of his mother who suddenly crouched down next to him.

“Mbah Lanang woke up late in the morning. It's still builtin Mbah Wedok. I was ready to shower and wear clothes. Mbah Lanang came home almost early in the morning from the stall, he said he would continue. I'm late, Mom. My friends must have left on the bus.”

To whom else could he complain about all the odds of his heart since this morning? An hour of sitting outside doesn't make his Mbah Lanang wake up and take a shower. Wanting to cry roared asking Mbah Lanang to wake up, it must have been in vain. His heart was sad not broken. Remembering his other friends were on the bus and must have been singing on the way to the Park.

And that morning Dul broke his promise not to be a crybaby. He cried sobbing as he looked at his box. Realize that that morning everything will be messed up. He did not go to the art scene, and his mother would not go to apply for a new job whose salary was better. All because he was crying. Because he could not swallow his disappointment that morning.

Mother's quarrels and her two mbahs are inevitable again. Although everyone's voice sounded very loud, but the neighbors seemed to consider it as a commonplace thing that happened. A neighbor from behind passed by without even looking. Dul lowered his head. Now, his mother was crying during a fight with Mbah Lanang.

His mind was recalling all the songs in class he used to sing with his friends.

Maybe now they are again singing ‘On Sunday’. Or maybe a song ‘Burung Kakaktua?’ or song ….

Dul's busyness distracts his mind from the quarrel in the yard, distracted by something else he does not suspect. His eyes stared at the motorcycle tyre which was bigger than the motorcycle tyre he used to see. Make him stop thinking about children's songs. His gaze shifted to look at the feet wrapped in thick treaded shoes with a rope braid that was more complicated than his shoes. Dul's gaze lifted.

A man riding a big, shiny red motorcycle was raising his helmet glass.

About Bara ….

“Come, up.”

The first greeting from a foreign man who immediately greeted Dul. A little confused, but he felt that that morning Bara would solve his problem.

To Be Continued