Dul
022. Miss Mother

“Mbah ... Which mother? How come, I didn't come by? Phone Mom, Mbah ...”

For the umpteenth time, Dul came to Mbah Lanang and asked the whereabouts of his mother. Usually, three days is the longest time for her to wait for her mother. Never more. But that time was almost a week. It's been too long.

“Propa. Your mother's busy. Will also be here.” Mbah Lanang's answer is the same as before. Always it. His mother is busy and will be here soon. But I don't know when.

Since the incident that night, Dul so have a new habit. After every afternoon shower, he went to the police station to ask Bara. And each received the same answer, that Bara was not there, Dul would walk to the SPBU who was next to the Police. He spent his time sitting on the stairs of a fried chicken outlet SPBU. Daydreaming staring at each vehicle that comes in and out of SPBU. Raising eyes every look at the big red motorcycle he expected as Bara who came to pick up.

During his sitting on the steps of the fried chicken outlet, several times Dul found himself given money by visitors. Someone gave him a sheet of paper money directly into his lap. There were also those who dumped some coins while passing by. The money was never brought home. There are always street children who claim to be theirs. Like what happened that day.

“Where is the money that was sent to you? How much do you get? You're the new kid, right, here? Can't take part.” A child who was bigger than Dul raised his hand asking for money that people gave to Dul.

Without saying anything, Dul shifted his seat and handed over all the money that people had given him.

“This is everything?” ask the boy. Dul nodded. “Okay if so,” again.

“Don't forget to share with your sister,” said Dul flat, looking at a toddler girl who had since been seen sitting on the edge of the SPBU park with the boy.

The boy kept silent and said nothing. His hands scooped all the money from the stairs. Take him, then leave.

Feeling that he had been in front of the fried chicken outlet for a long time, Dul left SPBU and walked towards the alley of his house.

If previously Dul felt that his mother's rule prohibiting playing with gang children was excessive, he should now be able to feel relieved. He was free to roam for almost a week. Play with any child and up to any hour, no one is looking for him. Mbah Wedok and Mbah Lanang were not too concerned as long as he kept coming home.

However, it turns out that freedom makes him even more lonely and feel unwanted by anyone. He did lose Bara and wanted the man to be his father. But above all his wishes, he just wanted to meet his mother. Want to be with his mother, with or without Embers.

Ms. .. I miss. Did Mom not miss me?

Arriving in front of the wooden fence, the front door was open. The voices of Mbah Lanang and Mbah Wedok sounded loud and earthy.

Staggered again ….

Who is not bored, he thought. Almost every day since his mother did not show the nose, his parents always quarreled. Mbah Wedok who rarely speaks, now often answers the words of Mbah Lanang.

Dul sits on the stone wall he once occupied with Bara.

“Jam just woke up from a nap, sleep malemnya what time again? I told you not to stay up often. At the stall almost all day, but the colonized jengukin did not want to. The reason is still dizzy!” Mbah Wedok's voice now sounded domineering.

Mother Jengukin?

Sahutan Mbah Lanang, immediately heard. “I'm still dizzy. Over there, colonized, right, treated. Why am I disturbing? He might be more stressed if he saw me coming. I'm afraid he's crazy. Who would his son be if his mother was crazy?”

Mom stressed? Crazy one?

“That's your son, sir! Lastborn. Of your five sons, lived the most destitute of all. Does he have to work abroad like his two mbakyu? Negation you money every month let you mingle?”

“Si Fredy has gone to jail because of the man who rode the red motorbike. You think if Fredy goes to jail, everything will work out? It's not really, is it? Strained by stress, go crazy like first. If so, whose child is playing?”

You used to be crazy?

Dul. Crumpled his chest with his thighs and his head down staring at the ground. His attention was on a dried mango leaf. He tore the leaves and left the leaf bones until they were shaped like a lid. His fingers began to form a circle on the ground. Repetitively.

You ever been crazy? Crazy one? Not want anything? Don't you want me? Is that why you haven't come home?

That crazy word made his mind stop at a man at a crossroads. The man who always walked a long distance barefoot, stopped to scavenge garbage from the barrel, scolded street vendors, mocked and harassed street children.

“No way Madam,” whispered Dul. Her tears fell to the ground. Right in the middle of the circle he was drawing. In the darkness of the night, in front of the tea-dark fence plant, he lowered his head alone. Not heeding the drone and mosquito bites.

Dul squinted his eyes while wiping his tears quickly. Seeing the big red motorcycle stop near his feet, Dul blinked. Tears that he had long endured, came out crammed.

“Om Bara ..” said Dul, standing from a stone wall and scattering hugging the waist of a man who had not even had time to lower the standard of his motorbike.

“Om over time, huh? Sorry Om, yes, Dul ...”

Dul let go of tears while hugging the waist of the man who was not who he was. Bara hugged his back still with a helmet that had not been released. Let Dul spill all the sadness he harbored.

“Udah? How's it? We can chat?” ask Bara when Dul raises his face.

“Om Where to go?” ask Dul.

“Come, up to the motor. Let's go get a minute to find a restaurant for dinner. It's laper, right?”

“Udah laper, but Mbah ...” Dul stopped his words.

“Later Om Bara who said the same Mbah,” said Bara.

“Om Bara is not afraid of Mbah?” Dul lowered his voice.

“Mbah Dul nyeremin. Why should I be afraid? Come,” take Bara, extend his hand.

Dul welcomed Bara's hand and stepped on the saddle of the puppet. “Helm pink has Mom where?” ask Dul from behind.

I laughed a little. “Helm Mother missed at home. This mall we eat here. What matters is that we can talk to both of us. Bener, no?”

“Iya, Om. It's nothing.” Dul rubbed his face again to make sure his face was clean without tears.

“Mother's Kangen, yes?” ask Bara, please,

Dul gasped for a moment. Bara clamped both of his hands and placed them to his waist. “Current handle, yes. We leave now,” said Bara, patting the back of his hand and then starting to advance the motor.

“Om I've met Mom? Mom where?” yelled Dul from behind.

“Mother is working out of town. But not for long, really. Mom must be home soon. You said I miss Dul."

“Working mom out of town?”

“Iya.”

“Means Mom's not crazy, right?”

That question was not answered by Bara. The man was silent for a moment. Dul's hand that was on Bara's stomach could feel that the man took a deep breath before returning to talk. “Who said that? Mother has work. Om yesterday was nganter. If you want to know about Mom, don't ask anyone else. Do not be afraid of others. You should ask Om. Denger?”

“Denger, Om!”

“You believe Om, right?”

Dul tightened his embrace at Bara's waist. “Believe, Om.”

Bara patted the back of his hand. “Good. Om also believes in Dul.”

To Be Continued