Dul
024. Greeting Meanings

Although Dul's longing for his mother is growing, it is still a little treated with the presence of Bara who often invite him to dinner together. It seems that the man is increasingly curious about the life of he and his mother.

“So, besides Pakdhe, you also have Budhe?” ask Bara one night. They were eating at a cafe serving western food. That night Bara ordered a sirloin steak with a medium maturity level well for Dul.

Dul who was enjoying his new fancy food nodded. The coals have cut the steak into small pieces that can be directly put into the mouth and chewed.

“Pakdhe trade. His home is far from Mbah's. If Budhe two people said Mbah lived abroad. I got married there and rarely went home. He said that going home is expensive. So, mending the money to Mbah aja.”

“Means Mother Dul youngest child. So far Om do not know,” said Bara.

“Mothers don't talk?” Dul asked back.

“Om worried that your mother is not comfortable if you ask a lot. Dul often meet Pakdhe?”

Not comfortable? What is judes' mother?

“Not often. Pakdhe never said,” said Dul.

“That is to say never how?”

Dul looked at Bara's face. For a second he remembered his mother's saying that Bara was a journalist whose job was to gather news. Journalists are also synonymous with asking a lot of questions.

Does Om Bara again cuss the news with my name?

“Pakdhe never talked to me. Same Mother is also rare,” said Dul.

The embers of mangosteen with frowning forehead. From his face Bara like still holding other questions, but trying hard not to ask at that time.

“This is delicious, Om. What was his name?” Dul pointed at the piece of meat he had just stabbed with a fork.

“Namely steak. If you like later we often eat this,” said Bara.

“But the number one remains fried chicken,” cetus Dul. Bara laughed when she heard Dul's words. “Mmm ... If Om has how many brothers? Or alone like me?” ask Dul.

“No, Om not alone. She has a sister who is married and has two sons. Mmm ... if Dul is known to his Father and Mother Om, would you like not?”

“Mau—mau, so my mbah can add.” Dul again poked the piece of meat and put it in his mouth.

“Nanti .. maybe soon Om already can recognize Dul to parents Om. Om also has no patience,” said Bara.

Dul felt Bara's mood slowly but surely improve. One day the man came with a big smile. His appearance was more handsome, as well as more handsome.

The memory was clearly imprinted because Bara used to ride a motorcycle, that time taking him around in a car. That day Bara laughed a lot and made jokes.

“Om tomorrow graduation. Did you graduate?” ask Bara.

Dul shook his head.

“Wisuda it's graduation celebration. Passing means being finished. So if you finish Kindergarten, there could be a graduation. It is also SD, SMP and SMA. Well, Om that's wisudah magister.”

“Master what is it?”

“Master's ... level above bachelor's. So, Om has finished college, graduation trus and become a bachelor. Abis bachelor, Om went to college again in two years. Well, new, deh, magister. Om it feels great relief,” said Bara.

“If graduation must be relieved? Relieved it's happy, right?”

“True. Graduation would be happy. Because I have fulfilled the promise to my parents. His father and mother Om Bara believe that Om will fulfill the graduation promise. Hence Om as happy as this,” said Bara smiling satisfied.

After dinner, Dul kept the memory and knowledge of Bara's happiness due to graduation. It is also important to keep promises to parents.

Every time he came home from traveling with Bara, Dul was always equipped with snacks, pocket money, even small toys. Because the snacks are sometimes so much, Dul once asked.

“What is this not mostly, Om?”

After dinner with a nice steak, Bara didn't come for a few days. It seems like the graduation is keeping Bara a little busy. Dul misses his mother and Bara. Every feeling that infiltrated, he dismantled his plastic snacks. He wanted to increase his energy by choosing a few packs as his capital missed them.

And the next few days, Dul was confused by the attitude of Mbah Wedok and Mbah Lanang who were silent to each other. Mbah Wedok only spoke as necessary and Mbah Lanang told him short. Until one morning Mbah Wedok came home with a little groceries in his hand.

“You cook good? Shopping is a lot,” said Dul, crouching next to Mbah Wedok who was unpacking groceries.

“Mbah shopping use the money your mother gave you. The money deposited for the art scene yesterday is still there. Not so dipake.”

“So, great cook ...” Dul persisted until Mbah admitted that the day would cook well.

“Mbah want to cook for your mother. Later Mbah Lanang anter,” said Mbah Wedok.

“Nganter for Mom? Did you come home from out of town?”

If you're home, why didn't you see me here?

“Who said Mother out of town?”

“Om Bara says Working mom out of town. Soon go home,” replied Dul.

Mbah Wedok was silent for a while. “Mother just got home from out of town, but it's still busy. Ask to be mixed with Mbah Wedok. So today we cooked a little special. You can't come yet. Mom will come here. Patience, yes ...”

“Another moment, yes …. Yeah, had. I'm patient. Om Bara also said I must be patient,” muttered Dul.

Before noon, Mbah Wedok had already composed the side dishes on four levels. It's full. From the content of the abstinence, Dul can judge that Mbah Wedok also misses his mother.

I think Mother does need to snack so that it is delicious ….

That morning Mbah Lanang had just returned at dawn from the stall. Dul who opened the door because of the loud knock was definitely he who heard it first. Mbah Wedok approached Mbah Lanang and shook his shoulders. When he woke up, Mbah Lanang's face was instantly sour. Pouty. Maybe a little annoyed because it's good to be asleep the night woke up. Dul was ready to step aside in case the two mbahs quarreled.

However, seeing Mbah Wedok pinching a bushel filled with food for his mother, he hopes that Mbah Lanang will deliver the bushel. Then Mbah Wedok spoke a language that Dul did not understand.

“Pak, I'm tau njaluk opo-opo marang sampeyan. Suwene iki I dadi mother sing elek kanggo. I wis umyek really ngerteni wateke sampeyan ngasi me ora nggatekake my son sing need mom. I'm selfish. I mung njaluk stuff sing concluded. Colored saiki bene in openi Bu Widya meneh. I know when dhekne iso mbalek meneh koyo mbiyen. I'm a cooking bar. Tulung wenehke Colored."

(Sir, I never asked you for anything. All this time I've been a bad mother to be colonized. I was too busy understanding your nature to ignore my son who needed a mother figure. I'm selfish. I want to ask you for the last thing. Seized now treated Bu Widya again. I don't know when he'll be back. I have cooking. Please anterin to Colored.)

After saying that, Mbah Wedok put the bushel near Mbah Lanang, then went into the room. Dul sat leaning against the wall watching Mbah Lanang who was staring at the bushel while scratching his head.

Before long, Mbah Lanang took a bath and dressed neatly. Dul was amazed to see his Mbah Lanang turned out to be able to appear as neat and as handsome as it was. When passing him in front of the television, Mbah Lanang said nothing. Dul just saw his back out of the fence and put up a challenge. For some reason, with a long-sleeved shirt and pants material, Mbah Lanang that day looks dashing.

Dul was sitting on the outer wall of the fence when Mbah Lanang was seen in the distance. It turned out that delivering food to his mother did not take long. Mbah Lanang was back by noon.

“Who met Mom, Mbah?” Dul got up from the wall and taught Mbah Lanang steps into the house.

“Udah,” sahut Mbah Lanang.

“Mother didn't ask me?” ask Dul again. This time he sat down next to Mbah Lanang who was straightening his legs.

Mbah Lanang did not answer him at all. The man stared at the wall of the room across from them.

"Dadi wong tuwo, failed to mung sepisan. But the saklawase's little boy. I ora ono kanggone, mulane Dul .. Colored by your mother, nganggem ora ono family . Ning Dul, eling-elingen, Colored by your mother, kui dudu cah duroko .. mboten .. mboten duroko. Pambekten marang wong tuwo ono watese. Matur nuwun marang Gusti Allah, Le, your mother ora koyo sumbu. Sirutono your mother, yes, Dul. Igor."

(So old man, failed once. But his son will remember for life. My role does not exist, so Dul .. Sejah never mention having a family. Colored is not a bad boy. Because filial piety to parents does have its limits. Thankful that your mother did not imitate me. Same with your mother, Dul ..).

“Mbah, what's the talk?” Dul did not understand but Mbah Lanang did not answer. The old man looked over for a moment to look at her. Swiping his head once, then pulled a pillow from the thin mattress he used to occupy. Mbah Lanang went back to taking a nap still dressed neatly.

It was the last time Dul saw Mbah Lanang sitting down and talking. Because the guy who used to drive her to school these days, never woke up from his sleep.

To Be Continued