The Married With Stranger
Siomay

Ismed stopped a two-wheeled vehicle carrying himself and Dennis in front of a cart of typical Bandung food vendors. Although their presence there invited many gazes from the surrounding community, but did not discourage Ismed to accompany Dennis who wanted to try siomay.

Ismed turned off the engine and looked at Dennis from the rearview mirror. "This is where the siomay seller is, Mister. Comeon, down!" ismed.

Dennis according. He got off the motor and circulated his gaze while frowning. Will he meet Mr. Frans over there? Or the person who brought it wrongly because they did not understand what was said? The thought raged inside Dennis' head. However, he just kept quiet and followed what Ismed asked despite not understanding what the original Javanese man said.

Ismed approached the seller who was shaking the round hat to the right and to the left in front of the face to produce wind. He ordered two servings of siomay for himself and Dennis. After that, he approached Dennis who was sitting in a plastic chair near the cart.

"Pedes or no?" ask the seller.

Ismed looked at Dennis. "Mister Bule likes a bad one?"

"Pedes? What is that?" ask Dennis with a thick American accent.

"Oh, Mister likes a bad one anyway. Okay, Mister," said Ismed, giving his thumbs up, then turned to look at the seller. "Kang, both are spit, yes. De'e jebule doyan handler pedes," continued Ismed while enjoying the breeze.

The seller simply nodded and immediately made an Ismed order. Cut the fish-based snacks into parts and vegetables as a complement, then pour the peanut sauce that is characteristic of the food. Do not forget to also add chili sauce to add flavor.

Ismed receives a plate from the seller, then gives one of them to Dennis. "Please eat the siomay, Mister."

"Siomay, siomay, siomay .. wait, what? The siomay? He didn't misunderstand my words, did he? I asked to be shown the way, not take me to eat" Dennis cried in his heart.

Having just realized this, Dennis looked at Ismed who was enjoying siomay.

"Will Mr's. Frans be here later?" dennis asked which made Ismed look at him straight away.

"Where, Mister? Tastier? Yes, no?" Ismed turned around to ask.

Although he did not understand, Dennis nodded. "Yeah."

"It was not in vain that I brought Mister here," said Ismed, then again enjoyed siomay.

Wanting to honor Ismed's hard work in understanding his words, Dennis calmly began to hold the spoon and prepared to taste the siomay. However, once inside his mouth, his face suddenly reddened. It even coughed because it choked on something that was always avoided.

"Crap holy! It's so spicy!"

Dennis stood up and kept the dishes in the chair, then frowned to look for the existence of a shop or whatever it was that could provide water while hissing the spiciness.

Seeing Dennis' reddened face, Ismed stopped eating. "Mister why?

"I need water now!" dennis said, still hissing.

Ismed scratched his head because he did not understand what Dennis was saying. If he knew it would happen like this, he would not bring the bule to enjoy typical Indonesian food, especially Bandung. Not knowing what to do, he approached the siomay seller.

"Kang, what did Mister say, huh? Don't you know, don't you?" ask Ismed.

The seller nodded. "I don't know either, but I think he's going to poop. As far as I know, 'water' means water."

"Dispose of water, huh? Sek, I ask first." Ismed approached Dennis and patted his arm twice. "Mister if you want to, mending at my Boss' house, only" continued Ismed.

With a frown, Dennis prepared to reply to Ismed. However, because the phone in his pants pocket shook, he waved a waiting sign at Ismed because who knows the caller can help him free from spicy taste.

"I don't know where I am. I met someone and asked for directions, but now I'm on the side of the road, not Mr. Frans," replied Dennis.

"Broadside?"

"Yes!" Dennis again hissed making Rud frown in confusion.

"You why?" ask Rud.

"The guy gave me food that I don't know what it's called and it's so spicy!"

Rud laughing. "Give her your phone."

Dennis nodded and thrust his phone in front of Ismed. However, the man did not accept it straight away. So, he told her if her friend wanted to talk.

"My friend wants to talk to you" Dennis said.

Ismed received Dennis's phone and stuck it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Are you really taking my friend to eat?" ask Rud.

"God, Sir."

"I'll be there right away, so please take care of him first. Just buy him some water."

"Wooh! I forgot to bring money, sir." Rud told Ismed that he could ask for money to the current boule with him. As a result, Ismed glanced at Dennis who was staring at him. He nodded even though he could not be seen by Rud on the other side of the phone. "God, Sir."

After that, Dennis was back in control of his phone. He only nodded at Rud's words before the connection was cut off. He soon opened up a very useful search engine platform for all people around the world to help him translate what Ismed said, and vice versa.

Dennis searched for the language of his native country and the country he was visiting, pressed the microphone symbol on the screen, then started speaking. As soon as the translation came out, he showed it to Ismed.

"Can you buy me some water?" Ismed read the translation of Dennis's phone with a Javanese medok. After that, he looked at Dennis. "Yes, I can, Mister. That's just .. money. I have no money" continued Ismed as he waved to the left and to the right.

Sensing what Ismed was saying, Dennis reached into his pants pocket again, this time picking up his wallet. Because previously had not done preparation, as a result he only had a few pieces of dollar currency, not rupiah. Even so, he still took out a hundred dollar piece and handed it to Ismed.

Ismed looked at the money in his hand. "Opo iki money?"

Ismed does 3D—viewed, touched, traded— as recommended by the government to ensure if the money is real money while reading the printed word. However, because he did not manage to find something suspected of being fake, he scratched his head.

"That's dudu dolanan, right?" murmured Ismed, still observing the money.

With a frowning forehead, Dennis patted Ismed on the shoulder. "What's going on?"

"Sorry, Mister, I'm ...."

*To be continue ....

A/N*: SORRY TO BE BORN AND INNER, YES. MAY OUR LIVES BE BESTOWED WITH GRACE AND ALWAYS HEALTHY IN THIS TIME OF PANDEMIC. ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH, GUYS ;)