The Sweet Memory After Ashar

The Sweet Memory After Ashar

(True Story)

Alpagatani

Banjarmasin, 20 Februari 2010

Ah, what could I do? The face of that girl always dances in my imagination, wherever I am. Like this time. Although the learning in the class almost perfect becuz the majority of the children could understand the lesson but in the rest of the learning process my memory always goes out to her name. At four o’clock my class finished and I had to meet her to day. I did promise in my heart. Yeah, that’s me: if I say to do I will do it. That’s one of the characters of an adventurer, only the experiences that make one adventurer to the others are different.

At the front of The Great Mosque I parked my motorcycle to wait for her becuz according to the schedule she would pass this way after picking up her sister from the school. The fresh wind that brought the smell of Banjarmasin’s river blew my embarrassment because on the phone I told her that there was something important that I had to give. But it was only a reason like the teenager did when he missed his special one. Er, of course, for the situation like this the oldness and intellectuality were no guaranty that you wouldn’t do a teenager’s doing.

In the waiting, she sent me an sms which told me that might be she would come late because there was something she wanted to buy. Hem, might be it was lipstick or powder, I think, whereas in the fact without lipstick or powder in her face she absolutely was a beautiful girl. According to the sms I decided to buy some cigarettes. It was a law of feeling: If we are in waiting to someone that always makes the storm in our midnite the anxiety will be in waiting too.

I passed across the street because the afternoon sunlight could be held by the trees that grew up in the park of The Great Mosque. My motor which had no key, I kept itself lonely with full of my confidence. If at that time there was a robber who wanted to rob my motor he could take it easily. But my friend, the careless and the confident to make careless often make our thing that has a high possibilty to be robbed, unbelievable stayed in well condition. The Power of Feeling….but don’t follow that attitude becuz it was only a theory from a lazy man.

Passing the handcart of empek-empek, one name of cake from Palembang, one old voice called my name. I turned my face to the voice and I caught a face, an old balck face, which is very familiar although we have only met together one time about one last year ago. Yup, he is A Great Seller of Empek-Empek from East Java. Our hands met together in warm wind like a beautiful queen meet the beautiful butterfly in the first spring in Eden Garden. He asked me about myself wherein only two times my face came to the reality of his face. Of course old man…my activity to go everywhere around the Banjarmasin city was less frequent than before because I have worked. He said Alhamdulillah to hear that. And then we sat together, talked about many things.

Still remembered our first meeting last year ago. At that time I was riding my old bicycle home from the Central Library with the acid sweat went out through my skin to make my clothes wet. When the great hungry attacked me under the toaster of the sun I arrived to his handcart and then asked him to give me a bowl of empek-empek. I didn’t know, might be he sympathized with my big sweat like corn seeds. In addition, at that time I was wearing moeslem clothes, he accompanied me and then asked me about many things, my college, my parents, etc.

At the first meeting, very clear in my brain that to be used to safe the wonderful memory that he was a old man who was full of spirit and wisdom. The sentences and motivation flowed together in them were sent to my heart through the noise of motorcycle which passed through behind us. He was proud to see the young man like me who did not feel shy riding a bicycle because he thought in this era many of the young man always show up their wealth. Hehe, he didn’t know that I hade no choice rather than riding that blue small bicycle. He told me about his family wherein they were in hard condition to live.

In the conversation between The Great Seller of Empek-Empek from East Java and The Young Man (me) there was an anxiety. I feared if I couldn’t see the coming of my waiting. Remember, I parked my old motor in the street, not in the midle (of course), very easy to find and when the girl realized that no myself in there the sms would come to my phone soon: Akhi, where are you?. Back again to sit together like one year before and now there was no empek-empek in my litle hand.

The conversation had just begun and suddenly my anxiety that there was a possibility to lose the meeting with my waiting went up to the sincerity. That’s caused by the motivation sentences that came out again from my old friend who was really-really nicer than one year before becuz now I did need it. He said that I would go to success if I always fight in the way of the true life with all of my spirit not ever give up to all of troubles (in fact the troubles really filled my head). There were three things, he said, which I had to have: high spirit, high confidence and hold on in true principle of life (Islam). When he said the words he always touched my body as if we were Dad and Child. Remember, when his mouth attacked softly of the words: heart, he always touched my chest with his burned hand that proved he had passed a hard life to make his big family in normal condition. The situation was very soft, wonderful, beautiful and I couldn’t bear to forget. While around us the parents came to pick up their children from the school that had been built in the park of Mesjid Sabilal Muhtadin, The Great Mosque in Banjarmasin.

I did didn’t know who this old man was. Firstly I was here in waiting for a girl and suddenly he told me about marriage. Gadis Solehah (a girl that follow her religion as a lamp in her life) was a true choice to get happiness in the life. When he said like that…back again my memory to the beautiful face that has made my midnite like in storm. Was I falling in love? No answer to the question…very clear.

The parents more and more came and none bought empek-empek. The seller was careless about it, his mouth still made sentences to me. Our parents have given us all of they could to give for our life so never make them lost from our memory, he said again. Only as a seller of empek-empek he has sent about 6 million rupiahs to his sweet-home, he said again proudly.

In the sentences, at our back I could see a young boy with bicycle wherein there was a little girl sat at the back of the bicycle. The boy looked at me for while and to the seller and then stopped. Although I caught his eyes only in a few second I could catch the braveness and kindness of his heart, amin, both of the characters would make him stand in the middle of the girls.

For while the old man looked at the grasses that made his head in low condition like a moslem did when Ruku’. From our right the seller of pentol, pentol is a kind of cake like ballmeat, said to the old man that there were his children in our back. Ough, actually the children that I’d seen before were the children of The Great Seller of Empek-Empek. Together we turned back and stood up. With face full of spirit and happiness -before his face attacked softly to my eyes he asked about the purposes of his children- he said to me that his son had worked as a teacher of Alquran although from the face I guessed he was still fifteen years old.

After shaking hands with his children I said goodbay and made a kissing to the hand of The Great Seller of Empek-Empek. The last sentences from his mouth were a prayer and a request to eat a bowl of empek-empek, I was forced to leave the second sentence by time.

I walked again with both of my hands hold on to my bag. Around the gutter in front of the soldiers building, Korem Antasari, there were many ladies and gentlemen did a “love” attitude like a crowd of sparrows in the paddy land of farmers. Actually that picture wasn’t beautiful in my heart, but honestly look at the beautiful faces of the ladies where in them there appeared that their life was only for entertainment and happiness. Of course, why should you think hard in this wealthy country? Only with little work you could survive your life. But in Japan, for example, a good skill was very much needed to survive your life because the competition to get good work was very tight and Japan was not a wealthy country, sources of nature potentials.

Arrived at a shop I threw my thirst with a glass of soft drink and my eyes were always focusing to the street. Absolutely my memory that the girl would arrive soon hadn’t lost yet. Remembered that the anxiety came again and I tried to stop it with a bar of cigarette which I’d bought. Walked again to my motor where it was parked. The hungry because from morning I hadn’t eaten yet and I did hope it would lose when I met her, especially of her smile.

Oh no…I haven’t done prayer, ashar. So, pleas forgive me my Lord. In front of me stands a building, Mesjid Sabilal Muhtadin, where a long time ago my father usually did sincere prayer to his God when he was attacked by financial problem because he was only a son from a poor farmer. He was in Banjarmasin caused his dream to be a teacher as student in UNLAM, FKIP. Alhamdulillah, his dream has came true. I do hope that I can follow his spirit. The spirit of a young man from a small village who was forced by situation to wash the dirty dishes in a poor restaurant only for a dish of gado-gado. My beloved father, the world does hope that your spirit will flow in my blood, amin.

To kill the anxiety I decided to make conversation with my friend in Kalimantan Timur by phone. A girl had been studying in Kalimantan Timur and now working in an office which sells a brand of motorcycle. Her soft voice culd make my anxiety stay in low condition. At the right of my body there were some teenagers, girls and boys, one of them brought a handycam. I thought their picture would be very nice, not only by the beat of Banjarmasin’s river but also by their faces. Pleas enjoy your moment buddy, I do hope the experiences will make you all become wise.

In the middle of conversation with my friend from the corner of the street I could see my waiting on the way to me. Her body, all of it, was covered by clothes only her hand and her face appeared. Wearing a brown jacket and a red long dress. I agreed with my eyes that the face of this girl was very soft like the dew in the morning. I closed my phone and now my waiting whom I’d waited with the anxiety,now, stood very close to me where in the back her funny sister sat gently.

The happiness, wonderful, love melody, they were all safe in my heart. I did as if in waiting to give her a paper of programs of BEM FKIP. I stole to her face, ah, I found a sign of the tired where usually she could make it disappear. But the spirit was always out from her eyes. It always made me proud of her. Her spirit to walked in true way of life.

In the stage of the life many persons, many people, were trapped in reading of spirit. The MC of music show who had loud voices and and body langauage that was full of energy can be said it was a spirit. On the other side, a young boy, the face was gloomy, thin body, weak, the eyes like the sad story and with his litle feet rode the pedicab can be said that they weren’t spirits. But in my opinion the young boy was a greater spirit than the MC. The spirit is a character never gives up to all problems in life. The spirit is placed in the strength of a very determined will. And when the spirit meets the sincerity it wil make a group of miracles as a proof of The Hand of God.

After making a short conversation the girl went home with her sweet sister. Ashar went farther and farther. In the midle of the way I still could see the back of the girl. Her body was very small, I think. I stayed in shy, that small body has brought a responsibility to her family. In her home there was only an old woman, her mom, as a place to rest her head. In the little hands of her mom she took shelter when she needed a hand from old wise man which hold gently her hair. What a little girl, can you hear World, pleas take sincere care about her life. You know that she is only a young lady. What will you do when you, world, see her in looking at the old men go to mosque. I knew that’s, her destiny. That’s a decision from The Wise Thing. But if I could ask, pleas, change the tears which she fell at the lonely night, wherein many girls in laughing with young handsome boys in the dark at the corner of the park at midnite, with your kindness. And you Sun, if you exist in the morning, pleas, keep warm her heart so that the sadness which she always concealed in friendly conversation with your light will disappear. And you Wind, you never felt weak to blowing everywhere, pleas-bring into her heart the story-happiness story about the friendly butterfly of village in the garden that is full of strawberries. Say to her about the love of butterflies which want to touch her nice hair with tender. Do hope with it her heart will always be in shine condition, amin.

I still remembered her spirit when we sat back and relaxed with other friends to talk about everything. That time a question was asked: who want to go abroad to continue the study. Buddy, she shake confidently his hand as a sign of her willing to go abroad. I remembered again to her hope which wanted to build the wealth with playing in agribusiness not only agribusiness is a rich job but also her hobby. You girl...where your back in my picture, how shy I was. I was in waiting accompanied by a paper of programs of BEM which I used to make a reason for my longing at while the other servant of God did prayer in the mosque in front of me. My embarrassing got higher when I realized that you arrived with your sister. I was here with my personality willing and you were here with your kindness, your responsibility to your family.

The wind of summer at noon attacked hard my chest. If we stay in the village like that time we will smell the good smell of grasses but in the city, it is only the smoke of motor. A girl, a small girl and an old man, congratulation to you, both of you have given me many lessons that day. No problem with our body whether it is small or thin, that won’t be a wall which defends the biggest things where the world can’t bring them: sincerity and love, because their place in our heart. Thanks a lot for you The Noisy City, you have made me to be a friend with the girl and the old man where they have walked in this life by their heart, amin...

Dad, what a marvelous moment if you have a daughter in law like that girl. Pleas, make a sincere prayer so that I can follow your spirit to defence in front of the troubles of world. And my beloved father, if you have a destiny to meet that girl, remember that the girl has the same level in spirit to you do. I do hope we can cut paddies together like before especially if butterflies in our village have a good time to stay in her nice hair. But the most important thing is that I only want to see her happy smile wherever she live tomorrow.