8 To 4: The Mayor's Contract Wife
Day H
Event after event has been going on since the morning. Starting from the opening event led directly by Wira and attended by Mr. Susilo as Governor, people's stage entertainment events and the festival of vegetable lombok and fire lemper typical of Carang Sewu, until the procession of custom clothing creations brought by teenage women and Carang Sewu mothers. Everything went well and according to plan.
In the afternoon, Wira was scheduled to attend a craft and MSME exhibition event in the city square with Mr. Susilo. But he did not come because he chose to watch the seminar presented by Ajeng, his wife.
The seminar was held in the multipurpose building was attended by about three hundred invited guests ranging from the wife of the regent and mayor of Jala Brata to the general public, the majority of whom were women. That number exceeded estimates because many female traders from the Kalijaten vegetable market were present despite not being included in the invitation list.
The moderator opened the seminar by presenting the theme and title that they will discuss that afternoon, namely about the emancipation of women in the reform era. The first opportunity was given to Ms. Sri Pengestuti who shared a photocopy of a paper titled ‘The Importance of Education in Increasing the Role of Serta Wanita’.
He discussed the importance of formal and informal education to raise awareness of women that their participation is needed in the social life of the reform era. She also lays out seven key roles that women can take to succeed in development goals.
Unfortunately, the majority of housewives who do not have higher education even sleepy to listen to his long explanation.
Similar to Bu Sri, Bu Heni Cahyo also shared a photocopy of material about ‘Access of Work for Women in the Reformation Era’. In Bu Heni's perspective, the reform era provides greater access for women to actively play a role in the economic sector, ranging from trade, private jobs and higher career levels such as doctors, the professor or the professor. Because the government began to provide support in the form of additional scholarship quota for women to finish their education in college.
But again the explanation that almost spent twenty minutes was tasteless and made the listener almost fall asleep. The papers they had difficulty duplicating and distributing were instead made into paper boats, letters and even hand towels and saliva for those who accidentally fell asleep.
“Alright, from the explanation of the two speakers earlier, is there anything you want to ask?” ask the moderator when Heni is done delivering the material.
None of the participants raised their hands. They even evaporate wider and drowsiness deeper.
*************
The moderator then gives Ajeng a chance. But unlike other speakers who just sat sweetly on his stool, Ajeng chose to stand up, going around asking a lot of small questions that intrigued his audience.
“Not you said Ajeng lost his paper material?” ask Manda to the committee in charge of preparing Ajeng.” materialBut why does he look so calm?!”
“Iya ma'am, I am sure that Bu Ajeng does not have the paper.The proof is that he does not give photocopies of papers to seminar participants like others.” Sahut the committee.
Ajeng started his question, “Are there any mothers and sisters present here who are interested in taking part in advancing the reform era government program?”
No one raised their hands. Then Manda and his cronies began to raise their hands and participants who knew Manda began to follow in his footsteps.
“Good. In that case, are there any mothers here who have ever sat in college?” ask again.
“SMA?”
Twenty percent raised their hands.
“SMP?”
Fifty percent raise their hands.
“There are working in office?”
The police officers raised their hands.
“It can be concluded that the rest of housewives and informal sector employees because private employees are not likely to attend seminars held in conjunction with working hours. Except the intention of truancy. Yes right?”
The whole room started laughing. While Ajeng is stalling, Wira is seen preparing something ahead there. Soon a projector screen from OHP appeared on the wall. Wira put the material that Ajeng had written briefly using a marker on the plastic mica on the projector. And Ajeng's handwriting appeared on the wall. The participants who probably most had never seen it also began to clack in awe and enthusiasm.
“As you all see on the wall, today I just want to convey a very simple material that is, ‘Husband Support in Improving Quality of Life and Role And Women in Social Life Society’. Why husband support? Because educational facilities exist, employment exists, but the support of the husband does not exist, so the wives cannot do much. Is it true?”
“Betul!....... “ the voice of the participants rumbled to fill the room.
“Then why do I write quality of life first than the social role of society? Because if she herself is not happy and qualified, how can women play a role in community life? Right is it true?”
“Yes!......... “
“Nah the problem now, how the hell mothers, how so that these husbands always support the involvement of his wife in the community and even the nation and country? There are three points I want to discuss here –“
Suddenly Ajeng's explanation came to a halt because a woman of slim and tall, black hair straight shoulder to shoulder, came with a group of journalists who wanted to cover the seminar. The woman immediately sat on one of the empty benches next to Ms. Susilo, the governor's wife. And Ajeng could immediately guess that the short-haired woman was Monica, his ex-wife Wira.
****************************
