Bakoh Shoulder

Chapters 1. Foot Shirt

A little boy walked down slowly after school. Not looking for a dime that might fall but, he was only careful if the shoes he wore were opened wider in the front. Shoes that were like the mouth of a crocodile who was sunbathing was still used by the boy because he did not have other shoes instead.

The scorching sun this afternoon adds to the thirst of the bocil, his gaze more and more glaring when he saw the ice seller who was being surrounded by fans who thirsty need coolness in their throat.

Diah Ayu, the name of the boy who is now opening his sling bag. Looking for a bottle of mineral water that he uses as his pot of drinking water. There's still a little water. He gulped down the water while imagining he was enjoying the sweet cold ice in each of his gulps.

"Yu Ayu's.. You go home with me!" Take Dinda, Ayu's classmate who is being bullied by her mother with a matic motorbike.

Their house was close together, that's why Dinda offered him a ride. Ayu, the call of the eight-year-old boy, was eager to go home with Dinda. But finally, Ayu shook her head slowly when she saw the face of Dinda's mother who scowled showing a real dislike.

Dinda's mother's eyes even glared hinting that Ayu did not approach her motorbike which was still on.

"Din, after this mom wants to grab groceries at koh Al koh koh kho kiosk. Lots of mama's shopping! Wanna put where mom's groceries are if you invite her all." His mother Dinda judes said.

Not wanting more drama, Ayu just smiled as Dinda waved her hand with a distance that was getting away.

Half an hour on foot, Ayu arrived at her house. Take off the shoes that became his footwear, which has been instrumental in bringing him back home without feeling the pain of the grains of gravel and the heat of the road asphalt.

"Bad hasn't come home yet.." Ayu said when she saw her house was still quiet.

After changing clothes, Ayu walked towards the kitchen. His eyes went down the small table, there were two packs of instant noodles. Deftly Ayu took some firewood sticks to light the fireplace. There was no gas stove, only a clay stove that was black and filled with ashes.

Just an instant noodle is enough to make Ayu happy. His stomach that was kicked can return to calm after eating a plate of noodles earlier.

"Yes.." The voice of the man she knew so well called out his name.

Ayu who had finished her meal immediately went out of the kitchen after hearing her father call her.

"Yes sir. Earlier he did not eat one pack, still one. mumpung fire is still on, Ayu masakin the other for the father huh?!"

Ayu wants to go back to the kitchen but her father prevents her from doing so.

"Udah Yu's. Don't need.. Dad ate that. This. mr. buyin you socks. You said your socks were hollow. Thumbs visible.. It's for school tomorrow." I handed over the SD child size white socks to Ayu. Ayu smiled. He's happy he's not a bitch.

So happy, Ayu opened the socks that were still wrapped in plastic with a quick movement. He's trying. His eyes look sparkling. He had imagined tomorrow when school he no longer needed to bend the tip of his thumb to hide his thumb that appeared from behind the shoes because of the condition of his broad socks.

"Like Yu?" Asked his father smilingly at the happiness of his little daughter.

"Like sir! Ayu likes it so much.. You know the size of Ayu's legs, look sir! Ayu dipake pass." Ayu does not know if all sizes of SD children's socks are made the same from the factory.

Ayu is now in second grade of SD. He lived alone with his father in a small dirt-floored house, with walls of wooden planks visible in some parts seen eaten by termites. There are no flat-screen televisions, let alone smart TVs like in most homes in their villages. Only TVs with a brand-new screen like lohan fish decorate their living room. It also does not work because Ayu father can not buy stb so that their television can switch to digital television broadcasts.

Night arrived, the rain drops fell rhythmically as the water from the sky was freefall hit the precarious house of Pak Teguh, the name of Ayu's father. He remembered his son was drying shoes on the porch of their house. Hurry, Mr. Teguh, take Ayu's shoes before getting soaked in rain.

In the middle of the night, accompanied by the gurgling rain, Mr. Teguh took a special thread and needle to sew the front of Ayu's gaping shoes.

'Yu.. Forgive me for not being able to give you new shoes. Only those socks you can give me.'

The sound of lightning startled Ayu who had fallen asleep in her room. He walked out of the room looking for his father who was still awake. Ayu saw her father was busy struggling with thread and needles, sewing his broken shoes.

"Sir.." Lirih Ayu's.

"Lho why Yu? Shocked by lightning, right? Here.." Pak Teguh's hand waved asking Ayu to approach him. Ayu according.

"I'm sorry Yu.. I can't buy new shoes." Said Mr. Teguh as Ayu sat docked to him.

"It's okay sir. Is your hand bleeding?" Seeing his father's hand.

"Haha.. No, it's paint. You just woke up to see it." Mr. Teguh hid his hand.

But, Ayu is not easily lied to. Although only eight years old but, Ayu is quite critical with the circumstances around.

"Mother don't lie to Ayu. Look at my bloody hands.. If only mom still there, sir, you do not need to mengesol Ayu own shoes like gini. Mr.. Ayu misses mom.." Ayu sobbing.

If it's like this, Mr. Teguh can only sigh. "Yu.. Mom is calm in nature. If you miss mom, you remember what you told me?"

"Bacain al-fatihah sir.." Still sobbing.

"Yes. Bacain al-fatihah, pray with God that the mother there is not sad to see you here nangisin mother continue." Softly rubbing Ayu's hair.

Pak Teguh's heart was slashed if Ayu began to feel the longing for his mother who had gone before them to face the Creator.

"Yu.. Listen, father, do not need to cry. Tomorrow we go to Mom's, will we? Said you wanted to give me a look at the picture you made yesterday at school." Mr. Teguh creates a new atmosphere so that Ayu does not constantly cry. Ayu nodded despite not being completely silent from her cries.

"Sleep again, my dear father." Ayu was silent, she preferred to sleep on her father's lap. Mr. Teguh just let Ayu spoiled him like that.

With a mediocre voice, Mr. Teguh sang a mother's love song while gently rubbing Ayu's head. Slowly Ayu's eyes closed, falling asleep in hopes of meeting her mother.

'Mother's love for the infinite beta of all time, just giving expectantly back, as the sun shines on the world.'

No tears Mr. Teguh dripped. Not only Ayu who missed the figure of his mother but, Mr. Teguh who loved his late wife also felt tightness in the chest holding a longing for his wife.