FATIMAH (Pearl In Mud) .
MIDWIFES
“ you hear yes,, if later I become a famous dangdut singer, do not call my name fatimah. Call me imey gemoy, you understand right..” that is the daily life of this 16-year-old girl. He always said the same thing to everyone who called his real name.
His spirit and confidence deserve a thumbs up. The perseverance to achieve his goals is so strong. The little girl was raised by her grandmother after the death of her father.
Still sitting in third grade SMU. Just waiting for graduation after that he will migrate to the city to realize his goals.
Living in the village, his daily life herded the grandmother's pet duck. As a place to hang his life on that fowl. His job was to help his grandmother after school.
Her cheerful carry, makes her forget for a moment the poignant story of her life. From small fatimah raised grandmother maisaroh. His mother died two years ago. Since the departure of the father who went nowhere along with a beautiful biduan in his village.
Her mother was very sick because her heart had been tormented since the departure of her husband. Until he died, the husband did not even visit fatimah.
In the afternoon he will go to the rice field to bring his duck for food. Go home at sunset.
“Fatimah...” the voice of the shout was very loud. Making the mature brown-skinned girl run in haste.
“insert the duck, it's almost maghrib. Don't talk to him, he understands your language” ultimatum the grandmother can't be denied.
“how many times have grandma warned, never dream to become a dangdut singer, until whenever grandma will never allow” continued the grandmother. His eyes stared intently at his beloved grandson.
“but granny,,,” the girl was about to refute her sentence hanging because of the granny's sharp gaze. The woman he loved and loved in this world.
“nothing but fatimah” granny maisaroh cut off her grandson's greeting. He just wants the best for his favorite grandson. Whatever he will do but to be a singer his heart will not accept.
Negative stigma about the profession is still firmly attached to his camp, let alone the departure of his son-in-law because tempted dangdut singer add to the hatred of the grandmother in the profession. he would never allow his only grandson to realize a dream he thought was so scary.
“insert the duck into the cage, after that shower clean yourself. Budhemu wants to meet anyone wants to talk about he said” the voice softened. The anger that had been caught by Fatimah was no longer heard.
But there are still other problems that hit her chest.The young girl understood the purpose of the arrival of the bude is not a good sign.The 40-year-old woman will talk about the matchmaking of fatimah with a man the same age of the father.
Considering it was like he just ran away.
“nek, fatimah do not want to meet budhe, fatimah lazy grandma. Later that was talked about again” he said in a lazy tone.
“meet me, you will understand what your budhe is like. He won't give up. You may get angry later. There is a grandmother who will defend fatimah. Don't worry” said the grandmother was calming.
Fatimah walked up to her pet duck which was still behind her grandmother's bamboo house. Armed with a long stick in his hand, he drove the duck into the cage. Stretching both hands to the right and to the left. Dribbling into the cage. Every now and then he ran after a duck away from the entourage.
That is why fatimah aspires to become a dangdut singer. Want to make the grandmother happy with an abundance of sufficient material. Unlike now, he would eat if on that day someone came to buy his duck. If not. Fatimah is ready to fast.
***
“ Ducknya no one left nak” sound of his grandmother from the kitchen. Bringing hot rice. Smoke billowed from the tray in his hand. Put in the middle room which is only based on pandan mats.
“neak...Fatimah took a bath first” replied the grandson in a weak tone. Her grandmother knew what made her favorite granddaughter uninspired.
The conversation about matchmaking is always disturbing, but how else.no one can fight the budhe. Even with her grandmother, the old woman could do nothing. He was right about the character of his eldest son. His anger can explode if what he wants is not achieved.
Today there is a special dinner for Fatimah. The girl who had a towering height sat facing the food before her. The aroma of soto sauce from instant noodles burst into his senses. Boiled egg one, noodle soup bowl. He would split the food with his grandmother.
There was no sound, the girl ate voraciously, for a moment she forgot about life's problems. About the economic crisis, and the matchmaking of the budheya.
For him at this time filling the stomach was the most important thing. Eat with your hands while sitting cross-legged on a pandan mat. There is nothing more delicious than the menu at this time.maybe for some people, the fatimah menu is common or even food that looks bad.
Eggs are a menu that can be enjoyed when someone buys the duck. Let alone chicken or meat.
Everyday he was more familiar with the menu of salted fish and salt. The important thing is that there is enough rice for fatimah. The girl never protested, she knew about the condition of the grandmother. His old age did not allow his grandmother to work.
Once, when there was a father. Fatimah can occasionally taste the menu of rendang meat or fried chicken favorite. His father would buy delicious food when there was more windfall. But since the arrival of the woman in the life of her father, the warmth of the family was gone. Replacing the endless suffering.
Her mother cried every night waiting for her husband's return, her heart too sick to bear the burden of her life.
The man she loves shares her love with another woman. His partner in a music group in the village. The father he loved could not resist the charm of the servant.
Even with the blatant father brought the woman before his mother. Introducing her as her young wife. Increasingly broken the heart of the mother.the man who became proud of Fatimah was rarely home. Not even going home at all.
No one knows his father and his new wife. Since then his mother was sickly, the more thin her body became. Until finally the woman who gave birth to the fatimah gave up. God called his beloved mother two years ago. Went with a wound in his heart that never dried.
“be careful eating it, this noodle sauce is still there. After yes, grandma is full” Fatimah understands, what her grandmother does now just wants her to be happy. Her grandmother wasn't really full. He just wants to eat more of his favorite food.
“grandmother eat not a little, later sick, add more. fatimah already full” replied the grandson. That was always what her grandmother did.
Losing, fatimah did not like. Fatimah always wanted to see her grandmother healthy. He had no one else in this world, who loved him sincerely.
