I'M BETWEEN YOU AND HIM

HOPE THIS IS A GOOD START

Thank goodness my boss loved my work. He looked quite satisfied because I was deft and not difficult to teach. During my time in prison I also learned the ins and outs of the cablonan.

"Heh, Dika! Your weekly salary yak? I can only pay 500 grand a week. This is also because of the many jobs. I don't want my customers to be disappointed because I can't keep the promise of due date kelarnye screen printing."

"Ga napa boss. The important thing is to add the cost of eating my days!"

"What are you? Live where? You're also not like someone who needs a lot of money!"

"Hehehe. said who's boss! I am new at PHK because I am not young anymore. I am 41 years old, while my place of work wants children who have just graduated from High School for a maximum of 35 years. Hehehe...who said I don't need money?" I made up stories. Laughing at my own fate and asking God for forgiveness in my heart for my lies.

"You're 41? Masa's'? It doesn't look old. In fact I thought you were about 35." Boss' words made me blush.

"The boss can be aje!"

"Yes, you work really ye!? Watch out if you make a screen printing mistake! Your salary can I cut, understand?"

"Ready boss!"

"Your working hours people are not office hours ye, who can go home at 5 pm. My shop closes at 8 o'clock. Understood?" I nodded in agreement. While the boss passed leaving us with a flurry of activity.

"Boss is so bang! Baek, but bring it. If you survive, keep iyein aje kate die!" said Mulyadi, the 24-year-old who invited me to work printed this screen printing.

"Yes Mul!"

"And the other one that I want us to take, bang! Boss doesn't like us dancing. So if nuang cet kudu ati-ati! Spill on a pay cut! Boss merki emang!" We laughed together. And the void space within my heart slowly warmed up.

Thank you, God, for all the favors! You're All Good.

The hour came home and I was confused again. Going home to New Depok where dad doesn't seem like a good solution. Because tomorrow morning at half-eight I've been working here at this screen printing press.

"Your house where's the bang?" mull asked to make me look at him for a long time. Mul looked confused because I didn't answer right away.

"Mul, where do you live? Same who? About where you are, there's a room I can contract?" Mul balik bengong's.

"Gue lives on Mount Sahari bang! Same grandma, the same with me five people. Ude rich cue' our place. Where is your house bang?"

"I live in New Depok, Mul!"

"Wowuh?? Far away huh?!?... Yes, you come with Jabrik first. Die contracted in Gunza, too. Bede gang doang ma me. Die contracted by himself. Let's say little kamarnye, but mayanlah.bisa for mattress while ma Jabrik. Brik,.nih bang Dika want help! I also want to go back to Depok. Sorry, seriously I don't want to help you! But my grandmother really brought me. Our house is only one room! If I bring people, what the world says!"

I laughed at Mul's utterance to the original Betawi. A good boy also turned out. I am thankful that God found me with good people.

Jabrik was rather quiet. But he nodded, saying he could help me.

I took out a hundred thousand pieces of money. Giving it to Jabrik made the two young men cheer.

"Well, a lot of money you bang!"

"Abang khan abis got PHK, there is a little money mah, make capital days until starting payday next week. That's for ye Brik's additional contract! I'm sorry if you're so nusahin you!" I said I started learning to follow their cool, relaxed way of speaking.

"Nyusahin but know yourself mah kaga nape bang! Appleagi if ni go home you buyin we martabak each one more serving kaga nape again bang!" goda Mul with its crisp laugh and make the atmosphere warm.

I actually stopped by the martabak cart before entering the alley of Mount Sahari after getting off the busway.

"Bang Dik's! Sori said, I was just kidding bang! But if you really, this is the original windfall for kite!" Mul felt bad about my giving to him and Jabrik.

I bought 3 servings of martabak for Mulyadi because of her sister's lot. And 2 portions for me and Jabrik.

"Bang Dika makes us ashamed of cats...! Thanks too martabaknye ye! Frequently buy kite, bang! Let many rewards die into heaven!"

"Aamiin...!!"

"Chihui... You funny bang! Caught but innocent rich baby. Don't you bang, lots of bad guys if you're too good! Sorry ye bang, I orange kek gini. A lot of obvious talk!"

"Emang! If you are a scarecrow, ude from the first you I lelepin in ciliwung times there!" Jabrik finally opened his voice making me laugh out loud.

"Come back, bang! The vindictive orangnye Factory. Tar before you sleep, iket first leg ma hand lu bang! Afraid tar lu was thrown in the sack on the railroad tracks that deket Kelurahan!" We laughed again without any burden.

"Hus, hus noisy..already diem ah! I feel rich, gentlemen, ngangon duck!" I said trying to be funny. Jabrik and Mulyadi laughed again.

"Suke. Some of these people know kite bang! Sampe we are nicknamed the duo of salted fish. Anjirr!?!"

My jaw hurt because I kept laughing at their babbling. My stomach ached constantly shuffled the funny behavior of both of them.

We split up because of the alley. Mul alley 8 I'm with Jabrik in alley 9. The atmosphere in the area is crowded. Although dense but does not look shabby. Because the residents there are apparently disciplined and compact citizens. They painted colorful until they look cheerful with plant pots along a small ditch on the right side of the alleyway.

Jabrik opened the door lock of his rented room.

"My contract is small bang! But good enough, I always sleep well so many mosquitoes also."

I smiled in response to Jabrik. Circulating the view in a small room measuring only 3x3 meters. It is really small and stuffy because of the short ceiling. Without windows anyway. Makes it look narrower. Just a small piece of mattress without bed linen and a wooden box turned into a makeshift wardrobe. There's a little fan attached to the wall.

Jabrik scratched his head a confused sign.

"Just relax, Brik, I even like to sleep on the street in front of rollingdoor people's store in the market. Hehehe. Still to be grateful for this favor from God!"

"Hehehe, iye bang, really!"

"Where's Brik's bath?"

"Bathroom outside. The same with the other. That's it, bang! Hehehe..Small commotion queue bathroom ude so routine for us!"

"What are you graduates? Your vocabulary is good, Brik!"

"SMA bang! But it's hard to find work stuck in screen printing. Still mendinglah rather than being a traveling salesman who dandan cool but frenetic shoes every 3 months. Hehe... Personal experience, bang!" Jabrik and I laughed.

"You need to take a shower? Is the bathroom empty?" I asked Jabrik.

"Try looking at the bang first! If pintunye nutup means there are people, if open means empty."

"Yes." Yeah."

I took a shower after a while to go look for a nearby stall to buy toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and also brush. Even a small comb I also bought because it looks there is a food stall dietalase.

Jabrik still enjoys his sweet martabak. I borrowed the prayer mat and asked him the direction of the qibla. It's already 9 p.m. But I have not prayed Isya and passed Maghrib prayers. Indeed working on a Chinese boss is a bit difficult to ask for time for worship. In addition to me hesitating because it is still new, I see also the workers are not so compact caring about worship hours. I understand too, this is not like a company. Only a small CV to ask for rights is not as common as the company.

Jabrik just watched me. I know a lot of questions running through his head for me. But until the night rolled and we were sleepy he never asked me those questions. I didn't dare to ask much because I was also quite exhausted on this new day. May this be a good start in my life. Even if I start from scratch again, I will walk slowly and with a happy heart. Especially now that I have friends who are like cute sisters to me because of Mul and Jabrik.

Tonight's my first night out. Hhh... My life is like a piece of paper flying in the wind. I don't know where the wind is blowing. May this breeze bring me a new good life. May no more storms and typhoons strike and destroy me again. I'm just trying my best to have good luck again.

In a row