Jakarta In Today
wise counsel
If it can be described the criteria of a hick face like Narmo. Yellow skin such as rotten sapodilla, wide ears, a pug nose, curls that are only once a month touched by shampoo, fleas feast on the skin of his head. As if it were meant to be poor.
Have tried various brands of hair oil from cheap to slightly more expensive, even the legendary hair oil belongs to the handsome people, Tancho. Can't change the natural style of Narmo's curly hair to its roots.
Including the height of his best friend was only 163 centimeters, or limited to the ears of Soldiers. It has proven how the fate of poverty has been carved on the face of a village man named Narmo.
Travel with cheap land transportation four-wheeled, in the form of pickup trucks owned by Mr. Tarmad who often send goats and other livestock from the village pakulaut to Jakarta.
Not to forget also with the beloved truck named Munawaroh, the expertise of Mr. Tarmad has berganglang buana, Surabaya-peak him libas one day and one night without rest.
Because the passenger seat in front of the truck is fully filled with drivers and knuckles. Soldiers and Narmo sat in the place of honor, along with the passengers of honor as well.
"Oi, you two are sure you can live in Jakarta, Jakarta is heavy coy, you are not mentally strong, can go home to be crazy." Said Tarmad as the driver who brought them both to Jakarta.
It's true, Soldier and Narmo, they both just think too simply. Coming to Jakarta, looking for a job, raising money, returning home as a successful person, getting married, having a family, two children is enough and conquering the world. What a young man's first thought of wandering around is naive.
"This father, has traveled many times to Jakarta, from you two have not been born, to become a bachelor."
Soldiers listened very carefully to every word of Mr. Tarmad while seeing how smart he was driving his beloved munawaroh, weaving to bulldoze expensive cars on the streets.
"Father tell you, do not easily believe especially the same people who offer services to work with a suit and tie."
Soldier nodded unusually, trying to understand the words of Mr. Tarmad who smiled and exhaled his cigarette smoke while giving them advice.
"Why Pakde, we saw the successful man in a suit and tie."
"In Jakarta there, fraudsters wear suits and ties you know."
This is clearly a new view for Soldiers, must be careful in finding a job, should not be interested only with attractive appearance, all profit and loss is calculated well, because in Jakarta there anyone can do evil when they get the opportunity.
Apart from all sorts of Tarmad tips....
Seeing Narmo, since his departure from the village he only fell asleep after lingering crying over Namira's photo. Usut got Namira's mouth it's a hen he left behind. Because it has been treated well, attentive and affectionate since the egg to adulthood.
Along the way Narmo hugs tight a picture of a plump chicken with all the trinkets ornaments on the wings to the tail. Not meant for Soldier to laugh at his best friend on this one.
It's just that the reason for Narmo's cry is the fear of Namira having an affair with another chicken. It's like there's a predestined bond between him and his favorite hen.
While what Narmo has to fear is Namira the chicken, cut by Mak Kijah and used as a soy sauce stew, because there are no more side dishes to accompany the rice on the plate.
Actually Soldier felt sorry when he saw the separation between Narmo and Mak Kijah who was so blue. How not, although Narmo often confided about how his mother was very chatty. But mother's love is real.
Every day Soldiers can hear all the words of Mak Kijah who scolded Narmo for spoiling Namira, his favorite chicken. As for him alone as a four-year unemployed, like not too dizzy thinking about the future.
According to Narmo.... "The bright future is for the rich who can send their children to union, coy. Not for those of us who graduated Junior High have been profitable and do not know about the English language, I ....I. am fine, understand."
The more dizzy the head of the soldiers when remembering the English words mixed with the Javanese dialect of Tegal. Narmo only said what he knew. Although misguided, the origin of the word, without knowing the meaning, or indeed stupid from birth. Soldiers only think that they are neighbors with the wrong people.
More like, Askar was looking at a newlywed couple who had just been khobul hijab this morning, and now it was ready for the first night, even though it was still day.
How humiliating...
*******
Feeling that Jakarta is close, only a few kilometers from their village. But after hours, until bored Soldier saw the clock again. Munawaroh is still locked in the middle of road congestion.
The traffic jam itself, caused by the repair period of old asphalt that has many holes scattered. Slightly sad when the Soldiers accidentally heard the words from the truck next to them. The distended driver with a sour face like swallowing lime plus vinegar, began to grumble with annoyance while pressing the horn as hard as possible.
"Year yesterday the paving of the road, now the repair of the road, maybe next year the elevation of the road and later the change of the road." Still grumbling as he lit a cigarette and he pinched it to his lips.
Shown for hours the car did not move, once moved, only a few inches, it clearly tested the patience of all drivers from any part of the world.
"The government works what the hell, every year the problem is only about the pantura road, turn it, wavy it, less wide, less sloping it, less saucy, less stressful it, it must be repaired, it must be, the traffic jams go back and forth, every year is endless."
He continued grumbling after exhaling cigarette smoke from the mouth that said all his mind problems. The hands pointed firmly, still berating the government about the path that is not khatam, even until next year after the change of the term of office.
As for the assistant, it was only silent to see the bloated old driver beside incessantly preaching. Telling all kinds of problems from government issues about corruption, economic slump, freezing PSSI or even customs issues is not precise. Until problems such as leaking tires are also in question, because the quality of asphalt makes truck tires can not stand the cheap quality purchased by the government.
But still the assistant still nodded unorthodoxly and guaranteed the driver's sermon. Knowing that, Askar concluded, that the problem of congestion due to the quality of cheap asphalt can make someone become tempramental.
After the Soldier saw with his own head, about how the performance of the government is still being questioned by the community. Even a cattle driver like Mr. Tarmad, famous for being patient and unpretentious.
He will be angry, when anyone says if the cattle are carried, indicated anthrax disease, and to be able to escape the persecution must pay tribute, he slipped between the birth certificate letters of the farm animals.
But a moment later Mr. Tarmad will be blabbering... "How are the officers of the current government, as long as they have all the money smoothly, how is the fate of this nation."
Even though Mr. Tarmad also participated in preserving the culture when playing bargaining with officers in a special room they provide.
The three of them, Soldier, Narmo, including one keneknya only see from afar, how a smile on the face of Mr. Tarmad seduce.
Hearing all the ramblings of Mr. Tarmad along the way, will not even run out until returning to the village. Retells the story on a trip with neighbors around. Those who are so happy to listen to someone tell you anything. While at this time the Soldier only guaranteed a long sermon until he forgot what was being talked about.
On one cigarette back he gusts his smoke with a so enjoy.
"Do you understand...." Ask Mr. Tarmad.
"Yes sir..."
Soldiers spent the night talking aimlessly with Mr. Tarmad. He really likes to tell about the greatness when he drives Munawaroh.
When Soldier gives a little compliment, the smile on Mr. Tarmad's face will warp and get even more excited for the many things he's told about during his life.
