LOVE SONGS OF LOLOBATA

A PLAN

Dr. Hans put his toy back in his pocket with a smile. I benefit from being able to cover up the embarrassment because it's almost dark. We left the big aviary after closing and locking the door. The birds are still crowded. They sing with different tones and rhythms. It sounds like a natural party.

"Go back home, Fifa?" ask doctor Hans.

"Yes, Doc." I replied as I fixed the slumped bag from my right shoulder. We walked to the office on the side of the highway.

"Want you to take me?" Andi offered himself up.

"Tara. Take a bike."

"Easy. Put the bike in the back."

Doctor Hans came into his house. While Andi took a bicycle that was hidden under the Ulin tree and lifted it on the car tub he was carrying.

We sat crammed together at the head of the tub; me, Andi and her coworkers drove the animals to our place. His name is Yos.

"So why come to Makassar?"

"Certainly so. When did you start taking a leave of absence?"

"Monday next week. We have to leave Saturday morning so we can fly immediately without the need to stay overnight in Ternate."

I almost forgot that I had promised to come to Makassar to visit my grandmother. Though mama had called uncle Hasan once Andi had gotten the phone number of the baba's sister from his father. Mama told me my travel plans the other day. Grandma was both happy and sad to hear our news. Happy to be able to connect again with his son-in-law and granddaughter who has not had a long time. Sad because his biological son did not live long. As did Uncle Hasan. Sad and haru mixed into one. He must have been waiting for my arrival.

"Sa order tickets from now on. If you buy suddenly often turns expensive."

"How much is the ticket?"

"Don't think about how much it costs. Sa paid the ticket price. Ngana just need to take out the honor from the foundation." answered Andi lightly while smiling and squinting her eyes like a child with worms.

"Yes. Tomorrow is a transfer." I replied lazily. "Send you have an account number. Later all transfers have tickets." I continued later.

"Tara, Fifa. The ticket remains my responsibility. Sa has been saving for the village since he has not met ngana, Fifa. He was just joking about the honor. Do not make you dizzy. Just relax."

"There's a budget. Anything that's already on the budget can definitely be paid."

"Tara. Sa understand ngana need to pay the cost of making a deer cage that is not in the budget. Just use the money to make a cage. Sorry not to have a discussion about the deer first. The principle is that the deer just want to get better care and doctor Hans enthusiastically want to take care of it. No other motive."

I looked into his eyes, Andi was silly and sometimes his attitude was annoying but he didn't lie. He cares about the poor doe's health.

"Already, Fifa. Don't take it too seriously. Kitorang. Sa doesn't need money, just need an identity card to order a plane ticket." Andi smiled broadly again. Truly sincere and unseen burdened. Stay relaxed and cheerful.

"Let's take a photo and send a short message when you get home. Return ticket to buy it yourself. Sa will go home alone."

"Why is that? Why not just go back together?"

I don't have the right answer for that. I actually just don't want to bother Andi.

"She can't leave mom for too long."

"Mama's not coming?"

"No. Tara could have left Fifi alone, while the boy had a school exam. Another time if Fifi is off and the cost is enough we can vacation to Makassar. Now it's enough for Fifa as a family representative."

"We go alone dong." Andi jumped happily. He stared at my face as sharply as he paid attention to every detail of my facial lines.

"What do you mean?"

What's so funny? I don't understand Andi's sense of humor. There is always something that makes it cheerful as if life is just joy. I didn't mind his gaze.

"That week wasn't long, Fifa. We can take a walk around Makassar. Go home together again."

"It's important just to see grandma and uncle. Another time to go around Makassar."

"What a shame, Fifa. Let's go and go home together. Let's have a chatter buddy. After all, you can meet many relatives at the wedding if you have a cousin. It is said that the party is 3 days with complete custom. Won't you know and participate in the family ceremony of the deceased baba?"

I responded with a thin smile. Andi's last persuasion sounds interesting because it is associated with the person I love most in this world. I have not known the family of the deceased baba and how their customs are. Maybe by knowing them, my sense of kangen on baba can be explained. Besides, as long as Salman doesn't know the balance, it's not Hasan's uncle who should replace baba as my guardian.

I'm not a person who likes party crowds. I thought I was quite present at the core of the marriage contract. I doubt if I can be at home in a big city whose situation must be very different from my village on the edge of the forest. The Makassar people said it was the most modern big city in eastern Indonesia. Everything must be expensive. The thing is, I don't have much money and I don't want to count on Andi's kindness. I don't want to owe him too much even though he still counts our relatives.

Yep. Never mind. No need to think before you know and try for yourself what it's like to be in a big city. All my life I lived in a small village in the middle of the forest and away from the frenetic city. Even almost 4 years I survived alone in the house with a little neighbor until finally all went from my old village because it has been claimed to be in the mining concession area of PT XY. I've used to be alone in silence. But in recent months I have begun to adjust to living in a more modern village and know little about how to take advantage of the world of information and communication technology. My thinking began to open up because it turned out that the world was vast and my knowledge was still very minimal.

I deliberately looked straight ahead watching the road the car passed by me more carefully. No street lighting. This situation is exactly the picture of life I should be living. I had to focus on looking forward to ascertain the direction I was heading. If you look too much left, right or behind the trip may not be as expected. The past is history. You will not forget it because it will be a life lesson.

Cars began to enter the cobbled streets without dark asphalt. That's the sign we're almost home.

"Right turn, sir. My house 4 houses from that turn. To the right of the street."

"There is an aviary, Mr. Yos." Andi added clarifying the characteristics of my house that distinguish it from other houses that are almost the same shape and breadth. All the houses in our village are made of ulin and coconut wood with a very simple design.

Andi jumped down and extended her hand to me so I could get off the high car seat easier. After making sure I got off, he quickly pulled my bike down from the back of the car and handed it to me.

"Thank you, Brother Andi."

"Sa tara stopped by. I have to go back to the office and return the car. Greetings to mom and Fifi."

I nodded and smiled.

"If there's a problem, tell your sister, Fifa. Don't shut up and keep pouting. Later beauty ngana can wear off and Aga will replace his greeting with the words, 'Assalamu'alaikum, face asem' Hahahaha." Andi still teases me with her relaxed and cheerful style.

I had to smile thinly. While Andi replied with a big smile and a wave of hands. He immediately climbed into the seat next to the driver and the car walked off the front road of my house.

After the car disappeared from view at a turn of the road, I led my bike into the yard. As usual, Aga greeted from within the aviary, "Assalamualaikum, Beautiful. How are you?"

"Va'alaikumsalam, Aga. I'm good."

"Good good." he replied with a stumbling head. The bright color of the fur makes it still look beautiful at night even though only illuminated by moonlight that is still sickle-shaped. The rest of the luminescence of the dim home lights makes the atmosphere more beautiful.

I smiled at Aga. The sweet treatment of the male parrot always injects a new spirit into my tired body. His greeting comforted the heart. Every woman must feel proud and happy to be greeted with beautiful compliments.

I put and locked the bike next to the house and then went back to the aviary to just say hello to Aga. The bird immediately perched on my arm.

"You're full today, Aga?" I asked while stroking her pretty fur.

"Good good."

Apparently today he is learning a new word, which is good. It has become a habit of the parrot to repeat the new words on his head.

"I go in first. Take a bath and pray Maghrib first. It's almost this. Afraid late."

"Good good."

Understand I mean, Aga flew back and then perched on the branch of the walnut tree. I was lucky to be reunited with my neck. I waved my hand at Aga with a smile. He repeated the good word many times.