Lutfi Gilang's

12. Seblak vs Chicken Noodles

i

After changing clothes and performing the Dzuhur prayer, I sat in the waiting room of company 0000, if you meet me, might see me who looks moody. It is, and this body is also lethargic. Feelings of worry that are tattered with guilt, become a crisis that engulfs the mind completely.

Guilty of still not being able to find Lutfi, guilty of still not being able to work on the script, guilty of still not being able to keep the promise not to directly refuse the gift of others, he said, and guilty that I won't be able to eat food in the purple lunchbox.

It's not that I don't like it, it's that I don't appreciate the gift from her, I just don't want to eat the cooking of another woman I didn't intentionally buy. I hope you understand what I mean.

That, too, is one of the ways I keep the heart and relationships that I have right now. Although the disappearance of Lutfi without a trace also often brings whispers that we have separated. But still, for me, if we have not heard the words separate from him directly, it means we have not really officially separated.

I once heard a poet say: "Women's heart is obtained because of the seriousness and struggle of men. Men's hearts come from the cooking women make."

So, again, my choice not to eat that dish, it's how I keep my heart.

"Wooy!" the young man surprised me.

I woke up after hearing and felt a small pat on my left shoulder. I looked towards the man. Tio, name. He works in the marketing department. He, my teenage friend on the bench of SMAN Purwokerto during class XI.

"So long time no see, same thing."

I smiled and answered his handshake.

"Eh, how are you?" He's nanya.

"Healthy" I replied.

"Only alone. Where's editormu?"

"For business,"

"What business? In Jakarta too? What else is he doing?"

I looked at him with a cynical look. Very dislike of men who want to know more about Lutfi.

As if understanding my irritation, he raised both hands. "Ooh.. sorry, sorry, bro." she apologized. "Eh, would you like to see Mr. Heru, would you?"

I'm nagging.

"That new book, right?"

I'm nagging again.

"Eh, leaking a little dong, the story is like how." he asked with both palms swiped each other. "He he he.... You understand, why?"

I nagged again.

"Keep, about what?"

I gave him a signal to get closer.

Tio obey my will.

I looked around, hoping that no one would look at us, and then made an absurd hypothesis. Like... okay lupain!

"Cowo kepo is constantly single" I whispered in his left ear.

He nodded and thanked me for chuckling. And the cuteness became even more when Tio realized that I was mocking him. "Ah, mock you!" his grunts while positioning himself to sit as before.

"He," I laughed. The thing I couldn't do for a long time, two days back, more precisely after learning that Lutfi disappeared without a trace. And I am very grateful to Tio for returning my smile, even if only for a moment.

"Hmmm.." he muttered. "So, don't you want to tell me, is it?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"What a kayak is, if it's a colab novel?" He's nanya. "It's strictly confidential,"

I agree with sign language.

"Yes, I won't make you know."

I kept quiet, didn't care.

"Eh, by the way, said Mr. Zurri, you're his fiancee. What yeah?" ask again a few minutes later.

I nodded without facing her. My eyes were more focused on the TV screen that was deliberately installed on a whitewashed wall. Not without reason, I noticed it because there was something that surprised me. News of missing persons.

Aye!

It's about Lutfi! But who told the reporter? Is the rumor of the disappearance of Lutfi is booming again?

"Waaah... congratulations? I followed along with her horror" Tio said as she patted my back. "If gini, I can stay alone alone who is single."

I don't care, still focused on the news. The TV volume was very slow, so I found it hard to know what the news anchor was saying. But still, the writing "News of the missing", and the appearance of the leaflets I made have become strong evidence for me to assume that the TV channel is airing the news of a young man who lost his fiancee.

"Hmmm...." I heard Tio muttering. "Look at what, anyway?! Very busy,"

I raised my head a little. Tell me what I'm looking at.

"Oooh. At home you don't have, do you?" He mocked, then spliced with his special laugh. "Eh, you brought provisions, what?" He continued his sentence while lifting the lunchbox I had stored on the table. "What, what's that?"

"Open up" I said, keeping focused on the news anchor.

I heard the sound of the lid opening, then I smelled the scent of one of my favorite foods....

"Blak!" Tio exclaims. "Buy where, huh?"

"Dikasih," I replied.

"Waah. Same who?"

"Double,"

"Pst! Ha ha ha.... Are you again the same widow?"

I exhaled, looking at Tio. "So, I didn't meet you on the street on purpose,"

"Continue?"

"He gave it to you,"

"Make?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm giving him money to go back,"

"How many abuses?"

"Two hundred and eighty,"

"Wow, a lot of it turns out. I guess it's not until a hundred."

"Taxi, it's expensive."

"Hmmm... actually riding angkot is also as expensive" he said but I did not respond. "Pay the angkot is cheaper, but the thief is loh! So good of me!"

I agreed with a nod. Indeed, the risk of using public transportation is dealing with the community, which most of them have turned themselves into thieves.

Not without reason, it is all for the sake of living in the midst of political business, which makes all things paid, which makes the value of the rupiah in the international arena decreases, which makes market prices increase, and that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.

"Keep behind?"

"Hmmm...." Nug at me.

"Full?"

"Ga," My arms. "just half."

"Mean, seblak this if it becomes money the same as pek si, dong?" He's nanya.

"Plexy?" I'm back with nanya.

"Yes. Pek si."

"Birds mean?"

"Pst! That's mah peksi in Javanese, this one's 'pek' spacing 'si'."

"What tuh?"

"White, a hundred and forty thousand." obviously a little irritated.

"Ooh... It could be," I replied.

"Waaah... I've never eaten anything this expensive." she said as she gulped. "Usually most buy seblak ya.. goceng, for pop ice, lah. If not, as expensive as possible, yes. ga sampe goban, it is. It also pay—"

"Benefit?" I'm sabotaging.

"Clearly!" he cried without further ado, without the slightest embarrassment.

I muttered. "When do you pay?"

"Too payday. Well, if the end of the month yes. Ha ha ha...."

I shook my head to hear Tio's statement. I hope he stops his bad habits. Not only Tio, but you also read this story.

I've heard, a Ustadz explains that: "If someone owes and has not paid it off, then all his charity will be suspended—hanging above the sky."

That is, if you have not paid off your debts, all your acts of worship do not reach Allah.

Like a motorbike that has not paid off, broke down in the middle of the road, and made it to the destination. But if your motorbike owes you can always reach the destination, it means your motorbike is driven just as satanic.

Yes, the jinn who have become demons are always diligent and eager to help people who violate the rules of his God so that it is easier and smoother, so that humans think that the Adzab of the world does not exist. And finally, they get friends to be tortured in hell later.

So, for you, especially the women, do not want to deh bonceng guy whose motor has not paid off, because there is Genderuwo behind it.

Loh, how to become Genderuwo suddenly?

Yes..barin, Iah. He's tall, so it's good for push-pushing. He's....

Speaking of debt. In addition to inconveniencing yourself with the threat of not entering heaven more than 99.999999 (and many more numbers 9) %, it will also be very detrimental to families and people nearby. Didn't believe?

Okay, I'll try to straighten your eyes from now on.

First, if you have a brother or a friend in debt, to whom do they ask for help?

Yeah, you guys know the answer.

They'll borrow your money to pay off the debt to someone else. And when he repays his debt to you, believe and be assured that the money is also the result of debt to others.

Similar to dangdut song: "Diggle the hole, close the hole, the hole varies...."

Fun, lanjuuut! He's....

Second, if your brother or friend dies and abandons his debts, who will pay them off?

Of course, family and closest friends, right?

Ah, maybe you can escape that responsibility, but still, debt collectors are better than intel and detectives. Wherever you hide, they will find your place. Ha ha ha, feel it!

The occurrence of people in debt and death also occurred during the time of Prophet Muhammad. If it is not wrong, then the Prophet was asked to be the priest to pray the corpse of a friend who died. But then he refused, because the mayor had not paid off his debts.

Until then the friend of Abu Bakr As-Sidiq, agreed to pay off all debts of the mayor. And then the Prophet would like to invite the companions to perform the funeral prayer.

From that, we, especially Muslims, can learn that the dead person who has not paid off his debts and or no party can bear all the debts of the dead person, he said, then we don't have to break it.

And, you must know how it ends for a Muslim who is not sholati after his death. If you don't know, yes najai sonoh.

Well, what about that explanation, you guys have changed your mind now? If it does not mean that you are supporters of acute debtors. Should be operated immediately!

So, once again, I appeal to everyone in the world, especially to the readers of my work, Stop being in debt, from now on. And if you are forced into debt, rush to pay it off, otherwise you will feel the consequences!

Okay, I'll just stop talking about debt because many don't like it. Let's just go on with my story.

"You die first before your debt is paid off, how is it?" I tried to stop his bad habits.

Tio put on a surprised face. "Yes.hopefully, I do not." He was silent, breathing. "But, it doesn't taste very good if you're in debt. I also often apes, anyway, actually."

"Hmmm.." I muttered. "signatures of the times."

Tio's body. "Ah, don't do it, dong" he said at last. "I'm going to try, save money, let's not have big debts."

"That's better," I said trying to believe. And I really hope he does it really.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah." Tio put the lunchbox back to how it was. "I go first, buy some food. He he he...."

"Take it, no." I said. "So you don't have to pay."

"Huh?" She's surprised. "Seriously?"

I'm nagging.

With an excited expression, Tio grabbed the lunchbox again. "Thank you, loh." he said as he walked away. "Eh," He looked back at me, irritating me a little. "but, you've tried this, right?"

"Drug?" my many.

"Yes" he answered. "Nyicipin is as good as I mean."

"Oooh." My bell.

Suddenly his face was grim. Sit back by my side. "I can't accept this" he said, returning the purple lunch box to me. "I can't eat anyone who doesn't even eat food yet."

"Ribet," grumbled.

"Eh, that's my principle, bro!" He exclaimed. "Respect, dong!"

I nodded and apologized. Then open the lid of the feeding box, and remove the transparent plastic ties that wrap the seblak. The smell is getting worse. "Bring spoon?" I'm nanya.

He's signaling. "I eat, but I don't eat spoons, too, times."

I chuckled at her, then showed her a plastic spoon between the table and the lunchbox.

"Well, there is" he said.

"Who knows, you have."

"Ga!" exasperatedly. "Udah, try it first, how does it feel. I'm laper, here."

I obeyed his will by slipping seblak in front of his eyes. Spicy, wry, bitter, salty, and warm; synergize perfectly into a harmony of taste that fits perfectly on the tongue.

Okay, I admit, I'm not very good at explaining flavors, let alone the spices used to make these foods. So, I hope, you can imagine for yourself what it's like. Or, if you need to, you can eat while reading this story. Let it feel more. He's....

"Where?" Tio.

I handed the food over to him, asking him to taste it for himself. "Uh... yummy this." said Tio after bribing seblak. "Is this really for me?"

"Yes,"

"Relatedly? Ga nyesel?"

"Yes,"

"It's really delicious. Panteslah, price se-pek si, make the money but. Ha ha ha.." he said while eating a spoonful of seblak.

"Take it," I said.

"Okay, um, that's it. Thanks a lot, huh?" tio said as he patted my shoulder and then stepped away. "Tomorrow I'll get the lunch box!" yells.

I, silent, discussed with the brain. Imagine if Lutfi likes food like seblak earlier, or pizza, or burgers, or ramen, or papeda, or cilor, or other strange foods. Surely he used to cook me that meal, or at least we could buy it while dating.

But, in fact, those foods are not suitable for his tongue and stomach. Only chicken noodles can satisfy his appetite, because indeed he can manage his own dose of spiciness, which is not as reliable as ordinary humans.

Thinking about it, it reminded me of High School, the time when I made him sick by choosing the wrong food, and the time when I had to pay chicken noodles three times the usual price.

🌹🌹🌹

ii

7 years ago.

That afternoon, on Wednesday, Lutfi and I went home after an annoying OSIS meeting. Discussing this is unnecessary, unhelpful, and just a waste of time. We stepped out of the garden, out of school.

"What do you want to eat?" I'm nanya.

He mutters. "Yes..most chicken noodles,"

"And yesterday, yesterday again also ate chicken noodles, from Friday even. Bosen?"

"He he he.... lah, do you like it, how else?"

"Eat the mulu noodles, cassian the hull." I said.

"Naaa.." whining.

Up outside the school, not far from where we were standing I saw a cart of vendors.

"Eat that, will you?" take me.

Lutfi tried to stare in the direction I was looking. "Where, anyway?"

"That's the red wagon" I replied.

His forehead wrinkled, both eyebrows almost fused together, a sign he was trying to focus his gaze more. "Ga looks at it," asked him finally. "what's the frying pan, anyway?"

"Blak,"

"Blak?"

"Yes. Special food in Bandung. Never tried it?"

Lutfi. "Yet. How does it feel?"

"It's got noodles, eggs, sausages, macaroni, crackers, same claw." I'm explaining.

"Witch?" Lutfi nanya, her tone sounded slightly interested. "Pedes, huh?"

"Yes, if you ask,"

"ask!" saut Lutfi fast.

"So, will?" my many.

"May," he said excitedly. "Eh, but it's noodles again, huh?"

"Yes, anyway. He...."

Lutfi patted my left shoulder as she said: "I'm really into noodles, anyway. He he he...."

🌹🌹🌹

iii

Lutfi and I got to the seller's place.

The movement is neat, the place to eat is also clean even though it is on the side of the road. The seller was young and friendly, and I thought the two men were about our age.

Seblak enthusiasts sold by them quite a lot, ranging from small children to adults. So, we need time to wait for the order to be completed.

About 20 minutes waiting, finally a portion of a super spicy complete seblak has been finished and wrapped neatly with plastic in a sterofom box.

"How Much Bang?"

"Load, Mas." replied the seller.

"Huh?" I'm nanya.

"Ten thousand, Mas."

"Oh," I reached into the upper pocket and gave him a sheet of twenty thousand.

The man accepted it and gave me back two five thousand sheets.

Awesome, huh? Give one back two. Take food again. He's....

"Where do you eat?" ask me to Lutfi after approaching him.

"Hmmm.." he muttered with his head slightly bellowed.

"Balaikemambang, how?" I'm offering.

"Can," he said happily. "but, what's up?"

I smiled, then whispered. "Cart "

"Yes, time to ride the wagon, again?"

"He," I laughed.

Lutfi patted my left shoulder. "What a fact, yes."

"Yes, yeah. We're riding a flying rug."

"Say!" Lutfi exclaimed making some people look towards us. "Tuh, right.you, anyway, joking mute so diliatin, deh."

"Because...." I'm confused as to what to answer.

"You must have the bike, huh?" tanya Lutfi tried to guess.

"Kok, you know what?" I'm trying to ask.

"Clearly! I did, loh. He he he...."

"Hmmm.... My motor key is also in you, right?

She's surprised. "Kok, you know what?" lutfi asked as if repeating my previous question.

"Clearly! I did, loh. He he he.." I said mimicking Lutfi's previous speech and style.

He patted me on the shoulder, again. "H, basic! A creative writer."

I was a little sick to hear it.

Lutfi was laughing again. "He he he...."

Hopefully, Luffi will also doyan seblak, not just chicken noodles. Hope I was then.

The fight of the two foods starts from now on!

About who's gonna win, huh?