Malay Romance Zaman Now
34. Buttonhook
“Again jaya. Potatoes are famous,” chirped Dita.
“This is thanks to your prayers and support. Without you, we wouldn't be like this,” replied Vio.
“About also been fat.”
“Grave is wrong, fat is wrong. So what do I do, Dit? Aih.”
“Don't be too thin, don't be too fat. So you eat just fine. Standard feeding for Junior High School children. Don't eat sumo.”
“Have you got your hands on, Jok?” ask Rama.
“Still like yesterday. There's definitely gawaian. At the restaurant,” replied Vio.
Rama surprised. “You never told me.”
Kiagus also commented, “Great nian work at the restaurant. Get fat you, Jok!”
“Ya at home. Tired of eating, sleeping, sometimes watching TV, listening to music. A lot of it anyway.”
Pink matic motor stops in front of the boarding fence.
“Hai,” greet Masayu. “Sorry late.”
“No problem! Sori nian's. Because my tongue is westernized, so yes. I had two years in England,” exclaimed Vio.
“Nguli?” sergeant Rama.
“Not.”
“So the garbage man?”
“No.”
“So Wawi?”
“There catech place open name as in Market Sixteen, Buyan*.”
“So?”
“From a similar beautiful girl Dita. Nyesel nian I was fawning to get far there, apparently he was in Palembang.”
Rama sniffed the scent of perfume that was identical to the Eiffel Tower. But he immediately nodded quickly. Rama and Masayu somehow seemed to be in an uncomfortable situation at all.
“Dit, the more beautiful you are today bae,” exclaimed Vio.
“Subscribe.”
“Gus, you're called Dita nah.”
“I'll be retired so bad,” beber Kiagus follow-up.
“I just interned two weeks.”
Dita suddenly pointed at Vio while making an ugly claim. “Because I saw you yesterday under Ampera Bridge, sitting faceless, bad hat, shabby, hands held up, sad face, near you there is a bowl of dime, and, black and white clothes.”
“Dit, you have the heart to talk like that.”
“You're angry? Joker face like that.”
“Why don't I know yeh?” Vio scratched his jidat. “Thank you, Dit, for the info.Kok I just realized that I'm gembel.”
“Sama-sama, Darling.”
“Feelings, we once stuck together. Where yeh, if the wrong dak under Plai Oper Simpang Polda, do you remember?”
“Oh, yes, under fly over. I just realized we're a force. Thanks for the info.”
“We almost got a great attack from sudden amnesia.”
“Untung.” Dita stroking chest.
“Dit... Dit, Kasian, you have contracted gilo syndrome from me. Ha-ha.”
“Aren't I the one who's infected with a mental illness?”
“Tengkiyu peri mach for the information.”
“I failed a health test. The reason is annoying nian. Because my body is skinny. He said, dak fast PNS skinny, dilirai malnourished. You're good now, Dit, the PNS kingpin, wants to move up to third place anyway. Your salary is paid by the government. Must have BPJS, so if you are sick because you are giving time to snack, you can get free treatment.”
“So you're still honorary?”
Vio mangosteen-mute kind of possessed jin disco. “Later if there are more PNS openings for padlocks, I will pass.”
“Definitely because it's still a worm.”
Rama confirmed his sitting position and opened the plastic wrap. “Still nian. Now I'm going back your stuff.”
Masayu. Hurry she replied, “Ram, I gave it to you, so what are you going through again?”
“I can't take it.” Rama opened his backpack. “Sorry old nian on me. Only now can I turn over your poetry book. Thanks again.”
He held folds of black pants and a red tie. He also holds a book of poetry.
“Without this, maybe we can't win in the contest yesterday.”
“Congratulations. May the three of you be successful.” Masayu suddenly returned home. All the stuff was put into his motorcycle seat.
***
Rama let go of his morning reverie in shock at the arrival of his mother.
“This, son, coffee. No problem, is there your style?”
“Nothing, Mom. Safe-safe bae.”
From the front room Rama watches the streets. Slowly he sipped his coffee. Father approached him.
“Raden, I want to talk to you, son.”
Rama straightened his sitting position. The left leg that was lying on his right thigh is now down.
“Father is not happy with the way you dress and your hobbies with the band. I'm worried that you'll behave badly. It's been a long time since I've wanted to talk about this with you, and I've been intentional about not talking about it because I hope you realize it yourself, son. Honestly, I'm not happy with you right now, being a punk. Dad happy.”
“But sir, the important thing is that Rama did not behave badly.”
“Everyone knows that punk is bad, Raden. Change the way you dress. Don't be so stubborn. Polite. Because of that outfit you were accused of copet.”
“Rama promise will obey all the words of Father and Mother. Rama is willing to go to college. Rama is working now. Rama tried to find the candidate of the bini Wong Palembang. Rama will try to worship. But please, sir, please nian, this is Rama's soul, it's hard to take off. Rama is not a prick, sir. Clothing like this does not necessarily have an effect on the character of Rama.”
***
The Khadijah Cheque pempek shop. Not open. He continued walking with a shoulder of his father's words earlier. The sky was overcast, and no one was wrong, it was raining. Torrential. Fortunately this afternoon Rama was already in the shop pempeknya Khadijah Cheque.
Rama is welcome to sit by the Khadijah Cheque. He saw the rain that drenched the streets. There are some people who hitchhiked in front of the Khadijah Cheque pempek store. Not long after, Nyayu arrived there with an adult woman.
“This is me,” said Nyayu introduced the big veiled woman.
“Name Ayuk Ajeng. This is his nephew Nyayu. Her name is Dewi Lestari.”
Rama saw a little boy who was about two years old. “First child, Yuk?Beautiful, like her mother. Funny nian.”
Nyayu. “Be careful Goddess, you will be combed by Mang Cik Rama.”
“So haven't known Nyayu for long?” ask Ajeng.
“Iya, Yuk. But we seem to have known each other since childhood.”
Nyayu who was serving buyers secretly eavesdropped on the conversation.
Vio pulled his fishing line tight. He's backtracking. His hands were vigorously gripping the handle of the round fishing line.
“Ah, most can sandal again you,” said Rama jokingly.
“Let's go, Ram. Ah, nian's weight. Looks like this is whale.”
Green shorts became his umpteenth gift this afternoon. Rama and Kiagus chuckled.
“Muse is not what it used to be anymore,” said Rama. “Look at the water getting turbid and brown. The fish are getting less and less here. Scattered rubbish. Waste is flowed into the ditch, from there to the tributaries, finally emptying into the Musi River. Our river is getting polluted.”
“My father used to get a lot of fish, Ram. Especially belida. Huuu, do not play the typical fish of Palembang that one.”
“So-till be a city icon. And now belida fish populations are increasingly threatened. Could be extinct in this Musi River.”
