Malay Romance Zaman Now
40. Storiette
The magnificent Limas house.
Geck! Geck! Geck!
Door opens.
“Assalamualaikum.”
“Wa’alaikumussalam.”
“Dik, is there Rama?”
“Katekc. Ayuk ni, his friend Kak Rama, who has played here, right?”
“Iya, right. Let's go see your sister, brother. Where is he now?”
“Dak know, Yuk. Usually this time he is in the same studio Kak Vio and Kak Agus.”
“Tadi Ayuk has been there, but there is no. His number is active. Did he change the number, Dik?”
“He's still an old number, Yuk. Kak Rama tuh, usually hang out in Kambang Iwak, at Kak Vio's house, sometimes also at Kak Agus' house. Try Ayuk there.”
“Iya, Dik, thanks.”
“Log in first, Yuk.”
“Ayuk just go. Want to buy souvenirs. You want to leave tomorrow to Jakarta.”
“Buy pempek, Yuk? Want to vacation yeh Yuk to Jakarta?”
“Iya buy pempek. Ayuk wants to continue college. Coincidentally there's family there.”
“Buy pempek in Market Two Six only, Yuk. Cheap, keep fat anyway.”
“Oh, yes. Where did you go to college?”
“Di Unsri, Yuk.”
“Yang diligent college. Give my regards from Ayuk. Just omongi from Masayu. Ayuk. Assalamualaikum.”
“Wa’alaikumussalam. Careful, Yuk.”
Masayu left the Sekanak. The only person he wanted to meet before leaving was Rama. But his wish failed. The matic motorbike stopped in front of one of the pempek stores. For a moment Masayu tidied his Emo hair and saw his face in the rearview mirror. Enter the girl wearing the pink sweater into the store. Masayu talks to a girl in a pink hooded.
“His sample is fifty. Intermingled. Put it in the box.”
Inadvertently Masayu turned to one of the tables inside the store and was surprised to see the figure of the bachelor. No stranger to him. For a moment, he blinked his eyes. His gaze pounded on the bachelor, continuing, until he was completely sure.
“Rama...,” call him while walking closer to Rama.
Rama looked up, and he gasped at Masayu's presence. He saw that smile. Special smile.
“How are you, Ram?”
Rama was suddenly nervous. “Good. You how are you?”
“Good. Buy pempek also?”
Rama shook his head.
“Please grab the box for that pempek container, Ram.”
“Start, Nyayu.”
Suddenly Masayu was silent a thousand languages. Masayu looked back and looked at Rama's face before exiting the shop. I want him to talk a lot with Rama, but what power he is now. Just look at Rama. Satisfied his heart. He wants to say goodbye. But he couldn't say it.
***
Suddenly the floor of the wooden board shook. The sound of the footsteps came from Ayu's room. Keep the sound of the jolt inching into the middle room. Rama and his mothers were angry that Ayu ran like a dog. With a serious face Ayu chirped exclaimed to her brother.
“Ayuuuu.. You are, son.”.
“Let's go, Mom, chat. Ayu was the one who prattled. Brother Rama, Ayu there is interesting information, up to date, and will be a trending topic on any social media. You know, sister, this afternoon there was a cute girl dressed in pink, and she kept asking to be conveyed greetings to Brother. Keep saying, he will leave tomorrow to Jakarta.”
“Masayu?”
“Smart boy!”
***
Not yet the cock crowed, Rama immediately to the OPI housing. Rama rammed the bell with a sting. Door opens. Rama suddenly wanted to enter. But he was shocked and pulled his body back.
“Raden?”
“Iya, Aunt.”
Siti pouting.
“Eh. Yes, Cek.”
The smiling city blooms. “You met Masayu, Nak Raden?”
“Iya, Cheque, Yes. Where is Masayu, Cheque?”
“She's already gone to the station, take a taxi.”
“Hah? Nian, Cheque?” Rama is not sure.
Rama. Hurrying immediately. He's hustling. After parking his motorbike he was bouncing running in droves. Rama spread the view. Seeking Masayu. He paced back and forth, puzzled, shuffled, and there and there, constantly searching for Masayu. Maybe the train has gone? Sadness mixed with hope makes Rama more anxious. Repeatedly he got the wrong person because he guessed it was Masayu, but apparently it wasn't.
From a distance a girl, alone, was dragging a large suitcase about to leave the outer courtyard. From behind, from the hairstyle that protrudes to the back, let alone the T-shirt that says “Emo Girl”, plus the way it goes, then Rama believes that it is Masayu. He ran. The station attendants and people there were astonished to see a man running in a hurry. There are those who know that it is the vocalist of Philosophie.
Masayu stop. He felt someone calling him. He looked back and saw a young man approaching him. Suddenly the handle of the suitcase slipped off and the small bag he was carrying dropped. “Rama..,” hisses.
“Don't stay with me, Masayu.”
“What, Rama? Who was that girl in the store yesterday, Ram?”
“Free close friend, believe me, Yu.”
“You're not lying?”
Masayu couldn't stand it. Her tears are flowing.
***
In the evening Rama prayed in Maghrib at 26 Ilir. Like yesterday. He had already promised to meet Nyayu around the breach.
“If you knew the future, would you change it?”
“All written, Rama. We are only assigned to try and pray.”
“What is the name of our soul mate already written?”
“If God predestines from beginning to end, it is His will. And even if God tells us to choose, that is also His power and will.”
Rama answered with a smile.
“You are too kind and smart for me, Nyayu. It's not worth it if I'm close to you.”
“Don't go low like that.”
“I am but a shabby bachelor, not a prince, let alone a king, who the Angel is looking for right now. Fly, keep looking.”
“Jago nian you literature. Who is finger?”
Masayu. That's litotes.
“Rama... You daydream?”
“Eh. There's just his teacher.”
***
Morning…..
Kiagus is no longer concerned about the existence of Pol-PP in Pasar 16 Ilir. If he always opened his sales stall just before noon, now at nine his shop is open.
“SHOE STORE AND SANDALS KIAGUS”
The inscription is listed above the entrance of a shophouse. Inside, Devrieya was tidying up her wares.
***
Afternoon….
His bedroom was a mess like a broken ship. He was so lazy to get out of bed. He yawned repeatedly. He sat for a moment. Then lie back again on his mattress that smells of saliva. This morning, the window of his room was closed. His HP shook again. This is the fifty-first call of Dita. But Vio won't lift it. Because Vio knew it was an emergency call to get up, don't laze around, take a shower, quickly find the reward. After the 72nd call, Vio pressed the green button.
“Ha... ha... looo?”
Dita who had just returned from teaching at one of the SD in Muara Enim became angry. “You're suspended, honey?”
“A?”
“Quick shower there!”
Vio muttered indistinctly. “Slutty nian, judes. I'll sew you up your mouth”
“Wake up, take a quick shower! It's been three years since I took a shower.”
“Three centuries, Dear.”
“You mouth you got here know, dak? Aih, rotten nian.”
After a morning shower at 12:00 and breakfast at 13:00, Vio was exposed to the sun. He walked around his village. Although somewhat famous as a bassist Philosophie, but his reputation is bad and his popularity is worn down because until now his work is still at home to eat.
“Oi, Seat, son to mano?” asked Asep who was hanging out in the corner of the village.
Vio flashed a blooming smile to his comrades in Kampung Dua Six. In addition to Asep, there are also Randi, Bobi, and Sister Cik Yusuf.
“Ado gawe.”
Brother Cik Yusuf said, “Wong Palembang nian you are. Kalu asked to mano, definitely ado gawe.”
***
Afternoon…..
“Former Father and Mother walked like this from Sekanak to the Sixteen Market. But BKB used to be not as good as it is now. Maybe more beautiful first it seems, because the atmosphere of Palembang asri more felt nian.”
The river is high because it is now at the end of December. This afternoon the sky is clear even though it is rainy season. Bujang dressed in punk style and the girl dressed in pink style was sitting on the outskirts of the BKB court while watching the water continues to flow. The yellow water is brown. The ketek boat there became reflected because of small waves.
“Another unattainable one, trade. That is the hope of Mr.”
“I can call you Raden?”
“Do not, Yu. Raden is tall. I deserve to be called that name. I've never been the same omongi you.”
“Iya, Rama.”
“Vio, her name is Kemas Alvio. He also did not want to be called Pack because of shame. Shame because he was an ordinary person. Like me, he felt he didn't deserve to be called that title. And Kiagus, if he has a first name, such as Ahmad Kiagus, he would want to be called Ahmad. Or if his name is Kiagus Prima, he'd better be called Prima. Or if his name is Kiagus Ucok, I'm sure he'll be called Ucok.”
“You can nian, Ram.”
“Raden is a title for a boy from the marriage of a Prince to the daughter of a Prince. Not just anyone can have that title. Raden's wife was called Queen. The wives and daughters of Prince or Raden are called Raden Ayu, which means beautiful. While Masagus is a title owned by men from the marriage of a Prince or Raden with a girl from the class of the people; but the Sultan of Lemabang at that time determined that the man was also titled Raden, Raden, not Masagus. For Masayu, which means the beautiful who costs a lot, it is a title for the wife and daughter of a man with the title Masagus. Prince, Raden, and Masagus were among the men in the past.
“While for the people, divided into three groups, namely Kiai-mas or Kemas, Kiai-gus or Kiagus, continue to the common people. Pack it, a title for men from Masayu's marriage and men from commoners. If it's Kiagus, it's the boy from the lowest Raden breed. In Palembang there are four better known titles, namely Raden, Masagus, Kemas, and Kiagus. But it happened first. Now the people made that honorable title his son's name with the will of his heart. I still don't know what the meaning of the name is. Some people have the name Raden for example, or have the name Kiagus, but he does not know the origin of the name, even do not know at all the historical and cultural value of the term. Many nian wong are proud to be Wong Palembang. Moreover, it has a name identical to Palembang. But baby, they don't know what their name means. It's important they have a title. Worse, the honorable title was freely given to the children of their descendants even though they were born and raised in this land. Palembang ni is rich with historical and cultural values. We're the ones who don't want to know.”
“Say you want to tell me about Palembang. Continue Musi River.”
“Yu, I salute my village, my city, and my country. Salute nian. How smart wong was first. How can they determine Palembang as the Capital, even though at that time there was no technology as advanced as it is today. We don't have minds like the old wong. Look, clever nian they, make this place as the center, because it is strategically located nian. The corner of the eight cardinal directions and the Musi ni River is the corner of the eight tributaries that stretch around South Sumatra. People who sail from Java by sea, if you want to go to the hinterland, must pass through Palembang. And vice versa. In Palembang, there are more than a hundred rivers flowing right in the middle of the city. That is why Palembang became a trading center. That is all strong evidence that the Srivijaya Kingdom once existed in Palembang.”
Rama then tells the story of Kampung Cina, right in front of them now, across there separated by the Musi River. Then tell me about Kampung Arab and explain about Dutch architecture houses around Bukit Kecil. He said, the Dutch did not always establish a colonial government that is synonymous with slavery, but because of the arrival of the Dutch, Palembang was less organized and developed, one of which is the Water Treatment Plant in 3 Dutch heritage Ilir, and the other is the Water Treatment Plant, until PDAM Tirta Musi developed rapidly as it is now.”
Rama threw his index finger towards Seberang Ulu. “There One Ulu.” He shifted his direction straight to the left. “Two Ulu, Three/Four Ulu, Lima Ulu, to the east, Fourteen Ulu.” Rama pointed to the left of him. “In the vicinity of Pusri, One Ilir, continued on the outskirts of Musi River, up to 16 Ilir. Here...” Then he pointed to the right. “Sekanak, hold Staircases. That's where the original villages of Palembang.”
“I remember Mama's short story. I remember the sentences at the end of the short story: Musi River water continues to flow downstream, the story of Raden and Masayu continues to roll until the breath ends.”
Finishes.
