METANOIA, A Wonder Place

Episode 9

            Father, mother, uncle and kake were already waiting on the front porch, I passed through the main door and the golden afternoon sunlight splashed my face. Blindingly, so I had to squint, the twins were walking right behind me casually.

             “Let's be angry,” uncle eagerly guided us to his car, maybe more precisely called pick up.

            Dad helped raise the kake in the front seat with uncle, while we were all sitting in the back, it looks like this car is often used by uncle to transport pamen products, he said, can be seen from the remnants of corn skin that began to dry, left on the sidelines of the corner of his car.

            We were sitting on a wheat pottery that had been tied up, maybe before the uncle intended to transport, and sell it to the village. Sitting on the wheat was quite tender, although sometimes there were some parts that pierced my skin, it felt quite itchy, but I can still hold it, thanks to these thick jeans.

            The golden afternoon sunshine looked very beautiful, through the trees in our driveway. Much more beautiful, than I saw at night, the sound of pebbles as we passed the road, sounding very melodious, combined with the sound of the wind between the leaves. Arie's hair in the booth looks harmonious with the color of fallen leaves and afternoon sunlight makes it look more red than usual.

            He sat quietly, next to Arya who was both still enjoying the scenery around, while father and mother, seemed to be reminiscing again, sometimes I find them laughing, maybe remembering their youth together. If you think this is my hometown, even his family is still here, but why we never visited here, if you think this is my hometown, or get a call about family news here, or maybe they're visiting us in town.

            Uncle slowed down when we got to Crimson Street, next to the signboard was another signpost, a signboard, the writing has begun to be erased but vague if noticed may be legible.

            Along the way there was not much to see, only trees that seemed to be part of a very dense forest, and occasionally some agricultural plots were visible on the sidelines. It did not feel the lights of the houses began to be seen, it turned out that the road to our house was not as far as I imagined, just one turn and until we had been to the village center.

            This place is crowded than before, so the uncle has to drive his car quite far from the center of the crowd, “we arrive!” The thrill, when finished carrying the car perfectly on the side of the road.

            Lavi helped me and Arya get off the pick-up, while Arie jumped in before she got in. The kid looks tomboyish and cooler tonight, looks like he's not laying a helping hand, to help him get off.

            “You can go around,” dad told us, “we will regroup, next 1 hour for dinner, meet in the middle of the roundabout.” Mother added her last messages, before she went walking in front of us, maybe it's true they will reminisce tonight.

            I smiled faintly at the affection of the two of them, and walked after the twins and Lavi, who were in front of me, we walked among people who seemed busy exchanging merchandise with produce or buying something. This place looks like a market to me, only the people look familiar to each other, and only we look like strangers here.

            An old shop stood next to me, it was in the afternoon sun that made it light up, ‘an antiques’ signboard wrote, from outside the window, the shop looked disrespected, and only an old man, with his white hair sitting behind the counter, smiled as our eyes met.

            “Welcome!” The thrill of sounding so happy to get customers, this store looks better when you are in it, does not look as dark and scary as I think, even looks more luxurious, even more luxurious, like a museum filled with antique and rare objects.

            I walked around the store, slowly, and noticed the display, one by one, “not many came here” he said, while approaching me, one by one, but still keep your distance “you're a new kid?”

            “Iya.” My heart, with a smile that tries to be friendly, “turis?” Ask again.

            “Where are you staying? I know all the houses and who died, even before that person lived in the house.” The man replied with his pretentious smile, etched clearly on his wrinkled face, making his round glasses lift up.

            “We stay at the end of Crimson Street.”

            He was silent for a moment to hear my answer, as surprised as he did not expect, and finally replied, “there is only one house on the road that” he said slowly, saying, I just nodded to justify his words.

            “The house has been empty for a long time, and is not sold or rented” he said again, this time his face looks more serious looking at me directly.

            “Yes, We live there, he said it was the house of our great-grandmother” heard my answer, his face more shocked than I thought, he said, I don't think there's anything to be surprised about that.

            “You, the Crimson family?” his voice sounded cautious when asking.

            “Iya” I said briefly, maybe my face looks confused now, and I started to feel uncomfortable with this situation.

            “Sorry if I make you uncomfortable, it's just, the house is for me like a treasure warehouse, filled with antiques.” heard the explanation from him, just, I think it has a point too, all the furniture is very old-fashioned.

            The man went on, by telling many things, about his collection, and how he fell deeply in love with antic objects. He said he and his late wife traveled all over the country and the city looking for antiques, and when his wife died, he decided to turn his house into an antique shop.

             “Sometimes, it is difficult to sell these items, in which there are so many memories of us,” his voice sounds sad and deep.

            “Maybe I can invite you, to my house one day” said I, trying to cheer him up while approaching, indeed I have heard mother wants to hold our transfer server, he said, and invited some neighbors or acquaintances, but still do not know when exactly, at that time I can definitely invite this man.

            He smiled, his spirit seemed to fill up again, making me also smile to see him, “come here, there is something I want to give you” he led me to a corner, he said, behind a pile of other antiques, he picked up a wooden box, which looked like a jewelry box.

            The wooden box was painted in wood-red, and thick dust covered the top, opening it and a pair of bracelets and necklaces in the middle of the box, still each of them has a white pendulum, just like the chain, but if exposed to light, will emit a beautiful red color.

            “This was given to me, by a woman who once lived in your house, maybe she was your great-grandmother.” The man handed me the jewelry box, and let me see it more clearly.

             “It's very pretty,” that's all I can say, look at this very beautiful jewelry, maybe it's made of silver.