Mute Witness
Preserve or Return? (1)
Dinas House
The door of the House of Dinas was heard open as the clock showed almost 8 p.m. The sound of footsteps
a heavy sound echoed towards the room. From the rhythm of his steps, those footsteps belonged to the children. Ari and Ali.
What makes them visit the judge for so long?
“Talking to dad is sometimes endless.” Ari said exhausted.
Two voices heard simultaneously. They must've thrown themselves on the couch.
“Ya.” Ali replied, exhausted too. “Luckily, Uncle Judge was put in the office detention house. Otherwise, we can not linger to visit it.”
“Sometimes I always want to protest.” Said Ari.
The intonation of his voice returned to spirit.
“What protest?”
“Official if detained kok privilegedih. Kayak is not a criminal aja.” Ari grunts.
“You mean, Your father?” Goda Ali, “you seem to really want your father put in a regular prison.” Ali
laughingly.
“Not my father!” Ari shouted in protest, “my father indeed deserves to be privileged. He is not, not a criminal. If only father was put in a regular prison, of course I would protest loudly.” Said hot-sounding.
“You don't protest me.” Ali's temptation continued.
“Ali.. I'm serious.” Ali took a deep breath, “I always want to protest about officials who commit crimes, but if imprisoned instead given special facilities. Sometimes I always think, are they not ashamed of the people?”
“I will not be ashamed if given special facilities, instead I will be proud, especially when I am imprisoned. I'll even protest if it's not given.” Ali replied with a joke.
“Ali!!” Ari shouted riled.
He seems very serious.
“Iyaa.” Ali laughs, “I agree with you.”
Ari finally laughed.
“Ali, what do you think of our discussion with father, Uncle Alan and Mr Great Master?” Ari asked, he came back serious.
“About continuing to manage the mine or returning it?”
“Iya.”
Ali just exhaled, heavy.
“Selecting any one remains difficult, right?”
“Yourself, choose which one?” Ali finally asked.
“Loh, you right, who has to make a decision?”
“Because of that, I ask your opinion.” Ali took a breath.
Shut up for a moment, “I don't know.” Ari said finally, giving up.
The sound of someone's footsteps approaching the room. It's an adult's footstep.
“Pak Arif?” Ali welcomed the man who turned out to be Mr. Arif. What's the need for him to come here?
The one that was welcomed only let out a long breath.
“Let's go in Pak.” Ari said hello.
His intonation sounded like someone holding back anger.
“From dad.” Ari replied short and plain.
“You know your duty, don't you?” Ask Mr. Arif trying to relax.
“Tahu.” Ari answered back, relax.
“Know..” said Mr. Arif is weak, “know just not enough until applied.”
“I mean Mr Arif, what?” Ali sounded confused.
“You only have an easy job. You simply supervise the work and provide instructions and decisions.” Shut up for a moment, “though easy, you can't just leave the task.”
“We never leave a task.” Ari protest.
“Leaving home locked during business hours. Is that not a form of leaving duty?” from his intonation, Mr. Arif was heard trying hard to resist anger.
“Oh it. We instead leave the task. We just moved the place of duty.” Now, Ari sounds relaxed.
”Discuss with someone imprisoned. Is it part of the task?”
“Does Mr Arif look at father so vile that he should not be asked at all?” Ari's angry.
“Ari, I didn't say like that.” Mr. Arif hastily clarified, “you may visit him. But please, do when outside working hours.”
“Alright Sir. We understand.” Ali joined the conversation, trying to melt the atmosphere, “We're sorry.”
Fortunately, Ari gave up. Arguing would only add to the problem, it seemed like he already knew that.
“Pak Arif came here because there is business, right? You must have been very eager to meet us since.” Ali tried to change the topic, “we are really sorry for not being in place.”
Mr. Arif took a long breath.
“You know son.” Her voice softened, “I actually never want to have a problem about who is the leader in this family.” Exhaling, “I just always expect the best. Whoever the leader is.”
“I admit, you guys are great kids. I really want, the greatness that you can channel to the family and the people as a whole.”
“About that, we know, Sir.” Ari again commented casually, “what do you really want to say?”
Mr. Arif breathed out a sigh, “what are you discussing with the Judge?”
“Only about government in general.” Ali answered.
“Also about mine.” Ari answered, plain.
“Oh yes?” instantly Mr Arif is interested, “what did he tell you about the mine?”
“Eh.. Just a matter of technical work in the mine, sir.” Ali answered. He was impressed to cover something.
“Also about mine manager later.” Ari answered back.
“That's right, Ali?”
There's no answer.
“What did your father say about mine manager, Ari?”
“Pak Arif seems very interested, why?” instead of answering, Ari asked back.
Sighs, “because, you guys definitely agree with his opinion, right?”
“If we agree, why?” Ask Ari.
“Nak, handing back the mine to the government it's too risky.” Mr. Arif said, firmly.
