My Mother is a Transvestite
Preparation of Cooking Competition
The bright blue sky outside the window looked so dazzling. The leaves of the tree outside moved gently in the morning breeze, creating a calm natural melody. Its warm rays illuminate the spacious living room of Joseph and Ima's house, giving the impression of being warm and pleasant. From the kitchen, the aroma of toast and coffee began to spread, creating a perfect morning atmosphere.
On the dining table, Joseph, in a light blue plain shirt and shorts, was reading a brochure. His face looked solemn, his thick brows furrowed, reflecting the seriousness of reading. "See, look at this!" yelled, flicking a brochure into the air.
Ima, who was pouring milk into her cereal bowl, turned her head. His long black hair was freely scattered, and his brown eyes shone with enthusiasm. "What is that, Yus?" he asked, approaching the table.
Joseph pointed to the picture in the brochure, "It's a cooking competition at our school! We have to follow!" He looked excited, both eyes sparkling.
Ima picked up the brochure and started reading it carefully. "Hmm, that looks interesting. But what are we gonna cook?"
Sipping her black coffee, Ana, their adoptive mother, smiled seeing her two children excited. "Why not try my favorite recipe? You like it" Ana said with a smile on her face. He recalled how his two children always asked for the dish every time they celebrated something.
Ima looked at Ana, her eyes shining brightly. "That's a great idea, Mom! Can you give us the recipe?"
Ana nodded, her smile soft. "Sure, but you guys have to promise to do your best, yeah."
Joseph rose from his chair, his eyes shining with excitement. "Sure! We're going to win this race!" he clenched his hands into the air.
Ima hugged Ana, her face looked grateful. "Thank you, Mom. We won't let you down."
Ana patted Ima's back gently, "I know you guys can. Oh, and don't forget to practice first, yeah."
Joseph laughed, "Of course! We'll train every day until the race arrives."
The three of them laughed, enjoying the warm and hopeful atmosphere of the morning. They know that preparation for the race will not be easy, but with the support of each other, they are sure to be able to deal with it.
It is amazing how a brochure can evoke passion and hope, and how a favorite recipe can be a symbol of love and unity between them. They are ready for the challenges to come, together as one family.
That morning, the sun was still low in the sky as Joseph and Ima were getting ready to go to the traditional market. They wear comfortable clothes, with shopping bags ready to be held. Ana stood in front of the door, smiling warmly as she looked at her two excited children.
"Dek, don't forget to bring a list of groceries and money," Ana said, giving them a neatly folded list and some cash.
"Good, Mom!" answer Ima with enthusiasm, grasping tightly the list of groceries.
The two of them walked towards the market that was not too far from their home. By the time they got there, the market was already bustling with busy traders and buyers transacting. The sound of merchandise being struck and bargaining made the atmosphere come alive.
The morning sun illuminated the market with a gentle light, creating shadows among the lined tents. They could feel the breeze of the cool breeze that carried the scent of spices and fresh flowers. In a corner of the market, a grandmother with white hair neatly tied up sat under a red tent, showing off various spices.
Mother and son walked up to the grandmother. Ima watched the tempting spices, while Joseph lifted up the empty paper bag.
The grandmother smiled when she saw them. "Good morning, baby. Can I help you?" ask her in a soft voice.
Ima kindly replied, "Good morning, Grandma. We want to buy spices to cook rendang. Here's the shopping list."
The grandmother received the list with a smile. "Sure, sure. Let's see what we need." He then began to pick up spices from the colorful shelves. While taking it, he gave cooking tips to Ima and Joseph.
"When cooking rendang, the most important thing is to cook it with a small fire and slow so that the meat becomes soft and the spice soaks well," said the grandmother while giving Ima a packet of fresh bay leaves. "This will give your rendang a fragrant aroma."
The grandmother smiled empathetically, "Children like you who care about traditional cuisine are a valuable legacy to our culture."
As they gathered all the materials they needed, the Grandmother began to tell him about her youth. He told me about how he often helped his mother cook in their kitchen, and how the aroma always filled their entire house. The story makes Ima and Yusuf more excited.
After everything was done, Ima paid with the cash Ana gave her. They thanked the friendly grandmother and walked out of the market with shopping bags full.
The two of them continued to talk about grandma's story during the return trip. They feel closer to their family traditions and are more and more convinced that they will make a delicious rendang for the race.
Back at home, Ana smiles happily at her feisty baby. They will face the next challenge in race preparation with more knowledge and passion that they gain from experience in traditional markets and wise grandmother stories.
The kitchen of their house looked bright with sunlight that pierced through the small windows. Some ornamental plants on the edge of the window add a natural and fresh impression. The aroma of spices mixes with the morning air, creating the perfect atmosphere for practicing cooking.
Joseph, deftly, began to wash the rice. He soaked the rice in a large bowl, the water looked cloudy before Joseph stirred it with his palm. "Ima, can you please cut the meat? Make sure the pieces are small yes," the instructions are firm.
Ima nodded, "Ready, Captain!" he said while giving a funny salute. He picked up a kitchen knife and began to carefully cut the meat. His hand movements were skillful, but in one of his pieces, he was too fast and caused the milk beside him to spill.
"Ouch!" yelp Ima, his eyes round, "Sorry, Yus! I didn't mean it."
Joseph turned his head, his face looked a little shocked but then laughed, "It's okay, Ima. It's part of the learning process." He took a rag and cleaned up the milk spill.
From the end of the kitchen, Ana who was drinking her tea, smiled looking at the two. "Be careful with the salt, not too much" he suggested, pointing to the salt jar at the table.
Ima patted her forehead, "Oh yeah, almost forgot! Thank you, Mom."
When Ima was about to add salt to the dish, she seemed hesitant. "How much is it, Yus?" he asked, his eyes staring at the salt in his hands.
Before Joseph answered, suddenly the salt in Ima's hand was spilled into the cooking. Both of them looked surprised, their eyes widened.
"Uh-oh," murmured Joseph, his face pale.
Ana who was looking from a distance, chuckled. "It's okay, we can fix it. Add a little water and some spices, it will balance the salt flavor."
The two nodded and began to refine the cooking. In the kitchen crowd, Joseph looked for a spatula in the kitchen drawer. However, what he found was not a spatula, but an old photo album hidden at the bottom of the drawer.
"Hey, what is this?" he asked while taking the album.
Ima approached, curiosity radiating on her face. "It looks like an old photo album. Open, open!"
They open the first page and find a photo of young Ana, looking so cheerful with a man. The atmosphere of the photo looked so warm and full of happiness.
"Mom, whose picture is this?" ask Ima while showing the photo.
Ana approached, her eyes looking at the photo with a look full of memories. "Oh, that's an old photo of me with your grandfather. I haven't seen this album in a long time."
The three sat together on the kitchen floor, tracing the memories on each page of the album. Although cooking practice was chaotic, the day became one of their most precious days, filled with laughter, stories, and good memories.
