NADIRS

Nadir ~ Friends Make Perverted

I and Wira decided to get school permission today. We don't want to let Melodi, our friend just leave without a word of farewell. So, early in the morning we went straight to Melodi's house. However, unfortunately we are not too early to come to see him, Melodi family has been going to the city since dawn. I'm discouraged. But the Hero does not. The man who did not want to give up just like that, then invited me to meet Bang Akiat and Bang Santo. I don't know what the Wira wants with the two men Pak Kades's men.

Arriving in front of Mr. Kades' house, we saw Bang Akiat and Bang Santo were raising sacks of shells into a pickup car owned by Mr. Kades.

“Where are these shells, Bang?” ask the hero, have a pleasantry.

“You are taken to the city, what do you want, Uti?” ask Bang Akiat in a bluffing tone.

The hero smiled cunningly. I looked at that smile. I know, after that smile comes a crazy idea that can get me stuck in a stressful situation every time.

“Abang want extra money, no?” god Wira, while taking out two pieces of money ten thousands from his pocket.

Currency Bang Akiat instantly sparkles to see the money sheet in the hands of Wira, “You want us to do what?”

Wira directly embraces the shoulders of Bang Akiat, “Begini Bang, can we ride in the city?”

Now I understand what the true purpose of the Hero is.

“Do you want to go to the city?”

“Hmm... it's nothing Bang, we just want to meet Mangge Halim, there's something we have to tell him!” so Wira, reasoned.

“Oh, the Halim who today left for Kalimantan?”

“Iya, if Bang Akiat will take us to the port, the money I added again, how?” wira Rayu.

Bang Akiat thought for a moment, looking at his friend Bang Santo, asking for confirmation.

“Hmm, yes already.. but you guys have to help us raise these items to car.” Said.

“OK. Agree!” Wira immediately handed over the two pieces of money to Bang Akiat. Then, with our zeal we helped Bang Akiat and Bang Santo load the sacks of shells onto the car, all of them.

Wira and I unbuttoned the shirt as the pickup began to go. Fresh also feels when our bodies are sweating then in the breeze and breezy above the pile of sacks of shells. I closed my eyes, I spread my hands, I felt fresh.

Even though we had to be shaken up in the pile of sacks, I felt happy, there were two reasons that made me so; first, I could have had time to let go of my friend that moment by second we had. Second, it was my first experience going to town. Age-age, I have never once set foot in a district that is said to be magnificent is not playing it.

The hero stood by holding on to the iron frame connected to the hood of the car, I stood beside him. How amazed we were when the car started to enter the paved road. Really, just this time I saw and enjoyed the sensation of riding a vehicle on the slippery asphalt road. Oi, I am indeed hick Friend, please read the announcement.

Bang Akiat, the man is not afraid of death, driving the speed of the car so fast. Me and Wira staggered, every time the car loaded with shells and two thin children cornered. Had we not clung to the iron skeleton, it was certain that our bodies would have bounced, flown, carried away by the wind. Really dead, I'm getting dizzy.

The hero really enjoys the sensation. Wind and car speed of 80 km per hour is a detonator for the happiness of a human who is always obsessive about things that trigger adrenaline. Challenging. I sat down beside him. I was really limp, my head was like breathing I guess, frown, my stomach was like something was twisting from the inside, my esophagus was amused, several times I spit.

Oh, God, what is this? Could it be that I was poisoned, as a result of inhaling too much of this polluted air? my body is really sloping, even to sit alone I think I can not afford, forced me to turn on a pile of sacks of shells.

“Why are you, Friend?” ask Wira.

“Not knowing, maybe I'm airborne, my head feels dizzy, Uti.”

“Ah, not your hoop, just drunk!” said. If I had more energy to argue with him right now, I would have done it. I can't accept saying I'm drunk. I'm not a child with a savage personality like Bang Akiat and Bang Santo who like to drink rat stamp, that is.

“Be careful what you say, man! I never drank rat stamp (miras) in the slightest.”

Again, please be very wise, my friend, as far as the knowledge of a hick village boy like me is concerned, the word Drunk is only appropriate for those who like to drink hard drinks, never did I know before that there was another hangover, like the road drunk I'm having right now.

“Oi Friend, your thinking is too dwarfed.. I mean not drunk cap rat, but drunk land... drunk vehicle... because it is unusual!”.

“Is drunk like that?” I get nauseous every time I say a word, or open my eyes for a moment.

“There, you see yourself now. I'll make sure you puke soon!”

Sure enough what Wira said, in just a split second, I immediately vomited all my entrails on top of the pile of sacks. Sorry, Bang Akiat, I have to do this. I can't hold it anymore, really.

“Oeekk... Oeekkk!”

The hero immediately quickly massaged my nape.

“Oeekk... Oeekkk!”

The hero immediately asked Bang Akiat to stop the car right in front of a kiosk.

“What's up?” ask Bang Akiat, to Wira.

“She was drunk. I have to buy him a drink.”

How I saw the look of amazement on Bang Akiat's face, seeing my vomit scattered here and there.

“Oi, oi, don't play you, Uti, it's like you're a horse! Aiss!” Bang Akiat hissing.

“Sorry Bang, I can't hold it anymore.” My speech.

I can't believe that people like Akiat and Santo who I once accused of being inhumane humans, would take care of me who wouldn't stop vomiting until I had enough food in my stomach. Cleansing my vomits with dedication, of course, while nagging occasionally.

“Sorry Bang!” I say again.

Wira bought me mineral water to drink and washed my face fresh, he said. He also gave me some kale leaves that he took from the front of the stall.

“Slip this in your stomach, usually Amaku give this to me if I get drunk land like you, and it always works, don't know if you!”

I just according to him, although my logic disputes―how can kale leaves that are usually sauteed or in clear fruit can be a cure for drunk? It doesn't make any sense!.

Bang Akiat and Bang Santo were still diligently cleaning up the rest of my vomit on top of the sack pile.

“You better buy him a crackle bag, Uti! So that later if he vomits again, not the dissipation of the vomit here and there!” bang Akiat's orders in an annoyed tone.

After feeling a bit quiet, we went back on our way. Bang Akiat lowered the speed of the car, he cares about me. The hero kept me safe with the bag of crackles in his hand, anticipating in case I vomited again.

Believe it or not, do you know, that kale leaves are really efficacious. Arriving in the city I did not vomit though, although sometimes my head still felt dizzy. Although I've linked the scientific theory I learned in school about the correlation between motion sickness and kale leaves, I don't get a reasonable answer. So I ask the Hero about it. Listen to the rhetorical answer.

“There can't be a person as smart as yourself not finding the answer!” said Wira, there was an arrogant impression in his words that I heard.

“You need to know friends, kale is a plant with a hollow stem, as our intestines that we already know together is a place of food in the process. The stem is soft, so is our intestine, soft. The basic assumption is that, because kale and intestine have something in common, then, when the stem of kale is attached to the abdomen where in fact the intestine resides, in order not to urge the remnants of food that he processed, out through the esophagus, so that it becomes vomiting!”

That's a great explanation I heard.

“How, have you understood, my friend?”

I nodded in amazement, with an explanation My friend who had always been the caretaker in the class. I can't believe he has such great intelligence. From here I began to believe, if actually Wira is a smart child, it's just that he is lazy to learn.

Arriving in the city, we helped Bang Akiat and Bang Santo deliver the shells to A Kiong, ko (I mean; china), narrow-eyed who likes to wear singlets and bokser pants full of slings.

At first me and Wira thought ko was a beggar, a remnant of the colonial era. The thing is, his appearance is very incoherent with the large and magnificent store building. Especially when we see his daughter, Amboi, not the beautiful play of the Chinese girl with glasses. I got gaping made, Wira to forget the land, no longer care about the burden of two sacks of shells he carried.

“Hayya.. This cover no necklace, huh?” ko A Kiong changed all the letters R to L.

“Twenty-five sacks, Ko.” Answer Akiat.

“Oee... oee.. belalti is still twenty-five left, again.”.

“Iya, Ko!”

“Iya, Ko!”

I was amazed to hear the way Ko A Kiong spoke. While Wira, look at my friend, he does not want to take care of the conversation ko A Kiong and Bang Akiat, his world only focuses on one person, ko A Kiong's daughter. In order to have a pleasant conversation with the beautiful Chinese princess, Wira was willing to spend time buying perfume sold by A Kiong's daughter.

“If this one is what brand?” ask the hero, keep grinning.

“Rossarian.”

“Oi beautiful name... if this one?”

“Hmm... Obsession.”

“Then your name?” oi, not playing the great technique of the Wira.

“Sorry?” the beautiful girl glanced in wonder, unconsciously her astonishment made Wira more and more beautiful.

“Oh you are beautiful, you have explained the beautiful names of the perfume you sell, how up to my heart if you do not ask your name as well.” Hero theorized.

The girl increasingly felt strange with the behavior of the Wira who dyed like worms to flush kerosene. Because he felt uncomfortable with the attitude of the Hero, forced the poor beautiful girl to mention his name.

“Hanin.” Clearly from the way she spoke, the girl was forced to.

“Sorry, can you repeat?”

“HA-NIN.. my name is Hanin.”.

“No name china?” ask the hero, again.

The girl is getting upset. “Ask my father, why he didn't give me a chinese name!”

“Good... Hanin is also beautiful.” The hero continued to wander, wanting to hit his head with a hard object.

“Wira... My name is Wira Sasono!” he extended his hand.

With a heavy heart, full of disgust, Hanin shook Wira's hand. After shaking hands, Wira immediately kissed her own palm. The smell of perfume makes you look like a sakau.

“Hanin...” his speech softened, “If I may know, what perfume are you wearing?”

Hanin sighed, for a lifetime he had just found a customer as crazy as a skinny-dappled human kribo that he faced today.

“Obsession!” answer ketus, “Why, you want to buy, no?”

“Oi don'tla you are fierce, later your beauty it disappears sucked in anger.”

“Sorry dear customer sir, if you have no intention to buy.. I beg you very much, so that you just leave here!”

I giggled at their behavior. From this side, I could clearly hear their conversation.

“Really, I have no intention of bothering you, dear sister Hanin.. If the perfume you use is an obsession, then, give your brother two! One for me, the other, I'll give it to you!”

“Not Need!” Hanin directly put one bottle of perfume that Wira wanted into the paper bag. Certainly in a rude way. I guess he was swearing the Hero in his heart.

“This! twenty-five thousand!” Hanin handed the thing over in a very, very gentle way to the size of a beautiful girl like her.

“Thank you, dear adinda Hanin!” Wira completely lost his sanity, since Bang Akiat called him, he did not care.

I had to intervene to wake her up, I threw a slap to her head, “Woy, man, when are you here? No need to buy all the contents of this store!”

Hero hissing, scratching his head, “What's up, you're this, Uti?”

“What's up... What's up.. You don't see, Bang Akiat is leaving! Would you like to be left here?”

Thank God, my friend finally realized also finally. Before moving on, his hand waved towards Hanin, flirtatious, I was disgusted to see his behavior.

۝

This is where we were, standing awkwardly staring at the face of a Friend who was about to leave us for a remote island called Kalimantan. Among the frenzy of the ship's workers and passengers, witnessed Ama, Ina, and her sister, Melodi embraced me and Wira alternately with teary eyes. It's like being pierced in my heart. Deep-seated.

“Hopefully time still gives us a chance to meet again someday, Friend!” melodi lirih. I saw her hands shaking, her face pias and wet. It was hard for him to face this separation.

It pains my heart to imagine the puzzle stories that we have carved together. My friend, that sweet-eyed girl is an angel who always stands beside me in times of distress and pleasure. I remember how Melodi treated Amaku that day like her own parents. Amboeii.

The hero has been silent since. Despite his obsession about Hanin and his new perfume, this time he really dissolves in grief. Maybe he never thought a farewell would be this heavy.

Bang Akiat and Bang Santo, who had witnessed the play, had their hearts pinched, they lowered their heads, unable to look any further at the bitter farewell between the three children who had been with them for a long time.

“Goodbye, my friend, good luck on the other side!” I hug Melody hard

“If we meet again, I'll carry you like that night!” I tried to be funny, but it didn't work. All of this added to our hearts.

Wira went forward, hugged the melody as hard as I hugged earlier, “One day, when Nadir and I have enough money, we will meet you in Kalimantan there!” wira. Who would have guessed, the word would have been proved later.

“I'll wait for you there!” said Melodi softly, “Don't forget our ideals,. don't forget that, Friend!” Melody reminded.

Turn around in my mind one afternoon in the cornfield. At that time, after eating Melodi-made grilled corn, Wira stood on a fallen wood tree, in front of her the sky was so sharp, then she was given something that burned our spirits.

“Like Sister Cantika, one day I will study to Ibokota Jakarta!”

We could feel the depth of the sentence that Wira said, so that me and Melodi that afternoon were drawn into the dreams of the Hero.

“Someday I will become an engineer, as Amaku hopes!” I thrust my fist into the air excitedly.

“I want to be a doctor!” melody screams echoed up into the sky.

But, all that is just a dream, a hope that is not necessarily a reality. Today, we are faced with the pain of reality. With full feeling, with teary eyes, I and Wira let go of Melodi family step by step.

“Goodbye, Friends!” me and Wira waved to Melodi who was staring at us from the deck of the ship.

“I wait for you!” Melody yells.

“Don't forget to send a letter to us!” i retaliated.

We kept screaming until the ship finally moved away from the port dock of the city. Slowly creating a distance that does not give the slightest chance for our cries to be heard from each other. Just lambaian. Yes, only a wave of the hand can lead us to a realization, that; at any time the distance can be a partition that makes this chest tightness unstoppable.

Departing from our farewell moments with Melodi, along the way I and Wira did not talk to each other. Even to feel dizzy from drunk land I no longer. We were too busy on the classic stories that once existed between us and Melodi. There's nothing else. Even Wira who was previously obsessed by Hanin, the beautiful daughter of ko A Kiong, no longer cared about the paper bag containing her obsession perfume. Our attention is fully interested in our Friend who is on his way to Kalimantan.

When we reached the village, I and Wira were no longer eager to talk to each other, we just said the word; see you tomorrow, Friend! When we split up in Mr. Kades's yard.

۝

do not forget to leave traces, criticisms and suggestions from readers is very helpful to the author...😁🙏

Notes :

Footnotes are in the first episode