NADIRS

Nadir ~ Sick

Since yesterday Ama has been busy with her checkered shirt and cloth pants. I don't know how many times he ironed both of his favorite things. The only best suit of clothing Amaku ever had. So, unmitigated he soaked it for two days with a wooden flower ylang, smearing it over and over again. Until the smell stings, my head is dizzy. I didn't think happiness could be that cruel, making a white-hearted person like Amaku become just like a cool person.

In front of the mirror that has rusted and cracked almost all parts―for a long time the mirror was not used―Ama whistling. Soaking hazelnut oil in his head does not want to be satisfied, drizzle, until shiny eel. Comb his hair many times, following the various hairstyles of famous artists of his time. So, I had to get my heart to rebuke him when he combed his bangs hair swooping upwards. Spikes. Similar hairstyle Elvis Presley, the legendary rock n roll singer.

“It doesn't need to be like that Ama. We will only attend the graduation event.” I sighed heavily.

“Why? Is it wrong, Uti, if Ama wants to perform best in front of your teachers?”

I didn't answer. I took a comb in her hand, and then I sat her in a chair, and I brushed her hair. Side slit. Quite simple. Like most students' parents' hairstyles.

“Well, this is good. Ama looks authoritative.” I said, smiling.

“Ah, that's right you, Uti!” Ama immediately stood facing the broken mirror again. Look at her hair model. It's so dead, I guarantee you he won't find anything in that mirror.

“One more time, should Ama shave the mustache a little neater.” I put my index finger over my lips.

“Ah, this one let it be.” I know Ama never wanted to cut her mustache. I don't know why. You say the symbol of good looks, no. To be said to be a symbol of generosity, it makes no sense. Do not know what Ama means by keeping his mustache until it is that thick. Just like a dynamo wire, I see.

“Serah Ama only. I just want Ama to perform at her best in front of everyone, later in school.”

He finally relented. Heavy he began to shave his mustache. I smiled and watched him. I wanted my laughter to explode as soon as Ama turned towards me. I almost didn't recognize it. His face really changed. It looks a lot younger, but it's still weird. Only then did I understand why Ama kept that mustache. I could not believe that the thick transverse hair above his lips, could bring about such other changes on Ama's face, when everything was shaved away.

“How, Uti?” ask Ama to me.

I locked my mouth tightly, then gave my thumb. Ama smile.

Before leaving the house, Ama put some things in her bottle bag. Fambo oil, hazelnut oil, combs, powder, and iron. Nothing more than that old-fashioned cosmetic item. The weirdness I saw again in Ama this morning. Opened again the shirt that has been in the set repeatedly in front of the mirror, replaced with a shirt, fertilizer bonus. He also canceled his black cloth pants, replaced with trending pants that he used to work. Then he put the two precious objects again into his tote bag that has been shabby. I can only allow the behavior of Ama, did not dare to protest at all. I've had enough of torturing him with that mustache.

Like a crown prince, I raised Ama to his shoulders. I couldn't let him walk beside him down the hill. He said, it's a special day for me. I tried to resist, but Ama kept pushing. Poor thing also I saw Ama had to carry the weight of my body while going down the hill.

“Let me down, Ama!” I said, I couldn't bear to see the sweat that started flooding his face.

“Do not.. let Ama spoil you on your graduation day, Uti.”

Oh, I don't know what to do. Pretend I wanna pee. Ama took me off her shoulders. I saw Ama panting, but not too obvious, she was good at hiding things. I took the tote bag out of Ama's hand. Then, without warning, I immediately ran away carrying a tote bag, leaving Ama.

“I go first, Ama, there is something I have to tell Wira!” i said, reasoned.

I see Ama still standing. Maybe I still can't believe that I've been fooling her.

“Awas you, Uti!” said.

I don't give a shit. I left Ama walking alone. I won't let Ama carry my weight again. Kulrikik Ama who still walk downhill to the foot of the hill, occasionally, while the sun is getting higher. Showing yellowish cracks in the eastern horizon. Water the earth with its radiance. So, the expanse of the people's fields at the foot of the hill is getting green-glossy. A pair of alo jumping on jabon trees, crows roaring happily, his mouth was full of banana caterpillars from the garden. While running around, I noticed that the crow maneuvered so beautifully that it avoided the pecking of the wind birds that came to grab it. Oi, when will the birds make peace.

I got to the Wira house long before Ama. I thought he was going to scold me. Apparently not, until at the house of Wira, one thing that Ama did first was to snatch a towel that was enclosed in the clothesline of the terrace of the house, directly to the well. At home, he had taken a shower, and this time he took another bath. Only today did I see Ama admiring the water so deeply. Usually at home, the days before, he was always anti with water. Especially in the morning like this. Cold said.

After bathing, Ama immediately vomited all her old cosmetic equipment from inside the bag. He took the sarong, lifted up the guest table, and then on the table he spread the sarong, and then his shirt. Ama and Inanya Wira were amazed to see the behavior of Ama who was like the host, it was.

Ama grabbed the iron, headed for the kitchen, put in the remaining embers this morning.Whistling Ama ironed her checkered shirt again. In my heart I did’a; hopefully the aged shirt was not torn because it was ironed too often. Mangge Raden was still pecking at the door of his room looking at Ama's behavior.

“Oi, why you, Hamid? Strangely your behavior today!” the Mangge Raden Protest.

Ama did not care, as if she had not heard the words of her cousin. He keeps ironing, whistling. Mangge Raden shook his head, resigned.

“Why Amamu it, Uti? Strange is he today?” ask Mangge to me.

I just shook my head.

Me and Wira took it first. Before going to school, we met Melodi at her house, took her to school together. It turned out that we were late, said Aunt Anita, Melodi had already left for school first with Amanya. Me and Wira immediately followed to school.

We found Melodi sitting alone under a Java tree in the school yard. His hand held three colored pencils, on his lap lay a red-young-embroidered drawing book. Me and Wira came straight to him.

“What are you doing, friend?” Her mind surprised him. Apparently Melodi was not aware of our arrival, because it was too serious with her picture book.

“Oi, you guys?!” Melody.

I don't know why my heart is nervous. There was a void in his brown pair of eyes. Our friend is like carrying a burden. A burden that can create cloudiness on his face. In my heart I asked; what happened? Where did the Melody I knew go? An insatiable melody arched his smile at all times, from ear to ear. Oi, this girl is making me a gamang all of a sudden.

“Why are you, Mel?” my many. I can guarantee, there must be something that makes this Melody that I know so silent. Not as usual.

Not yet had my question got an answer from Melodi, the toak desonance sounded deafening. Furthermore, only the voice of Mr. Rano Karno on the air, covering the entire school environment, asking that the sixth graders and all guardians enter the room.

My chest rumbled violently as the first step passed through the door of the room that was already claustrophobic. Into a deep breath, I exhaled slowly, this is my big day, I spread my eyes with a steady heart. So I got more agitated, when I did not see Amaku's face among the student guardians in the room. I'm approaching Mangge Raden. I asked where Ama should have gotten here with her.

“Oh, he was still staying at his house Hantong, I told him first.” Answer Mangge.

“Do you want him at home Mangge Hantong?”

“That, there was a clothes seller walking, I do not know what needs he same seller.” The bright Mangge again. Oh yeah, you know what a walking seller is? Actually he is not really on foot, but using a motorcycle or a car, you could say a traveling merchant, as the people of Buga Village call it, whether in your place how people call it.

My anxiety is getting higher. I know Ama. He's a quiet man. But, seeing her behavior this morning, this time I hesitated with her sanity. I don't know. I can only wait, a miracle like what else will be shown a quiet Ama this time.

I sat next to Wira with a restless feeling. Mr. Rano Karno asked that all students and their guardians all be in the room, soon the event began. I'm nervous, really.

Instantly the room turned silent. Samar I heard a crackling sound outside the room, like the sound of a horse's legs, very loud. Everyone was clamoring. I looked at Wira full of questions, she replied to me with a frown.

No wonder my admiration, seeing Ama with a super great appearance while standing around her waist in front of the door, acting like a village cowboy. The scent of fambo perfume filled the room. Oh, everybody's stunned. I'm gaping.

I watched Ama again from head to toe. Not play. His leather shoes were shiny-gloss sangar, his black cloth pants were incomparably able to sweep the floor clean, the sleeves of his checkered shirt rolled a quarter showed the veins of his hard hands, and the, his collar was raised to jaw height, and this was the most decisive, the fedora hat. Yeah, that fedora hat, which she had somehow gotten from, made me even more convinced, Amaku has become a Mexican cowboy. Without a horse, without a gun tucked in the waist, except for his weathered comb, of course. The moment created a long stagnation, as if the school room shrunk instantly, as big as my horror box saw Ama's quiet appearance become that odd. The wind blowing from the southeast adds to the magical impression of Ama's presence in the room. All eyes were stunned by him, instead of playing with admiration everyone watched, their whole life had only this time seen a cowboy for real. Oi, oi, happiness has taken the toilet of his sanity.

Ama did not break out grinning, waving hands at everyone, like an artist to her fans, challengers like a drunken rat stamp, breast-stomped. The universe is ashamed. Whip. Dwarfing, watching Ama's behavior.

I was horrified to see his innocent grin. Like I was saying; I'm fine! I could see Mangge Raden's face was reddish and watched his cousin's brother's actions.

“How do I look, Uti?” ask Ama.

I nodded, out of words. Hero clucking. Mangge Raden glared. And, the others giggled. Oh, he is Ama, the miraculous man God sent me.

Mr. Hambali's voice drove away the hustle and bustle of people about Amaku's appearance, instantly. Not something new for us, Mr. Hambali always repeated his neatly structured words both on the day of the flag ceremony and the event of receipt of the report card or graduation like this, as a long preamble. But not one bit made us sleepy.

After Mr. Hambali arrived at the sentence; the Creator Engineer, I was getting tense, my chest fluttering with an irregular heartbeat. I know, once that sentence is over, the graduation announcement will be heard soon. Not playing, the terrible probability hit on my head made it hard to breathe. My hands and feet are cold, like ice. I couldn't stand my nervousness, several times I went out of the room, to pee. Hoping that with the ritual, a little bit of my nervousness could disappear, but no, the urine did not have a correlation with anxious feelings. My feet and hands were still trembling faintly, waiting.

Mr. Hambali handed the TOA to Bu Parmina, our homeroom teacher. In Bu Parmina's hand curved a blue map. Kuduga map contains a list of the names of students who graduated and did not graduate this year. As wide as the map is the reality of our fate today.

When Ms. Parmina started to pierce, I looked at Wira's face, pias, not playing. As for Ama, she kept grinning, eager to transfer my anxiety to her heart that knew nothing, let her understand, the grin width can't change fate if I don't graduate later. Oi, Ama, just for a second, understand you this situation.

Read the names of students who are entitled to occupy the top ten seats of twelve students by Bu Parmina.

“Alright, I will mention the names of the students who got the best ten.. I started from the order of ten to one, and for those I mentioned his name, please come forward with his guardian.”.

My chest is hunting. My nervousness was no longer able to hold, my body trembled, the bench I sat on was creaking. The withered withered. Mangge Raden was still silent. Ama still grinned, until her teeth dried.

“Rank ten... Ahmad Abadi!” clapping the entire room, my named classmate came forward with a feeling of pride, accompanied by Amanya. Not easy, get in the best ten.

“Rank nine... Nur Baiti!” Ms. Parmina mentioned, applause echoed again. I looked down, said do’a, although impressed it was too late.

“Rank eight.... Siti Asiyah.. seven, Arya Dwi Pangga―mighty name I heard. Six, Bambang Pamungkas―hopefully he became a reliable footballer. Lima, Hamdi Darmawan..”.

As far as that, my name is not mentioned. In my heart I apologized to Ama. I looked at Wira again, she was still bowed lethargic. To Melodi, on the front bench there, who kept looking at us. His face is also pias. His eyes seemed to convey a message to me; what is our fate, my friend?

“Rank four... Moh Ali―world-class boxer. Rank three Ashkar Leva.” TOA is vaporized by desonance. Ms. Parmina stopped for a moment.

I hold the hand of the Wira tightly. His eyes looked at me blankly, but his smile remained curved. I know, he's trying to hide his horror.

“Rank two... Nadir!” my name is mentioned, applause blaring, deafening the whole room. I still can't believe it. Ama immediately hugged me, then stepped forward, without being asked. Although happiness exploded in my chest, I did not leave the Damping Wira. I know very well this one friend of mine, although he is great in all areas of sports and intelligence, Wira is one of the many men of Buga Village who are deadlocked about lessons. Oi, God save this friend of mine from reality.

“Nadir, please go forward!” Miss Parmina called me once again.

I did not move, I held tightly the hand of the Hero.

“Your name is called, Friend.. go ahead.” Whisper the Hero, smiling. I know, there's a sore wound behind that smile.

I pat my friend's shoulder, with a heavy feeling I stepped forward to accompany Ama.

“Next...he is the best scorer SD Hope this Year, with an average value of 8...”

I looked back, looking at Wira. He no longer bowed, but continued to smile, clenching his fists at me, encouraging. He should have been the one getting that treatment. It's the hero I should be encouraging. I can already guess, what the name of the student will be mentioned earlier. Of course Melodi. Not a hero, no way.

“First rank... Image Melody.... please go forward!” I told you, what? It can't be Hero.

Melody came forward, slipping between me and Ama. Grasping my hand tightly, I felt a biting cold spread from the touch, to the heart. Cool, amazing.

“Congratulations, Friend!” melody whispers, somehow so melodious I heard.

Although happiness cannot be hidden, the fact that the Hero has not yet known his fate is another fear of mine. Creating mixed feelings, a dilemma between wanting to be happy or having to worry.

“From the twelve sixth grade students of SD Harapan who followed ebtanas this year, there is one name, which with a heavy heart we must state... did not pass...”.

In the clapper of Melodi's tender hands and my unbroken gaze questioned the Hero. There are still two more names that have not been mentioned, Wira sasono and Armanda. Given the record of reporting between the two people, Arman who since the first grade never came out of the top five, and Wira who never escaped the seat of the caretaker, oh I can not afford. As if my heart was broken. Bemoan.

“This student is very accomplished in several fields.” Ms. Parmina continued. I wanted to run to him and stop him. I don't want to hear my great friend's name mentioned. Really, can't hear it.

“Once again, with a heavy heart, we the school party declared the student on behalf of Armanda... must repeat next year!”.

Instantly the room was quiet. Oi, oi, wait! Was it not wrong that I heard it? How come?

“Sadly, Armanda must be declared not to pass, because he did not follow two subjects when ebtanas lasted.” Ms. Parmina explained. I was still staring at Wira, with a feeling full of questions.

“That is, because this year there is only one student who is declared not to graduate..Congratulations to Wira sasono, and please come forward with his guardian, adjusting to the others!”

Not playing my happiness. I immediately shouted out loud, leaving everyone stunned.

“Horeee!”

The hero stepped forward with a sumringah face. His spirit that had once faded back lit up. Explosive. In his greetings all the teachers one by one. He held his fist repeatedly into the air. Then he came up to me and Melodi. Kemi cuddling. Jumping around, hooraying, not caring about the graduation event that has not ended this ritual.we have already drifted in euphoria.

After the graduation ceremony was over, there was no end to my happiness, Melodi and Wira. In order to celebrate, we held a tea together on the terrace of Melodi's house, while telling a long story about our feelings throughout the graduation ceremony. Not so great about that story. It ended in our next hope. Great hope to get the highest education.

And that great Amaku, as far as our journey home, raised me to his shoulders. Without feeling tired, raised my body high, very high on it. I was happy, I was happy, seeing the folds of the horseless cowboy's face beaming.

“You make Ama proud, Uti. Say, someday, what do you want to be? Tell Ama... I will make your wish come true!”

Oi doesn't play a game I feel hearing Ama's words. Ari my eyes are decaying because of the happiness that seems unwilling to have.

“I never wanted anything more than your happiness, Cowboy!”

۝

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