Old Virgin Santet

Laracati...

All girls want to get married, right? Meet the dream man and knit the dream marriage is the dream of all girls who already know the word like the opposite sex. But if there is a virgin until the age of forty years unmarried is it a sin or disgrace so that everyone makes it a gossip at all times?

That was what Larasati, a forty-year-old spinster living in Maneh Village, felt. Being born and growing up in his birth village did not dampen the sympathy of the villagers towards him. There is no day without holding a Larasati. Like today, Larasati went shopping to a stall not far from her home. It has become a daily food when he is scorned, insulted and even ridiculed openly.

By hardening the earlobe, Larasati went to the stall because her mother was old and sickly. Since his father died ten years ago, only he who look after his mother because Larasati only alone alias single.

“Eh, there's Barrel! Want to buy what?” asked a mother looking at him as if disgusted.

“Custom, Buk. Buy vegetable, tempeh and tofu.” Laras handed a ten thousand note to the mother of the vegetable seller. As usual, the mothers of the seller will definitely make a long shopping so that other mothers are satisfied insulting him openly.

“Ras, Pak Berjo next door village wants to marry you. She told my husband but my husband doubts if you will accept it because you will be made the fourth wife. But if I think so, you better accept it, Ras. Who knows your soul mate is indeed Mr. Berjo, landlord. Not bad you do not need to be careless to go to the rice fields to find money.”

“Iya, Race. Accept aja. Your age is four heads, is not ashamed of our children who immediately married after graduating high school and now have children.”

“Betul, Race. Don't you want to have a son and a husband? Yes, even being a fourth wife is okay. It's important to have a husband and money. You can also give money to your old mother?”

“Part of you is also strange, Race. I used to hear that my husband proposed to you before we got married, but you refused. What kind of man are you looking for, Ras? Don't get high if you're a guy! You are four heads, where there is a young, rich man who wants to be the same old virgin, is it not busy?”

They nodded in unison at the words of the mothers. “Buk, plastic please!” Baras also asked for plastic to fill his shopping. He did not stay there for long.

“Eh, really fast, Ras. You join us-us. We are almost the same age, which means we already have a husband and children while you have not.”

On the sidelines of the mockery came Mr. Jarwo who just held the status of widower not long ago. “Waduh mothers early in the morning like this have been gathering. Not cooking, huh?” greet Mr. Jarwo friendly.

“Custom, Sir. Cooking is easy. Sir, this is Laras. What is the intention of finding a replacement for Ibuk?” Laras was about to leave but his hand was first gently pulled by Mr. Jarwo.

The middle-aged man looked at Laras, “True said the Moms. Do you want to be my wife, Ras? I make sure you are happy if married to me.”

“Sorry, Sir. I have no intention!” ketus Larasati then left the stall.

“Aaaaa..”.

The sound of mothers laughing with satisfaction was heard seeing the scene where Larasati was in the arms of Mr. Jarwo and the man's hand deliberately touched his chest. Larasati thrashed to escape, Mr. Jarwo with his lecherous squeezed the chest of Laras and the most painful is that the mothers seemed pleased with the depraved scene displayed Mr. Jarwo.

Larasati was harassed but the mothers laughed happily instead. Along the way home, tears Laras shed. He never felt this bad in his life. Being harassed in public and the women did not help him at all.

The vile slander seemed to cover up the depraved deeds that he had done and the mothers easily ignored the actions of Mr. Jarwo after getting worship about the body. Though Larasati body is better than mothers who have given birth to several children and never exercise.

At his home, Larasati cooks lunch for his mother while crying in light of Mr. Jarwo's ill-treatment.

“Nduk, what's up?” the old mother approached.

Nyai Salamah already memorized what happened if his son to grieve like that but he still asked and the answer that can only be the head of the princess. As a mother, Nyai Salamah also wanted to see her son married but what would be said if the soul mate for his daughter had not arrived until now.

“Propay Yes, Nduk!” Laras smiled forcefully while nodding.

After preparing lunch for her mother, the woman rushed to Mr. Jarwo's chili garden. Despite the depraved deeds of Mr. Jarwo, he still has to make a living for daily needs. The rice season has ended with the change of the chili season. That's how Larasati makes a living from one garden to another just to support himself and his old mother.

His underage siblings are seen holding children while working. Yes, the girls in the village married young and after having children, they would work in the garden just like him. Only one who distinguishes, Laras work to carry shells but the younger siblings below after carrying to the rangjang on the back, they also have to carry the child in a sling.

Larasati was grateful that her life did not end that way. He has a principle that if he is married then he does not want to work. It was enough for her husband to work while she was at home taking care of her children and welcoming her husband home from work. For some people who know the principle of Larasati, they scorned the woman for being too arrogant but Larasati did not care. That was his decision even though he had to bear the risk of not finding a soul mate until now.

“Mbak Laras why his face looks sad. What's up, Ma'am?” ask Iyem.

Twenty-year-old girl with two children. His first two-year-old son was looking after his newborn sister for about three months under a chili-pumping cottage.

“Yem, your husband does not forbid you to work when you just gave birth?”

The young girl smiled bitterly, “You how else, Ma'am. Than divorced it is better to follow it.”

Crimped Laracati forehead, “Kok divorce?”

 

 

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