Owner of Heart #1
Chapter 18
In the morning we all began to be preoccupied with the activities of the day. The artists went to the fields and hunted with some Kubu residents, soldiers and men from Dinsos combined and assisted by Kubu resident men began to continue the construction of several public facilities. While I, Yuni, Veni, The Vita and Kak Yoan began to teach the children Kubu reading and writing.
Actually Kubu children have been registered in the nearest SD, but based on information from the Department of Education Musi Rawas we received, they rarely go in and some even go in once and never come in again. In addition to the distance far enough to get to school, also because of the lack of awareness of the importance of education from their parents.
Kubu's own children have a high spirit to learn as it is today, actively they follow the lessons from us. Some of them are already able to read even though it is not so smooth, some are new to letters. To further encourage them to unite us by playing and singing, we give a small gift to anyone who can answer correctly even if it is only writing equipment but they look very happy when they receive it.
We also gave a light meal gift that we deliberately brought, like this time they for the first time tried pop rock candy that would erupt on the tongue, he said, they laughed happily as they felt the sweets erupt inside their mouths. Their happiness is also transmitted to us who laugh to see it. Not wasting it I immortalized those precious moments into my camera.
At 11 pm we finished the study because it was soon time for lunch. And we decided to help the Mamaacs who were cooking for lunch.
“Mak, want to cook apo?” asked Kak Yoan while joining the mothers in front of the fireplace. (They still use the stove for cooking).
“Mamak endak (mau) cook pindang patin.”
“Weis... steady nian, Mak.” Veni said with a bright smile.
“Hahahaha..aoo (iya) Steady, Tadek fish nyale tub. (Father caught his fish)”
We laughed while nodding pretend to understand and finally guess using the language of the heart of the Mamak's speech. The language of Musi Rawas and Palembang is a little different, which is why even the original Veny and Fadhil Palembang which in fact is equally South Sumatra sometimes looks confused not to understand what they say.
“Pindang kok pake kuah?” I asked when I saw the piece of catfish that he said was caught by the father in the river this morning put in a yellow sauce.
“Iyo, if we are different in Java, pindang yes rich gini, use kuah. Agek cuboi yo, fat nian rasonyo (ntar cobain yes, really good taste).”
“Iyoooo,” said we all imitate the dialect of Palembangnya Veny while laughing after guessing the meaning of his last speech, again using the language of the heart.
That afternoon we ate patin pindang fishing results from the river plus two kinds of sambal that we just met here, namely sambal tempoyak and sambal kabau. Ok, I'm clear here, many already know that the tempo is durian fermented? I really like durian, I love anything that comes from durian except durian candy (don't know why I feel weird with durian candy) but when I see sambal tempoyak for the first time, hmmm… I was a little hesitant to try it even though many said it was delicious.
Ok, you can imagine durian fermented with salt for a few days and then given a piece of cayenne pepper like what does it taste? At first I thought it would be very strange, and it turned out to be very delicious! I like it a lot, hahaha! I think whoever invented sambal tempoyak, he is a culinary genius!
And another one is kabau. Everyone must have known the phenomenal duo jengkol and pete right? And they should be a trio not a duo. yep! One more member is I want! And this is a lot more terrible smell than the duo! Me and a few of my friends immediately grimaced and almost blew it off again when they first tried it. Citizens of Kubu and who had known what it was like laughed out loud at our reaction.
“This is jengkol also lost.”
For people who really like the duo might like this kubau, but for me personally I prefer sambal tempoyak rather than sambal kubau. I even sat not far from the plate where sambal tempoyak.
“Basic, jurig(ghost) duren.”
“Hahaha.” I just laughed at the words of Kang Pajar who laughed while shaking his head looking at me.
“Durian likes?” a father asked me, who answered a nod of spirit with sparkling eyes by me.
“Not like again, dah gilo durian her, Bak.” Bang Kamal answered the question that made the Father smile widely. (Bak is a call to the Father for residents of Musi Rawas).
“Let me eat duren dech when I come home from here,” said Ben with a smile to make me smile.
The artists and cameraman also ate with us and had almost the same reaction as us when trying both chili. But if pindang patin, don't ask.. Everyone likes it! The gravy is tasted fresh by starfruit and green tomatoes, and a little spicy due to the chili cut.
“Kekey is the only one that is traded? We lnga?” Sister Yoan's protest made everyone now tease us.
“Be careful, Key, Ben mode tuh.”
“Cieee..”.
Marsya's words made the atmosphere even more boisterous. Our circular seating position automatically allows everyone to see and hear. Oh right, the Lieutenant is sitting next to a few people from me and next to Leona. (Why should I roll my eyeballs every time I hear his name?! I don't know, only God and my eyeballs know).
“Home home there will be new gossip nih,” said one cameraman while laughing.
“If you want to pdkt now only, mumpung his personal bodyguard does not come.”
“Hahaha, right.” Agus assented the speech of Teh Vita which was immediately agreed by my other friends.
“Oh , Kekey already have a girlfriend?” Ben asked, and I could hear a hint of disappointment from his tone.
“Not a girlfriend, but what's Key?” Brother Yoan asked which made me laugh while answering.
“Friends.”
“Friends but double private driver, personal bodyguard, personal nurse and also guardian angel huh Key?”
“Hahaha.” I laugh again while poking sambal tempoyak.
“Arga yes?” Fadhil seemed to have realized who was the subject of our conversation.
“Well! Fadhil alone who has long returned to the village can instantly nebak.” Vita tea said that made me laugh again.
“Again the mountain he, so fitting want to go he give his list very long same we-we.” Bang Kamal answered Fadhil's question, and I just smiled while cleaning the dishes.
“Indeed he gave me a list of what?” I didn't know that Arga gave us a list before we left.
“Be careful if you bring Kekey, do not be banged for fear of rupture.”
“Hahahaha.. basic zinc spoon,” I said with a laugh.
“If Kekey is crying, just say do not cry tar brought genderewo, but genderewo also does not want to bring him fear of ears hurt with cry. You see if Kekey crying rich Himawari.” (his sister shincan).
“Hahahaha.. basic si siro.”.
“Hahaha, his dog Shincan dong.”
“Iya, hahaha.”
“Don't let Kekey eat duren a lot of his magh tar relapse again. If Kekey sees duren, just say it's not duren but the watermelon that's posing as a punk.”
“Hahahaha... late.”.
Not only did I laugh when I heard Bang Kamal, Agus and Teh Vita telling Arga's list, but everyone laughed when they heard it.
“Tapiii.. this is the most important.”
I now look at Brother Yoan, what else will Arga say this time.
“If there is a handsome army far away from Kekey, because if he is on duty in a faraway place the cost to stop crying is very expensive. Genderevo does not work, which is only invited to eat in Dago or Lembang, it could be tekor city.”
“Hahahaha.”
Everyone laughed hearing that, whereas I could only grimace and desperately want to hit Arga at this moment. I silently stared at the Lieutenant who was also looking at me.
“Yaaah, we have no chance dong?” The words of one of the soldiers made the others laugh again.
“So you ever dated a soldier?” Leona asked making me look at her and automatically looked at the Lieutenant sitting next to her.
“No.”
“Terus why did his friend say that?” ask Marsha curious.
“Arga mah not to be horrified like ngaco him,” I replied with a smile.
“That can not be deketin army, if the artist means dong?”
“Hahaha... keep working, Ben.” Dony laughed at Ben who was still trying to get close to me.
“Tuh, Key, how? Want to be the same Ben?” Leona asked with a laugh.
“Now ah.”
“Why?”
“Fear of TV entry, tar mistook twin Dian Sastro.”
“Hahaha.. Twins of different fates are equally different everything is mah.”.
I laughed again at Agus's words with his distinctive tone.
The luncheon was actually over, we had finished all the food but we stayed in a circle for a while laughing and telling stories for a few minutes before finally returning to activities.
I washed my hands again as the Lieutenant stood beside me.
“Say Arga, money to stop you crying later I change, and thanks for keeping you replace me.”
At that time maybe because I was surprised I could not say anything but look at him who also looked back at me, somehow we looked at each other like that until finally Fadhil was indeed the Lieutenant.
“We will talk later, Za,” he said before going to meet Fadhil who is waiting for him.
I took a heavy breath and then continued to wash my hands, wudhu and dzuhur prayers.
*****
