Play your guitar Sophie
Toebroek
Toebroek
I live in Stone Town. A cold city to the west of Malang, on the slopes of Mount Panderman, between apple and strawberry plantations. For those of you who are not used to it, Batu air is guaranteed to make your nose clogged.
If you are cold, drink warm coffee. That's what many people say. That is also the reason Tobroek exists until now.
Like – coffee shops in a big city, the main menu in Toebroek is coffee. Milk coffee, cappuccino, moccacino and a mainstay menu Toebroek. Javanese espresso blend Grandma aka ground coffee that we call toebroek, just like the name of our store. Once a month, Grandma went to south Malang, where the coffee plantation is still widely spread. With heart – heart Grandma will choose coffee beans that she thinks are good. Grandma could miraculously tell which coffee beans were freshly picked or which had already undergone storage. Then like a squirrel who can distinguish a good coconut or not, Grandma will bring a handful of coffee to her nose, breathe it and decide whether to buy it or not.
“Yang sought, coffee that smells how the hell Nek?” one day I asked.
“Search for the smell ‘tebal’,” says Grandma.
I'm rattled. I know which paper is thick and which is thin. But looking for the thick smell of coffee and which one doesn't, I don't know.
“Means Nek?”
“That's like this,” Grandma shoved a handful of coffee into my nose. I tried to inhale the smell in – deep. There was a slightly pungent aroma of coffee, which I could imagine its delights when mixed with boiling water from a toebroek teapot. Such a smell is not found much. A scent that can take you into a foreign dimension, when it rains heavily and you take refuge in your warm room, with blankets and warm clothes, favorite readings and a cup of Grandma's concoction coffee.
I'm drooling.
Grandma never told Frans or me to pick coffee. He told us to clean – clean Toebroek, serve customers, wash glasses and dishes, calculate income and other – others. but do not choose coffee beans. It was the unquestionable prerogative of Grandma.
Toebroek is never lonely. In fact, it is not uncommon for customers who come from far away to bring a large flask to fill a toebroek then brought home so that the whole family can enjoy the same toebroek. They said the toebroek had a miraculous reaction. Toebroek calms the mind, refreshes the body and links the heart. Toebroek customers are loyal customers and come regularly. I have met a couple who live abroad but always come to Toebroek every year to celebrate the day when they meet.
“If it wasn't for your Grandma, Sophie, we might never have met,” the wife said.
“Betul Sophie, Om used to be just a shy guy who always saw this Auntie across the room. He was always with his friends. He never came here alone. Shame Om this if you have to come directly invite to know.”
“Something when Auntie makes a pact with friends – friends hanging out in Toebroek. But long awaited, none of them came. Sophie's heavy rain, cold. Toebroek quiet visitors, including this Om.”
“But of course Om is still afraid to say hello to this beautiful girl. Every time he looked at it, Om did not know how to arrange the word. Then your grandmother called both of us to join her desk, so that there would be a chatmate she said.”
From the corner of the eye, I saw Grandma smiling, even though the temple – pura did not hear.
The aunt continued the story, “There Sophie, Auntie began to see that this young man was good enough. Silent young man who always seems to be indifferent until he sees Aunt alone does not dare.”
“That's because you're so cantic baby. Which young man does not fall for you when he sees you?” Om spoke to Auntie and made auntie's cheeks red.
“Yah since then we then routinely make appointments here. There was no HP at the time and phones were rare. So Om started sending messages to your Grandma every time we wanted to meet.”
It's exquisite. I hope my story will be as beautiful as Om and Aunt.
“But one thing we always ask Sophie, how can it be rainy today when the dry season is hitting?” aunt said. Then the two of them together – the same look at Grandma. Grandma who had indeed listened from earlier was like jerking and stopping her activities.
“Have not seen me like that. Just drink your coffee!”
Om and Aunt smiled, then sipped coffee left me with my imagination that revolved like a movie – old movie until I heard Grandma yell again, “No need to nglamun Sophie. Clean table – that cornered table.”
I follow Grandma's orders and I clean the table in the corner while smelling the warm aroma of Toebroek.
Toebroek is special. If people ask Grandma the recipe of a toebroek, lightly Grandma will answer, “Easy. Sugar one spoon mix one spoon of java coffee in a cup of hot water. Stir slowly – slow paddle serve. No weird recipes – freak in Toebroek.” Some people consider the words of Grandma as an effort to keep the secret of the toebroek herb so as not to be imitated. But from all those – years of knowing Grandma, I know what Grandma said always corresponds to reality. Grandma speaks as is, not made – make and often if people do not know him well, they will stumble Grandma a heartless evil person. But if Grandma was a heartless bad person, there was no way Toebroek had many loyal customers until now.
Grandma knows that drinking coffee means also calming the soul and enjoying the atmosphere. The atmosphere in Toebroek is right – like home so it makes customers feel comfortable not wanting to go home soon. We have a small kitchen for visitors who want to make their own coffee there. That way, there are no more complaints from customers such as, “The coffee is too thick” or “This was not given creamer well ?” or even more fatal, “Wah, the tea is delicious!”.
In one corner, Frans placed a TV with several pillows, without a chair. There, some customers like to stay up late watching the ball game. In one corner of the other, Grandma placed a long wooden shelf containing her – novels.
On a certain night –, Grandma and Brother Frans will stand on a small stage of wood and together – the same music play. Listening to Kak Frans' guitar passages, Granny's harmonica puffs, looking at – lights home like fireflies – glow at night from a distance, sucking a cup of coffee accompanied by toast. Beautiful isn't?
