Play your guitar Sophie

His name is Nando

Besides Grandma and Frans, there is another family member I haven't told you about. He's Fernando, the flightless parrot who's very chatty. Especially if he's hungry, like he is now.

“Jangung, corn, corn ...,” Fernando shouted loudly while spinning – swivel around my room. Because it can not fly, Fernando free road – way at home. Grandma wouldn't put him in a cage. “Try if you're locked up, how do you feel?” so Grandma told anyone who asked her why Fernando wasn't in the cage.

“Fernando, impolite guy like you enter my room without excuse!” I lifted Fernando up with both hands, facing his face to my face. I pura – pura angrily, then kiss her beak with anxiety.  

“Corn, corn” Fernando yelling again while shaking – flapping his wings.

“Take it yourself,” I put Fernando on the floor. He walks – jelly around the room.

“Fernando, I want to change clothes. Can't get.” 

There was the voice of Fernando “O .. o..,” then he closed two wings on his head. I changed my school uniform fast – fast with shorts and t-shirts. “It can be opened now.”

At first glance I saw Fernando puffing his chest in relief.

“Corn, corn, Sophie,” that naughty bird screams – yells again impatiently.

“Iya, I'll get you. Patience for a while well.” I ran to the kitchen and heard faint – faint guitar sound Kak Frans from the direction Toebroek. After I listened well, it was not the sound of one guitar that I heard, but two. There was someone other than Frans who was playing guitar. Fast – fast I ran to Toebroek while a few grains of corn in my grasp fell to form a trail from the kitchen to Toebroek. Just like Hanzel and Gretel.

In Toebroek I saw Frans playing his guitar, a duet with a guy I just saw this time. The guy was a little tall fat with a pair of strong hands that were dancing – nari over the guitar strings. He played the guitar while looking down, making his slightly shaggy hair cover his face. His body sometimes swayed according to the rhythm he played. Sometimes very slowly, sometimes arrive – suddenly turned into strong.

And I felt that cupid had precisely thrown his arrow right in my heart. My body feels warm and my heart beats faster to – until I can't move. Time has stopped and when I arrive – just sing, like the sun and stars, the planet – planets in the galaxy convey a beautiful melody that may never be repeated again. I stood upright like a man in the ceremony with a handful of corn in my right hand.

“Sophie, why are you standing there?” Frans shouted while his hands were still playing guitar. The man looked up, his eyes looking displeased as Kak Frans' screams broke his concentration. He stopped and joined – follower looking at me. That's when I knew that cupid stuck his arrow into my heart a second time so that my veins loosened and .... byarrrr. Not at all the first meeting worth remembering and telling to my grandchildren in the future.

“Eh, sorry, Fernando asked for corn,” I showed my right hand before realizing that my right hand was empty.

“Eh ... I mean I was taking corn in the kitchen for Fernando,” I made the next excuse while regretting why I couldn't make a smarter excuse.

“Fernando is under you Sophie,” Brother Frans is advancing his head pointed at Fernando who is pecking – matuk corn under my feet. He must have been following in the footsteps of Hanzel and Gretel that I made. There's at least one clever thing I do.

“Oh,iya. Sorry, I didn't see,”

Hah .. sorry ? Why should I apologize ? What am I wrong ?

“Nando, this is Sophie, my niece whom I told you about just” The cupid guy is named Nando. Beautiful name, beautiful as the man. I smiled and he nodded.

“Frans !!!” Grandma's voice rang out from inside the house.

“Iya Mami's. Sophie, you go with Nando first. Excuse me Fernando,” Brother Frans walks past me and Fernando.

That afternoon, Toebroek was quiet. So automatically there were only the three of us there. Me, Nando and Fernando.

“Fernando is your bird ?”

“Iya, his name is like your name.”

Nando was confused, then laughed.

“You know what's funny Sophie?”

“What?”

“My front name is Fernando.”

And we both the same – the same laugh. Fernando, that naughty parrot is a member of the family. Is this a sign that he will also be a family member? My eyes sparkle – binary.

“Sophie, sing, Sophie, sing”

“You like to sing?” ask Nando.

“Suka. But only in the bathroom.”

“Could not. Brother Frans said your voice was good,”

“Sister Frans said so to you?”

“Iya. He said also, although not so good, but your guitar playing is quite”, he said while nodding to make his hair sway. I must thank Frans for praising me in front of Nando. Bring him to me, brother!

“What can you sing ?” he said then as if – would want to accompany my singing with his guitar.

“Anything,”

“Ehm, You like ghosts can?” his serious face looks funny.

“Not a song what – is. Just so I mentioned. Just kidding's. I'm confused you said ‘what's a’. What song ?”

“Leaving on the Jetplane?”

He nodded then put his – finger on the C key.

“Main same guitar – same dong. Let's be more fun,” he said. Even though I was practicing guitar, but I was never serious so until now I consider my guitar playing is not at all worthy of pride.

“Do not. Guitar's in my room again. Lazy take this,”

“OK. Next time we play the same – well?”

I held my head steady. After Nando played the intro that I thought was perfect, I started singing,

 

All my bags are packed

I'm ready to go

I'm standin' here outside your door

I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin'

It's early morn

The taxi's waitin'

He's blowin' his horn

Already I'm so lonesome

I could die

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

 

When the last line I said and Nando finished with his guitar, there was the sound of Frans excited. Like just found one hundred thousand rupiah in the middle of the road.

“Nando, you want to accompany Sophie singing here next week ?”

After looking at me for a moment he asked, “What day is it ?”

“Jum’at night.”

“OK. Brother Frans, but I have to leave now,” Nando said while putting the guitar in his holster and then leaving while giving me the gift of a smile. “Meet Jum’at front well!” he waved as he passed away.  

“Sister Frans didn't ask Sophie first anyway?”

“You like khan Soph ?”

I just keep quiet do not answer, pura – pura angry.

“Already, do not need to pura – pura Soph. I'm telling you one thing. Nando likes girls who can sing and play guitar.” Brother Frans tidied guitar and song score – songs. I can play guitar, but only a little. It is nothing compared to Nando. Especially Brother Frans. Finally, while holding up the prestige I said,

“Kak, please teach Sophie to play guitar well,” I think maybe this is the right time for me to start using the guitar relic Mama more serious again.

Fernando leaned against one of the Toebroek boards while looking at some apple trees whose leaves were beginning to grow. 

Find me on IG @eveningtea81 for daily quite and short stories!