Secret Alit
The Tragic Story of Mr. Priyo - Part 2
Today is the last day Priyo stayed at her house. He was forced to move from there due to a debt he could not pay. On that last day, I went with papa to visit Mr. Priyo's house. Mom will come back from the office.
Arriving there, I did not expect that his house still looks neat and clean even though the family of Mr. Priyo is experiencing a disaster. All thanks to Mbok Ginah.
Mbok Ginah is a middle-aged woman who is about 45 years old. He lives alone in a narrow alley that only pedestrians can walk through. Despite being inside the alley, his house was close to the highway and only a few meters away with Mr. Priyo.
She lives alone because her children have a family and live far from her home. He was very diligent, there was always something he did. Mbok Ginah is a person who always faithfully accompanied the family of Mr. Priyo, especially in times of disaster. Our family also knew Mbok Ginah.
***
Amidst the items that had been neatly put into the cardboard box, me, papa, and Pak Priyo sat together. We were in the living room close to the side yard door. The atmosphere was very quiet for a few moments. Finally, he opened his voice and broke the silence.
"If you want, just stay in my old house for a while. Some of the rooms are still empty, there is no rent. So you can use it" said papa.
Priyo agreed to papa's offer. But, it still looks a deep sadness and disappointment from the look on his face. Naturally, Mr. Priyo has lived in that house for decades.
The mood was silent again. Mr. Priyo pondered while several times being seen sighing. Her two children were flipping through the pages of a book, not knowing what she was thinking. While Bu Priyo was sitting on a bench made of bricks in the yard next to the house.
The bench is comfortable to sit on. The air around it feels cool because it is close to a well that is about one meter in diameter. Above the well, there was a circular wall as high as an adult waist.
The atmosphere of silence broke again thanks to the arrival of the mother. Bu Priyo also shifted somewhat he could sit side by side with mama. After greeting each other, Priyo also started the story.
"Tomorrow the man will come to take this house," Bu Priyo said with a trembling voice.
Bu Priyo then fell silent and her tears kept dripping down her cheeks. Mama also seemed to calm him. Without saying a word, Bu Priyo's gaze was fixed on the old well that was in front of him. Mama was also carried away feeling the same sadness with Bu Priyo. The well seemed to be a silent witness that recorded all the sadness and anger that was spilled by the owner of the house.
"Dining outside, I'm hungry, I haven't had dinner yet" Papa said, again trying to melt the atmosphere.
Mr Priyo's children looked a little excited and immediately got up from his seat. Priyo and Bu Priyo also agreed to papa's invitation.
***
The next day, Mbok Ginah came to Pak Priyo's house. That morning, there were some people who moved things from the house outside. Mr. Priyo looked at them and felt unwilling that his favorite items were treated harshly by people who did not understand their value. However, Mr. Priyo's conscience forced him to resign, although occasionally he had to rebuke rather loudly warning to be careful with the item.
Bu Priyo is angry when the man shifts his son's favorite piano from the living room to the warehouse. But he can't do anything. The two of them were more silent, just looking at the people who started to empty the side room near the well.
Since last night, Bu Priyo's eyes have not been closed in the slightest. He sat by the old well until morning. The well seemed to be the figure of his speaking friend. Bu Priyo spilled his sorrow. Even before leaving, Bu Priyo approached the well, as if to say goodbye.
I'm taking Mr. Priyo's family to papa's old house. Several times, papa's car paced back and forth to bring the necessary items.
***
One afternoon, I was talking to Mbok Ginah. Mbok Ginah is a funny guy. Talking to him feels so much fun. Which makes it funny, not because he often jokes, but because of the way he talks. He often moves his hands with a chattering methika, so sometimes people near Mbok Ginah accidentally slapped by him.
"Alit, we have been here for a month (the old house of papa). Yesterday Mbok Ginah through Pak Priyo's house when he went to the market. I deliberately walked slowly, because I want to see the condition of the house," said Mbok Ginah. "Well, that's when I saw two more people weaving fake hair in the room near the well."
According to Mbok Ginah, the house looks disheveled, full of cardboard, and uninhabitable. Though reportedly, there is one rich family that occupies the old house of Mr. Priyo. I actually feel surprised too. But try not to think too much about it, because I can't do anything either and the rumaj is none of my business.
***
The next morning, Mbok Ginah suddenly came to the grandmother's house. I who was playing with Ireng in the courtyard also welcomed him.
"Eh, Mbok Ginah! Come in, Mbok," I said.
Mbok Ginah was seen just standing with a gasp of breath. He looked like he was running. Apparently, he was in a hurry to come to grandma's house to deliver important news.
After holding Mbok Ginah into the house, I went to the kitchen to get water. Mama also went to the living room to meet Mbok Ginah.
"What's up, Mbok? Drink first to calm down, just tell the story," said mama.
Mbok Gina looks calmer after drinking water. But suddenly, she was crying.
"Mom... Priyo's old house, burned down. I heard someone say 'trim as white, '" Mbok Ginah told a long sigh.
Pring sedapur has a cognate bamboo meaning that is likened to symbolize a family bond. If there is one family that died at the same time or close to the distance of time, some people will call it as Sedapur Pring.
Mbok Ginah was terrified to hear the news. He was also confused on how to give this news to Mr. Priyo's family. So, he immediately hurriedly came to grandma's house.
"I was scared to hear it, so I went straight away. I did not ask clearly who the victims were" Mbok Ginah said.
In the afternoon, my father and I visited Mr. Priyo's residence to see how he was doing. Apparently, news of the fire had already spread.
The five victims were found in one room, the middle room. The five victims were a couple, two teenagers, and a teenage girl who worked as a domestic assistant in the house.
People suspect, the fire came from a cigarette and ignite a flammable object. The windows of the house were covered in iron trellises, making it difficult for the occupants to escape out of the fire. The fire happened the night before. The fire is very quickly enlarged because there are cotton threads stored in the cardboard. The pile of cardboard is located in the middle room, so that the fire was quickly spread.
I saw that Mr. Priyo and his wife could only fall silent while looking down upon the news. Too many memories are stored in Mr. Priyo's childhood home. The house is now gone by fire.
