The Musafir
Young Fish Wholesalers
“Women wayang?”
BIDADARI North River nodded with vigor. “Yes, wayang ladies!”
“You want me to see that little, translucent woman dancing in front of me?”
“I think yes and I don't. But isn't that how men get pleasure?”
The stiff smiling mantle. “Not everything goes like that, Sister.”
“You're not happy with the wayang woman?” The North River Angel asked in an elongated tone, as if feeling very astonished by what Mantingan said.
“I'm just having fun,” replied the young man. “But I am only happy at the art they present, not at other things.”
“Hmm. It's rare to have a young man like you, Mantingan. That means that you won't be entertained by wayang women, right?”
But Mantingan shook his head. “I don't know if I'll be entertained or not, because I've never watched a wayang woman.”
“Then, you should try watching it.”
“After time only.”
“Why not now?”
“I have to take care of you and the kids here.”
The Northern River Angel muttered for a while before finally nodding her head a few times. While Mantingan still smiled stiffly, because he felt the change in attitude of the North River Angel whose causes were unknown.
“Then what can make you entertained, Brother?”
Still with a smile of his feet, Mantingan replied, “Natural scenery can keep me entertained.”
“Ya already! Go out and look for a beautiful natural scenery. Discover new places and new people.”
“Not now time.” The mantingan again replied with the same answer while shaking slowly.
The North River Angel was flinging her lips with a disappointed look. Seeing the look of such a face, Mantingan really could not help but make his statement.
“Saudari, I think there is something strange about this attitude of yours ...”
“Not. I just want you to feel happy.” The North River Angel replied with a hearty reply.
Hearing the words of the North River Angel who was only that sentence had been able to also make the Mantingan melt.
“No one always feels happiness in his life.” Mantingan said so because he could not lie to himself that he was now happy. “Sometimes sad, sometimes scared, sometimes disappointed, sometimes angry. But nevertheless, everything is worth enjoying. And that's what makes happiness feel so much more memorable.”
***
MANTINGAN recalled that this was his fifth day in the Night Inn, so he immediately moved down to the bottom floor. Shouldn't the fish trader come when it's still morning?
Mantang waiting on the corner bench of the shop. A cup of warm tea was with a snack at his desk. There is also a book of literature to read while waiting.
His appearance did not change much from a disguise stratagem. His hair was still curled up, oiled with aloe vera meat to make it look shiny black. All sorts of feathers on his face were shaved away to look as dry as the appearance of most young people.
Mantingan drink tea, read books of literature, and occasionally bribe his snacks in order to wait for the presence of a fishmonger who will deliver a message from the White Wind Padepokan in the stomach of his trading fish.
Mantingan did not remember very well whether the fish trader who would come was a student of the White Wind Padepokan or was actually a fish seller, it's just that the fishmonger is a man who is certainly paid a lot to guarantee the confidentiality of his duties.
Shortly after Mantingan dissolved in his thoughts, he realized that there had been a commotion near the entrance of the inn.
“Master, Sahaya just want to offer fish to guest only! No more and no less!” A shabby merchant-looking man who carried two baskets on his shoulders said in a pleading tone to the innkeeper who was blocking his steps.
“Sorry, Young Man! Bunian Malam Lodging Rules are clear, no outsiders can trade inside the inn.”
“Just this once, Sir! Sahaya needs money to board a ship to Suvarnadvipa!”
“Come on, sir, just this once! Sahaya promised not to linger.” The young merchant begged to his knees. Mantingan began to rise from his bench.
“Young People! I'm still asking you in a subtle way, don't you force me to throw you out like I treat animals!”
“Master is so hearty! Let sahaya come in, Sahaya promises it won't take as long as a drink of tea!”
“Ah! You are stubborn right!” The guard's burly hand grabbed the young salesman's arm, then pulled him roughly to get away from the inn entrance.
Mantingan quickly stopped him by shouting from afar. “Brothers, stop!”
The guard stopped his steps and turned towards the approaching Mantingan.
“Let him go, I'll make sure he doesn't get into the inn.”
Knowing that Mantingan was one of the guest of the inn, and also saw that the appearance of Mantingan who looked like an educated person, was, so the guard took off his hand from the fishmonger's arm and thanked Mantingan.
Meanwhile, Mantingan immediately invited the fishmonger to one of the long benches located in the inn yard.
After sitting quietly on the bench, then the fishmonger said, “Thank you for helping me, Brother. Do you want to buy one of my fish?”
“Ya.” The mantel answered with a smile. “Choose one best tail.”
In spirit, the fishmonger who seemed to be in his teens quickly picked up a raw fish on top of his trading basket, which he then wrapped using a wide taro leaf that looked just as fresh.
“What is the price, Brother?”
“The price is only five pieces of bronze, Brother. I got these fish from a lake with a lot of wind.”
Hearing that, Mantingan widened his smile. Not wrong again if the intended “soothing that much wind” it is White Wind College.
The mantle took out a piece of silver. But before giving it, he asked first, “Do you live in that windy lake, Brother?”
“No.” The young merchant replied casually. “But if I have a chance, I would love to stay there.”
“And is it true that you want to sail to Suvarnabhumi?”
The young man nodded steadily. “I want to find a medicinal plant for my sickly mother.”
After getting that answer, the Mantingan kept back a piece of silver to be exchanged for a piece of gold.
“How much is one cruise price?”
“Fifty pieces of gold,” replied the young trader still without a doubt.
“Come back to this inn every five days, bring the best fish from the windy lake.”
“I understand!”
The mantan then extended the piece of gold to him. “This is nothing, but accept everything.”
The young merchant seemed to be unexpected. Just now he wanted to prepare the change for Mantingan, but he did not think that all the money was given to him. But after all, he was not the kind of person who liked to waste blessings.
“Thank you, Brother!” he said after receiving the piece of gold from the hand of Mantingan.
_____
note:
Know the difference between a layman and the reader of the beloved Musafir when he saw the greatness of the shadows?
If a layman would have thought that it was a ghost, and ran in fear. Then the reader of the Musafir will think of him as a swordsman, and curiously wait for an invisible fight that will take place soon.
