The Story of Sigma Men
25. Thomas Edison
~ The nation can grow, prosper and fair, if its generation grows with enough education _Rocky Gerung
After entering her application for two weeks, Uzlah was also called to take an interview test. He applied to be an office boy at the Bank.
Ten minutes passed, Uzlah came out of the room and immediately rushed to go home. He turned on his motor, gas-tipped.
Uzlah paused at the red light at the intersection of Charitas Hospital, then resumed the journey and turned on the right side.
On Jalan Sudirman he continued to accelerate to the intersection of the Cinde Market, where people were selling, a market that was familiar to Wong Palembang.
Straight track keeps him on. Seen on his right there is an IP Mal. And keep straight until the Great Mosque of Palembang, a historic mosque for the citizens of Wong Kito.
Then clearly visible Ampera Bridge, the icon of the city of Palembang, which the people of Palembang in the 90s called it “project”.
Towards the height of the tower which is a characteristic for the people of Palembang. Under him the Musi River flows from upstream to downstream.
On the edge of it is a floating restaurant. The Riverside Restaurant. There is a flowing boat, which the Palembang people call it “ketek” because it sounds kreeetteekkk.
Uzlah arrived at a simple rented house.
There were no photos and pictures of anything on display in the house, not much of any furniture adorning it, no luxuries to be proud of, he said, except for a few trophies and awards charters that are in the room.
Also, he achieved achievements when he was still SD, Junior High School, and High School, ranked first in SD time almost every semester, and never reached first and second in Junior High School.
He also won the short story writing competition, won the title of champion of two races reading poetry at the level of the city while still Junior High School, won the champion of one race writing scientific papers held by his High School, and, and ranked first two consecutive semesters of third grade High School class IA program.
And his peak became the general champion in his High School. These achievements are the pride and adorn a simple residence, not the wealth of property, but the wealth of knowledge embodied in the qalbu, which is proven by the achievements he scored during his school first.
Uzlah saw his mother in the kitchen making pempek dough. His mother was a native Palembang. It is not wrong if the pempek made by his mother is so steady.
It is not wrong if his mother has many loyal customers.
He saw his mother mixing sago dough, water, and milled fish.
Stir the dough. Then formed into pempek lenjer, pempek egg contents, pempek kerupuk, pempek ada’an, and pempek submarine.
“Assalamu’alaikum,” greet Uzlah.
“Wa’alaikumussalam. You're home, son. How was the interview test?”
“Alhamdulillah, Mom. Uzlah accepted.”
“So, when did you start work?” said Ms. Mirna while forming a batter pempek lenjer with both palms.
“Besok Uzlah has started working, Bu.”
***
That afternoon Uzlah was ironing his white shirt and black basic pants. He's ready for tomorrow, his first day of work. He's trying to obliterate everything about college.
Rian–adik Uzlah who is still first grade SMP– home from school.
“Kak, I met with Kak Gery and Kak Usman.”
“Where?”
“At school. They were sitting in the cafeteria.”
“Ngapain them there?”
“Entah. Maybe miss with his teachers,” said Rian while undressing his school uniform.
“What are they doing with you, Dik?”
“O yes, they said, greetings to Uzlah. Keep them brother college where?”
“Keep answering what?”
“I told you that Sister doesn't go to college.”
“Continue, what do they say?”
“They didn't say anything. O yes, they said they'd get together sometime. It's been a long time not gathering with the four,” said Rian in the tone of a child's speech.
“Ke what else?” ask Uzlah curious.
“Hemm... doesn't seem to exist anymore, Kak.”
“Kak Usman and Kak Gery college where, Kak?”
“They studied at Jaya Abadi” State University
“Kakak don't know where?”
“They're friends Sister. So, know.”
Back in Uzlah's mind about the matter of college. A moment of trouble was crashing into his soul. He felt that he bore the weight of the world.
His friends went to all colleges, while he didn't. Want to put where his face if you meet with fellow alumni.
“Kak!”
“What is my handsome sister?” Uzlah said while hanging his clothes and pants on the wall.
Rian lowered his face. “Rian shy same Sister.”
He approached his sister's seat. He stroked his sister's head. “Then why? Same story brother.”
“So in class, Rian was asked by the teacher. But Rian could not answer. And the teacher said that Rian was very different from Brother. His older brother was smart when Junior High first, while Rian is stupid.”
“Who is the teacher?”
“Bu Dewi Sartika.”
“Oh, who is physics?”
“Iya, Brother. He said that Rian was very different from my sister. Brother must have been well known by the teachers of Junior High School Country Once a long time ago Brother was still studying there.”
“Dik, there are not a hundred if there is not one! You understand what that means?”
Rian shook his head. His teenage years were unable to reach adult speech.
“Look, that is, intelligent people and even geniuses always start from stupid. At first he knew nothing. He started from zero. He started with the little things. But, he continued to learn and learn. He perseveres, confident that he is able to be smart.”
Rian looked up and drifted away in a strand of words that came out from the thin lips of his only brother.
“So, Brother...”
“Yes so, you have to learn a lot to know a lot. Later when asked by the teacher, you can answer it, Dik.”
“Iya, Brother. Yes.”
“Indeed, Madam Dewi nanya is the same as Rian?”
“Bu Goddess nanya who invented incandescent lamp.”
“Oh.”
“Emang Sister knows who found her.”
“Thomas Alva Edison.”
“Kakak is smart. I'm proud of Brother,” said Rian with teary eyes.
“Keep, Ma'am Dewi nanya are you the same again, Dik?”
“No more Brother. But he told me a little bit about Thomas Alva... Thommaaz.... Alvaaa. eeehhh... Thoommmaass.”
“Thomas Alva Edison's. What's story?”
“Yes, the, Brother. Said Lady Goddess, The Thomas is great. He was able to invent incandescent lamps, typewriters, phonographs, and other inventions. In fact he has a thousand PATAN RIGHTS..”.
“PATENT RIGHTS!!”
“Ya Brother, patent. He was great. Keep saying Miss Dewi, she is very meritorious. Thanks to his invention we can enjoy watching TV. Thanks to his invention this world can be bright because of the lights he has managed to find. But...”
“But what, Dik?”
“But even more so, that Thomas did not go to school like us. No High School Diploma. He's not in college. No ES.TE degree, ES.PEDE. ES.E. Ahhhhh.. Anyway he is great! Not like us, high school but nothing was found. That said Miss Dewi.”
***
