Tidying Up Asa, Inviting Hidayah

59. Women are Unique.

🍁Women, with all the uniqueness that is often incomprehensible. Sometimes cheerful, very weak, can be calm like without burden, also most clever to hide feelings.🍁

Hara's.

Since living in Yogya, my patterns and lifestyle have changed a lot. Rarely eat out, buy things that are not important, or just hang out at nightlife venues. All because the environment I live in applies a simple lifestyle, away from the attitude of fun and waste. Moreover, Mbak Nabila who is too chatty to manage my life.

When Jenar said she was hungry, I thought she wanted to go home quickly to eat at home. Like I'm used to eating at home. However, there was a sound of stomach signs of hunger before I turned on the car engine. Success makes me almost laugh.

“You eat first?” I asked while holding back my laughter. Just this time I saw a girl who was timidly holding back hunger.

I looked around for a while before I ran the car. Jenar nodded, with her hands holding her stomach. It seems like he is really hungry.

“Pak Hara don't mind if we eat first? I will treat you later." There was a hint of seduction in that question.

I stared at him for a while, as Jenar was also looking at me. An innocent face with almost fused eyebrows and a gaze full of pleading, it looks very funny. Between pity and amusement, I just nodded to answer her question.

“What do you eat? Where?” I asked, not knowing where Jenar wanted to go.

“Lotek,” Reply Genar briefly.

I frowned, for the first time I heard the name of the food that Jenar mentioned.

“I want to eat lokek,” clear Jenar. I haven't said anything, but it seems like she understands my ignorance, “Pak Hara doesn't know lotek?”

“What food is it? Is there such food?” I guess I really don't know.

“I've guessed Mr. Hara would not know, nih!” Jenar pointed her phone screen at me. I squinted my eyes, watching an image on the screen.

“Ketoprak,” I said as soon as I saw the food picture on the phone screen.

“Like, but not.” Jenar pulled back her phone. He said while busy wiping his finger on the screen, “then Mr. Hara knows the difference if he has seen and ngrasain.”

I don't want to bother with what kind of food Jenar wants. Without much questioning, I followed the direction of the path he gave. When it stopped because the traffic light was red, then I realized Jenar did not wear seat-bealtnya.

Kuhardik him with a slightly taut tone, while he apologized but with a face without guilt. Perhaps in his opinion, forgetting to wear a seatbelt is a trivial matter. It is very important for driving safety.

I thought the place Jenar was going to was a restaurant. It turned out to be just a tent stall located on the side of the road. From the outside it looks very unconvincing, when entering it feels uncomfortable. There are only two long benches and a table. Allows buyers to sit together, while eating. Luckily it wasn't too crowded, so Jenar and I were able to get a seat.

“Rodo suwi, yes, Ma'am. Wolu iki. (Long time, yes, ma'am. This eight queue.)” Jenar nodded, answering the words of the seller who was a mother of fertile stature.

“Unpukane nunopo, Ma'am? (What's the drink, Ma'am?)” ask the seller again.

Jenar did not immediately give an answer, but threw a question at me, “Pak Hara would like to drink what?”

I thought for a moment, then replied, “Black coffee without sugar.”

At the same time, Jenar turned to the seller while half shouting, “I black coffee without sugar, yes, Bu.”

“Very compact, you twins, yes?” asked the seller in a probing tone, while looking at me and Jenar sitting down.

Jenar turned her eyes towards me who was sitting in front of her, for a moment we looked at each other and both laughed. No one was commanding, but we compactly replied with almost the same sentence.

Black coffee without sugar, has been my favorite ever since. However, just this time, I met the girl who ordered the drink while eating at the stall. Usually the girls choose a softer coffee, such as capucino or white cofee. Jenar is indeed a unique girl, just like her brother who is also strange. All of his family is different than others.

The order came long enough. Fortunately, I bought a cigarette, so I wasn't too tired to wait. Today, much of my time is wasted due to Jenar. If it wasn't for her sister Aneesha, I'd have left her at the shop.

“This is called lotek,” said Jenar when the order came. He pointed across the street with his fork and explained, “If there is a vegetable salad with brown sugar and peanut sauce. The price can be five times than here.”

I glanced at the direction that Jenar pointed to, a hotel building that stood majestically, opposite this tent stall. Then look at the food that has been presented at the table, in the form of various green vegetables mixed with peanut spices that smell distinctive.

“Pak Hara should try first, just know the difference between lotek and ketoprak.” said Jenar pointed to food with her chin.

Seeing Jenar eating voraciously, I hesitated I started scooping the food. A mouthful of vegetables mixed with peanut butter goes into the mouth. When the tongue tastes, my brain works to analyze the taste of the food. The taste is savory, sweet, slightly sour and spicy, mixed with the fresh aroma of grapefruit. Tasty.

I feel like I've been through dejavu, I've been eating food like this but I don't know when and where. My memories are not quick to remember, maybe because it's been too long, or I just get carried away.

“How? Different from ketoprak, right?” ask Jenar.

I just nodded. Still trying to spin memories that never go forth. I feed back a spoonful of food, but time can remember the taste I felt in the past. However, many times the food went into the mouth, I did not remember anything at all. My tongue and lips felt like they were burning.

Jenar took the initiative to ask a glass of warm water to the owner of the stall, because I saw the spiciness. He chuckled, as I panicked could not dispel the burning sensation in the mouth. His laughter grew, until he had to cover his mouth with his palm.

“What's funny?” I asked to still hold the spicy, even though a glass of warm water had been drunk until it ran out.

“Face of red Pak Hara, like fried shrimp.” replied Jenar in between laughter.

I snorted in annoyance, instead of helping, Jenar continued to laugh at me. He took a travel pack tissue from the bag, stretched it out to me. Without answering, I took it. Moisturizing the sweat that soaks the forehead and nose that continues to water. Even though it was too spicy, the food on the plate I still spent. Mbak Nabila said, should not leave food, because it could be a blessing in food lies in the last feed. Moreover, this food taste is delicious and distinctive, even though it feels very spicy.

“Padalah has Pak Hara cabenya only one, you know. Got me instead of five, but I do not pesesesan,” said Jenar who just eased laughter.

“One, but a big elephant, so spicy.” replied me origin. Where could there be an elephant chili? Ada, anyway. If the cabe one truck is merged into one.

Jenar laughed again, even out loud. Until she covered her face using the tip of her hijab. I should have been upset, but the sound of Jenar's laughter made me smile. As I recall, this was Jenar's first laugh, after I saw her joint face in the hospital a while ago.

Ever since Ghufron became ill and eventually died, it was rare for me to see Jenar laugh after this. He was more moody and silent. A few hours ago - when we were in a meeting - he wasn't this happy either. Has he missed any deep loss or painful trauma?

The rest of the afternoon I spent driving Jenar home. Along the road Yogya-Magelang, I passed by listening to music from the car audio, without chatting with Jenar. Because the girl was asleep. Women are unique, can change like uncertain weather. He who had been frightened and weak, turned cheerful, then could now sleep very quietly.

Even when we got to Aneesha's house she was still sound. Many times I tried to wake her up, but Jenar remained deeply lulled. Until I called Sayumi and Irkham, Jenar didn't wake up.

“Jane bobok po semaput, iki boy?” (Actually sleeping or fainting, is this a child?) mama Sayumi.

I had to carry Jenar out of the car, carry her and lay her in the room. He squirmed as Ma'am Sayumi wrapped around him, but did not wake up. Looks like the girl is full to sleep that soundly.

“From brat urung adus, salat, maem, njut piye nek turu keep ngeneki?” grouchy Sister Sayumi. (This child has not bathed, prayed, eaten, how about sleep continues like this?)

“Benke wae, Ma'am. (Leave it, Ma'am.)” cetus Irkham.

I got back in the car, after saying goodbye to Ma'am Sayumi and Irkham. A glowing object caught my attention, just as I was about to start the engine of the car.

I took the thing that was a cell phone. It's not mine, it must have Jenar, because it's just me and him who just got in this car. I accidentally saw a message that appeared on the main screen, when I was about to return the flat object to the owner. A message from someone whose name is not unfamiliar.

‘Late this week, I'm going to Yogya. Can you stop by, no?’

Lucky Irkham just came out, so I don't have to go in the house anymore just to give Jenar a cell phone. Night turns night, I have to go home soon.