Faithful Learning

Benny Arnas (Media Indonesia, January 20, 2013)

THE arrival of uninvited and unannounced, 27-year boy was preparing a story for Mayang, a virgin who is always alone every evening at the intersection district. Habits that have been aged 25 years.

But instead of listening, she does not even necessarily accept the arrival of a stranger. The young man tried to appear calm, as if already anticipating all the possibilities. He said that it had been nearly two years he searched for the woman. So, it is ridiculous if he had to return without completing his point.

I come from Binjai, a hamlet in Muarakelingi, he said. But what's in a place for the arrival of a sudden. Virgin unmoved as not hear anything. For the boy, it's a good sign. Moreover, the woman opened the door wider and menyilakannya entry.

Ah, the lights along the goal came on.

However, he just sat in a wicker chair in an old clapboard house, the woman was surprised. "Musmulikaing name," she murmured. Flat intonation so that the sentence would not be a question sentence. And, it looks like it does not require an answer. He just stared at the boy without searchingly. "I never thought that this time my dream will come true." Then he went into the back room, wiping the blinds shells that are rare and tenuous.

The young man was silent. His eyes followed the woman disappeared back behind the booth.

"It's been many years, there is always buzzing sound in my dreams. A young man named Musmulikaing will come in the near future. "Mayang audible voice from behind the wooden booths. Occasionally the sound of the spoon that collided with a faint knocking cups eardrum. "Your name does rada strange but familiar sound. I do not know when and where your name is never kuakrabi. Ah never mind, his name is also a dream, sometimes can not be rationalized. "She's back through the curtain with a cup of hot tea in his left hand. "But the dream this time, however, it seems there is no other." He put the cup of tea on the table and rattan chair. "Drink it. Guest is king. Moreover, guests of the dream. "He chuckled, as mocking his own words.

The young man cengengesan. His right hand scratches his head is not itchy.

"In today's world, dreams really signaled an occurrence is rare. Dream no more as an extension of the will of man; anything that is not or has not been able to achieve in the real world, he was brought to the bed. A dream that was so, called the flower bed, dream nothing! "

"Then what was coming at someone in a dream?" He asked after sipping tea.

Mayang shook his head. "But ... instead, you want to tell?"

***

Syahdan, a man revealed the biggest secret of his life.

When he was young, he had a relationship with a girl. The young man wanted to present to his girl to ask for her hand surprise suddenly. Right! What he did was surprising. Courtship rejected. O, how he forgot that someone who was born, lived, and self-sufficient in Binjai, high home village living from tapping rubber and catch fish in a tributary of Musi seluang, taklah able to stand on the same stair descent girl pesirah in Kayuara.

Tercorenglah his young family. What a shame. The girl was really disappointed with what his family did. He deplored the behavior is his girlfriend who suddenly came with 20 relatives, 12 bejek black sticky tray, 6 bunches of bananas horns, and rice sepikul ladies miss. But, really, it all evaporates and becomes insignificant when compared with the presumption ketakterimaannya family. Then, through a faithful messenger, he sent a letter to the young man. Apparently the intention is not always in tune with reality. Letters were cast as the runner-girl-passed mandate leaves the young man's bedroom window, was caught by the father of the young man's perspective.

A retaliatory plan was prepared. The father had never delivered the letter to his son. In fact, until he jodohkan son with a woman who is distantly related one year later.

He knew his son take it for granted because it was disappointed at the news his girlfriend are no news after the expulsion. For the boy, it was like a shameful incident confirmed that the girl was deliberately stay away from him, removed relationships that have long dikebat ....

His wife, because it can not afford a display that only pigeon clocked at night, eventually inflamed for a long time. Actually, Nor the boy intention. However, like the unconscious led him to do things that are not his nature. They were like two strangers were laid off. Without greetings, jokes, let alone intimate story. Whether it was death that have arrived or rajaman kenelangsaan, his wife dying a few days after the first child; men.

Her husband raised his only child alone. He wanted to prove to his father's frail that her love for her Kayuara would not be whole until whenever, by anything. Initially the father ignored. However, finding the fact that his son was able to live alone while raising her grandson up single, is a hard slap him. He sank. Indeed, he actually hated the ketaklukannya. However, he is actually more hate again on the mossy selfishness and newly eroded after nearly a quarter of a century later-although he nevertheless never forget the family of the girl's vanity.

So, on a dark night, at the end of a rusty old tersebab pain, he opened the secret. About the letter. About meetings at the intersection near the merbau trees in Muarabeliti ahead sunset-that he never preached to his son.

***

"Simpang Muarabeliti-district capitals?" Suddenly she was interrupted.

The boy nodded.

"Evening?" The young man nodded again.

"So the letter was never read? Do men know that, until now, the girl still single? "

The young man was silent.

"... And live alone because his family never want to have children dissident, is unwilling to live at home with a young girl who loves not worth it."

Suddenly she got up from his seat. "Why, why the story ...."

"Yes, maybe Mom wondered why my story is very similar to the mother's life story, is not it? My mother lived in Kayuara? "

"Do not get out!" Mayang voice rising.

"Mom's not a pompous know?" The young man shouted back. "You know that girl in the ass story still single until now!"

Virgin stunned as stunned. Then he slowly sat back down. "It penantianku is calling without sound and response." His voice sounded straightforward without passion. Her eyes were red.

"Waiting? Looking forward to the men in the story? "Youth voice soft, almost inaudible.

Virgin did not answer. Only the tears that suddenly melted.

"Stay tuned Semibar?" Sounds like the young man choked.

"And you are Musmulikaing." Voice of Mayang memarau. There is a thin smile, very thin, scratched at her lips. She wiped her tears with the tip of his cotton shirt.

"No!" Said the young man quickly. "I ...."

"Yes, not only that!" Cut Mayang equally fast. "Musmulikaing is the fruit of marriage Jeruma Semibar with an old age."

Young man's mouth locked.

"And she was Mayang Nilamsari Kayuara bint Umar Hamid, right?"

The young man suddenly felt his throat constrict.

She was now smiling, really smiling. "Thank you for your story. Your father was accomplished poet. To explain all the anomalies of the past us, he even felt the need to send you for the trip in my dreams before he comes in front of me. "

He smiled, a smile that looks more like a grimace.

"I'm not mad at Semibar. There is no order. I even understand the marriage. Sincere love is bilau leaves ink dripping shroud, the stain will not peel moreover erased by rain though. O yes, tell your father: 'There is a greeting from me'. "

The young man rose from his seat. Actually, he wanted to explain that his name not Musmulikaing. But it becomes important again when have facts so thrilling: a woman willing to be single until age crept half a century.

The young man kissed the back of her hand Mayang with reverence, as if he were saying goodbye to his biological mother, to bring good news to the edge nan heartbreaking child Musi River and then pass it on to Semibar.

To his father. (*)