Short Story: Cerita tentang Hujan (The Story of The Rain)

Cerita tentang Hujan (The Story of The Rain)

K Usman - 25 Januari 2009

painting rain art prompt

When it rains and is alone, I remember Anatolia. The six-year-old little girl is the daughter of a beautiful young woman. Olive name. They live in a good rental house, a few meters in front of my house. In that house no man lived. The driver who drove Anatolia arrived in the morning, came home late in the afternoon. Si Anatolia's father never showed his nose. Now, the house is quiet.

During the afternoon that Sunday Anatolia did not appear in my house. From ten in the morning, he attended Sofia's birthday party, his compatriot. Afternoon, Anatolia was escorted to my house by Uun, the painstaking and faithful housemaid. As impatient, Anatolia asked me to tell about rain.

"Uncle, tell me about rain," he pleaded once again.

"What's wrong with the rain?" I asked, watching the increasingly heavy rain. I opened the door wide so that the room lit up. So, I don't need to turn on the lights.

The first year elementary school student turned towards the rain. He listened to rain songs on the tiled roofs, leaves, twigs, branches and trees. The raindrops were sad. An elegy, I thought. Anatolia's cute face, since meeting me was always moody. His eyes were sad. The growing daughter missed someone. He also really needs love.

I often imagine, raindrops have small feet. They always unite and line up neatly. So they become very strong. Millions of raindrops slipped between the roots of trees in the forest, seeped, then settled in the bowels of the earth. The water saving is very beneficial if there is a long dry season. The strong little feet of rain were not like Anatolia's legs. The child's feet are not free to step, according to his will. Olives always forbid him from leaving home. Zaitun said, outside the house, Ana could be kidnapped by a bad person. However, after a year with my neighbor, Olives allowed Anatolia to play in my house on holidays. Of course, the little virgin must be escorted by Uun, if Olives is not at home.

If I haven't met Anatolia for a while, I think something's missing. The little yellow-faced and yellow-skinned girl has become a part of my life. In the office, I often tell my close friends about Anatolia. Then, my friends chuckled. They guessed that I and Olive, the beautiful and smart, had a special relationship. I said: I'm only friends with Anatolia! Not with his mother! Only once did I meet with Olives, which was when I came to get acquainted, early last year.

"Tell me about the rain, Uncle," Anatolia begged once again.

I'm happy to tell you about the occurrence of rain: First, the sun's heat heats the water so it turns into steam. The warm moist air soars high and the top becomes cold. The steam turns into small grains of water, which cools condensation. Then, clouds formed in the sky. The water points in the cloud become bigger and heavier, then fall to the earth as rain. Three quarters of the rain fell back into the ocean. A quarter, fell on land.

Anatolia asked again, "Uncle, is rain good for living things?" I replied, of course rain is good for all living things. Humans and animals need water for drinking and bathing. Water is also used by humans to wash clothes, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and other necessities. Rainwater will fertilize the soil. When the land is fertile, any plant lives fertile, fresh, radiant, and useful for fellow life.

Anatolia also asks, if it is good for all beings, why does rain cause flash floods and landslides? Flash floods and landslides cause humans and other creatures to suffer, and objects are damaged, he said.

Rest assured, I say, rain has never been evil to sentient beings. Flash floods and landslides are not a mistake of rain! If forests are deforested after being cleared wildly by humans, flash floods and landslides can occur. Flash floods and landslides can also occur if tall buildings have stood tightly in vacant lots, in many places. Rubbish that pollutes gutters, lakes, rivers, and the sea, is also a cause of flooding. So, flash floods and landslides are human errors, I said firmly.

"Uncle, tell me about my friends, rain," begged Anatolia as well. Anatolia said, Olga, his classmate was good at telling stories about frogs singing so much to ask for rain to come down soon. The frogs sing during the dry season. Anatolia wants to hear stories about other rainy friends.

Besides frogs, I say, rain friends are humans, other animals, and plants. Forests, bushes, rivers, lakes and oceans are rainy friends too, I continued.

"What's more about rain, Uncle?" Anatolia asked.

The Aztec Indians in Central America adore the rain god Tlaloc, my story. Indian tribes in North America performed a special dance so that the spirits sent rain to their country to fertilize farmland. If the dry season is very long, usually Muslims worship the Istiqarah Sunnah in congregation to beg Allah Almighty that the rain falls to the earth, my heart. Other religious people prayed, begging God to rain in the dry season, I continued.

The temperature is hot in the air, around us, I continued. The heat comes from the sun. Now, when the temperature is very low, not rain falling to the earth, but snowstorms, chunks of ice, or snowfall, I connect the story.

"Did the snow fall in Jakarta, Uncle?" Anatolia asked again.

"Uncle has never seen snowfall in Jakarta, honey," I replied.

One Saturday afternoon, I visited Anatolia's house for the second time. Olives is still a task in South Korea. The driver is delivering Anatolia piano lessons. There is only Uun in the house. I asked Uun, why did Anatolian's father leave? Uun wants to tell, as long as I promise, I won't tell Olive and Anatolia. I promised him, would not tell anyone.

Uun told me, after visiting outside: Anatolian father left after being expelled by Olives, he said. At that time, Anatolia would be the 5th anniversary, in an old rented house. After not working in a foreign company because he was dismissed, Anatolian father was unemployed. As a result of being unemployed for a long time, he is easily offended, jealous, likes to be angry with harsh words. At that time, Anatolian father yelled at Olives. The man asked for more money to buy liquor. However, Olive refused Uto's request. When Uto was about to punch Olive, Anatolia defended his mother. The child bit his father's right thigh. The father yelled the boy in a thunderous voice. Anatolian father was dismissed from work because he was found using company money to gamble, parties, and drunk, continued Uun.

Anatolian father since gone never returned, Uun told me. Olives is a kind employer, Uun continues his story. He works in an automotive company owned by a South Korean businessman. Olives holds an engineering degree. His position is high in the big automotive company. Olive always comes home at night. He is often also assigned abroad. Anatolia asks his mother, if old Olives don't go home. Anatolians often cry when they wake up at night, Uun continued.

The intelligent-minded Anatolia asked me, why was Uncle alone at home? I answered, I don't have a wife yet. Doesn't Uncle feel lonely? Anatolia asked too. Of course it's quiet, I replied. But, Uncle likes to make stories, read, run in the morning, after Fajr prayer, cooking, gardening, and watching good movies, I added.

One Sunday, twilight is drifting. I was startled by the voice of the woman greeting at the gate. Outside the fence stood Olive. He developed a broad-leaf umbrella. The woman's face was very pale. His eyes are puffy and blue. I hurriedly opened the turnstile. I let him in. Olive covers me when I pull the gate. We went to the living room in unison.

There was a little gift, said Olive before sitting on the couch. He handed over a large bottle wrapped in brown shiny paper. Fill the bottle is a vitamin drink for body fresheners from Korea, namely water ginseng mixed with honey. Thank you, I said after welcoming the souvenir from South Korea. I let him sit down. I did not forget to ask, why was Anatolia not invited? Olives was surprised after hearing my question. He looked at me suspiciously.

"I'm sure Anatolia is here," said Olives. His face suddenly became tense. "So, my child is not here?" He thought, I hid his child in my house.

Olives said Anatolia left home when he was in the office. Anatolia did not want to be invited to move to South Korea, said Zaitun. He was afraid of Uto Kwon Lee, his father. Carefully I told Anatolia before going to bed last night, I and Uto would repair a broken house. Uto has apologized. He regretted all his wrongdoings. Uto has repented to God. He promised to be a good husband for me and a loving father for Anatolia. I pondered for a month, then forgave him. Anatolia, who always obeyed me, suddenly became a dissident, he continued while wiping tears.

Anatolia was afraid of Uto Kwon Lee, said Olives. Anatolia always remembers, when it will celebrate its 5th birthday, first. His father did not give a birthday present as usual, but was angry with a rude voice. Olive said goodbye, but continued to cry. His whole body trembled. He was very panicked. He was worried, his little girl had been kidnapped by a bad person. Anxiousness sneaked in my heart.

That night, as the drizzle drifted, I heard people greeting outside the fence. I immediately won the umbrella. I opened the door. Outside the fence I saw an adult man and two little girls. I hurriedly unlocked the gate.

"Eh, Anatolia!" I shouted when I saw the little girl with her daughter her age under a wide umbrella. The umbrella was held by an adult man. Anatolia introduced Sofia and her father, Mr. Arif. In the living room, Anatolia told a story. He went to Sofia's house after piano lessons, without the driver being escorted. The driver is sick again. Sofia's mother forbade Anatolia to go home alone. After returning from work, after the Isha prayer, Arif and Sofia escorted Anatolia to my house at the request of the child. He was afraid of being scolded by his mother. After Mr. Arif and Sofia said goodbye, I invited Anatolia to eat warm quail egg soup, my food. He refused because he was still full after eating meatballs and drinking milk in Sofia's house.

Over an hour I persuaded Anatolia to go home. I told of the arrival of Olives to my house. Your mother was very panicked and sad. "But, I don't want to come with you to South Korea!" Anatolia shouted. "I'm afraid of my father," he continued, hugging me tightly.

Olive's story about Uto Kwon Lee's regret I repeat. The man will love Anatolia. He also promised to be a good husband for Olives. Then, I persuaded Anatolia to go home soon. Your mother is very afraid of losing you, I whispered softly. After a long pause, a faint smile appeared on her beautiful face. Uncle want to take me home? He asked. I nodded. If you are angry, how? Anatolia asked again. You tell the truth to Mother, I said. If you feel you have something wrong, apologize, huh? Uncle is very sure, Mother is not angry anymore, I said. I heard lightning boom outside. The rain is getting heavier. The wind is getting stronger. Television reported, a storm was raging on the beach, that night.

At eight o'clock in the evening, I drove Anatolia in my old deer car to his house. Olives roared, hugged, and kissed her child. When I said goodbye, Anatolia ran towards me. He cried while embracing me. I stroked his straight hair and convinced him that Uto, his father missed him so much.

"If I come with you to South Korea, who accompanies Uncle?" Anatolia asked innocently while looking at me.

"Uh, em, in the office, there are Uncle's friends," I replied nervously, held back.

***

This Sunday, the rain fell. The rented house on the other side is empty and quiet. I remembered Anatolia. He has been with his parents for a long time in South Korea. If the little girl asks for a story about rain, I hope her father and mother can fulfill their wishes happily ...

Pasar Rebo, December 16, 2008 - January 12, 2009