A glass of moccachino emits a fragrant steam. A five-watt lamp dimly illuminates the entire room. The tape in the corner of the ceiling emits a woman's song accompanied by an acoustic sound. Plastic vines swaying swaying in the wind from outside. Two baristas wiping glasses. While discussing the activities of the past weekend.
A woman supports her cheeks with both hands. His pair of eyes turned to the laptop screen. However, his mind wandered around thinking about many things. Especially the state he is in his current profession. Multimedia companies give him a salary above the Regional Minimum Wage. Of course the responsibility is also great. But lately he's been quite stressed. Some of his achievements were unsatisfactory. Plus he often argues with his teammates about his performance.
Oh my God, it turns out that my life is getting more complicated day by day. A lot of money doesn't make me happy God. I just want to live happily without this many problems. The light of the night wind came through his shoulder-length hair. He felt that God heard the prayers of His servants. Widya opened his eyes after praying silently for a moment. He let go of both hands. He brushed his black hair behind his ear. Then looked out the cafe window. He saw two small children, a girl and a boy, carrying sacks behind their backs.
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Boys are taller than one another. Looks like he's the girl's older sister. Seen from the place, the brother led his sister on the edge of the sidewalk. Sit side by side while releasing the sack. Her tiny hands brushed off her sister's bangs. Look and say a few sentences. Then the two of them laughed at the same time. A beautiful laugh was etched on his sluggish and dirty black face. Several times the brother looked to the right. Like waiting for someone.
Widya was interested in approaching them. He turned off the laptop in front of him. Fill the glass that remains half gulped until it runs out. He put his book and pen in his backpack. Then he folded the laptop and put it in a backpack. Before leaving he made sure his shoulder-length hair was neat. Then walked to the cashier to pay for a glass of moccachino earlier. The cashier smiled and said thank you. Widya smiled and started to step out of the cafe area. While looking to the right looking for opportunities to cross.
Successfully crossing, Widya walked ten steps to the left. Approaching the two small children with a charming smile. He sat on the right side of the boy. While his sister was on his left. Now it is clear that their clothes and pants are not worth it. Several patches of cloth covered the tear. Shabby and dirty results from exposure to air pollution. Their hair was tangled with a bit of dreadlocks like they hadn't washed it in a long time. It started with a smile hoping that the sweet children were not afraid of him.
"Who are you waiting for? How come you're not home yet? Is your house far away?” Widya looked at the clock on his left hand. The hand showed seventeen minutes past eight. They are looking. His sister smiled back. "Wait for our father sis. Still looking for a bottle in the garden over there, I guess. You told us to wait here." He pointed to the north, a hundred yards away the small garden was there.
"Oh so it's normal to wait here huh? Is that your sister? Hey sweet sister!” Widya tried to greet his sister. But the one who is called hides his body behind his brother. Looks like the little sister is embarrassed. Widya invites his brother to chat. Finally he knew a little about them. They are used to waiting for you around eight o'clock and will be picked up at nine o'clock. The two children did not go to school. Angga is nine years old, while his sister is two years younger. He was supposed to be in the third grade of elementary school. And Anggi sits in first grade.
Their mother passed away five years ago. Leaving three people due to uterine cancer. Father tries to find any job for the life of his two children. Factory workers, construction workers, market coolies, and other menial jobs. Leave in the morning and return at night. Father only gave a few pieces of money to his eldest son. Hand over the affairs of his sister's food and needs to Angga. The boy couldn't bear to see you working alone. Not wanting to burden Father, Angga forced him to quit school. Choose to look for used bottles which are then sold to collectors. He invites his six-year-old sister Anggi to look for the wreckage.
"So Angga doesn't go to school anymore? Help me find money while taking care of Anggi, okay?" Angga agreed with Widya's question with a nod. He was touched to hear the story of their lives. Felt his childhood was much better than theirs. He used to go to school even though he had to be far from his parents and lived with his grandmother.
He looked around looking for street vendors who were still hanging out. "Eh, there is someone who sells fried rice. Let's eat bro! Brother treats you while waiting for your father to pick you up here." Widya pulled Angga and Anggi's hands to stand up. The brothers looked at each other. Hesitating to follow the invitation of foreign women who had been curious about their lives. But hunger trumps doubt. Angga carried back his sack. Seeing the movement of the brother, Widya took over the sack of Anggi.
"It's okay, it's beautiful, let my sister carry your sack, okay? Come on!" He led the way in front of the brothers.
There was only one customer who was sitting waiting on a plastic chair. Widya put the sack next to the mat held by the fried rice seller. Then go to the seller to order four portions. "Sir, please have four servings of fried rice, one just wrapped. Everything is delicious, sir. Not spicy." He said to the salesman. "What do you drink, Grandma?" Widya, who was looking at the side dishes on the table, replied, "Three glasses of hot tea, sir!" He took three flour-fried tempeh and three quail egg satays. Place it on a plastic plate.
Finished choosing a side dish, Widya returned to Angga and Anggi who were sitting on the mat. Put the plate in front of them. Then offer it as a snack while waiting for their order to arrive.
Anggi shyly took a quail egg skewer. It was Angga's turn to ask where the kind woman lived. Widya replied that he lived in a boarding house five hundred meters behind the cafe he visited. Widya has lived there for six years with the first four years going to college. His place of origin was far away, three hundred kilometers to the west. He told me that he had a younger sister who was Anggi's age. Her hair is shoulder-length curls, puffy cheeks on the right and left, plus a dimple on the right, and eyes similar to Anggi's. Unfortunately had died one year ago due to a car accident. "Ah, I'm sorry, you don't know." Widya smiled, answering that Angga was not wrong with that.
The salesman delivers hot tea in a glass cup. Then followed three plates of fried rice that were still steaming. The sweet smell made the sweet children's eyes sparkle. Shredded chicken, pieces of reddish tomatoes, a sprinkling of fried onions made Angga swallow his own saliva. Widya who saw Angga's behavior then laughed a little. They handed them two plates which they never took because they were reluctant. Anggi saw the kind-hearted brother in front of him, hoping to ask permission to eat the delicious-looking food. Realizing this, Widya nodded. "Just eat it, brother who pays, why don't you calm down."
Widya tightened his hands and began to pray silently. God, thank you for this little happiness. I am aware, there are many who are not luckier than me. May Angga and Anggi always be in the embrace of Your love. Give them a better life Lord. Then he opened his eyes to see the two little children who were confused to see him. Angga lowered his hands and took a portion of fried rice. Put it on his sister's thigh and then take another portion for himself. Unbearable hunger makes them devour fried rice. Widya followed to eat
Fifteen minutes passed, each plate had been cleared. Continued drinking tea that is not too warm anymore. After that, the three of them laughed. Happy for the simple favors of the Almighty. "Thank you sis. Treated us. Just know that Angga and Anggi are hungry, hehehe." Widya smiled again. He felt they were not happy to get free food. But he was the one who was happy to see their sweet laughter.
Widya went to pay the seller. He handed over a wide blue bill. He got a plastic bag containing a packet of fried rice and change. Put the money in the wallet. And issued three red banknotes. Tucked under the fried rice wrap. Widya returned to the brothers. "Angga, this is fried rice for you! Make dinner, Dad. Just say that Sis Widya treated you." He handed the black plastic to Angga. The boy thanked him. Then they said goodbye and wanted to wait again at their starting point, waiting for you. Afraid that he had been waiting there for a long time.
Widya nodded in agreement with Angga's words. He also said goodbye to his boarding house. But still standing there. Watching the backs of two sweet children who are getting farther away. He turned and walked away with joy welling up in his chest. Gratitude is constantly spoken in the heart. Strengthening the heart that was previously confused with a few problems at the office.
It's true, sometimes we are too busy thinking about our own problems. Feeling the most suffering as a creature of God. Feeling that God is too cruel to give life a test. Even though if you want to open your eyes, there are still many who cannot taste the pleasures that we have received.