Cah Ayu
Prologues

Amsterdam, 29 years ago.

The weather is cold snow. Ida and her husband, Cliff, walk down the streets of Oudezijds Achterburgwal, the heart of De Wallen. Cliff was constantly grumbling, other than because the air was cold enough to penetrate the skin, he wondered why his wife chose to spend the night by taking a walk around the red light district. Prostitution areas and 'passion' destinations in Amsterdam.

"Ik wil naar huis¹" Cliff told Ida.

"Wait a minute. I still want to enjoy this crowd!" sergeant Ida.

Cliff can only obey his wife's will. Maybe this is one of Ida's ways to get rid of suffering.

A blonde woman approached the two of them. The clothes that the woman was wearing were minimal in the winter weather, confirming that she was a prostitute.

"Finding pleasure, Mevrouw²? I can play threesome with your partner as well" he said, greeting Ida with a teasing smile.

Ida took Cliff by the hand and shook his hand, "No thanks" he said, avoiding the prostitute.

"If it is more expensive inside," the woman continued to follow - she insisted.

"We just take a walk" said Ida.

"Come on, don't be shy. My rates are very cheap. I'm clean and painless too."

Cliff snorted, "What I said, if only we'd gone home soon, '" he whispered to Ida.

Ida flicked her hand, "Ah. Just let that whore go, long ago she will also leave us ..."

Not yet had Ida finished her sentence to Cliff, the woman budusila quickly snatched the handbag carried by Ida. The woman then ran as fast as lightning with red heels against her.

"Haaaalt³!" scream Cliff.

Ida ran as hard as she could chasing the whore. She left her husband and walked down the uneven streets of the conblock. Sometimes Ida's feet stumble because of the dim light that torments the eyes. However, Ida did not give up, she continued to pursue the prostitute who stole her bag. There's nothing really important in Ida's bag. Just a few tens of gulden⁴ and old lipstick. But Ida doesn't want to lose anymore, no one else can steal mine!

I don't know how long they both run each other chasing after the action of two action actors typical of American films. The woman slowed down her run and arrived at a narrow alley on her right side with a pile of old cardboard boxes.

"alright. I surrender! I'm giving you your bag!" he shouted while raising his hand, his breathing was cut off.

Ida smiled grinning.

"I'll report you to the police!" threaten Ida's.

"Please, Mevrouw. I was desperate to do it. I need money because I'm starving and my son is dying" she explained. He bent down to open the pile of cardboard and lifted up a small, drooping body covered in a makeshift slum blanket. "Look, my son is hungry and cold. I'm not sure he can survive ..."

Ida walked closer slowly. His body was shivering, not because of the cold, but because of his surprise when he saw the face of the woman's daughter budacusila.

"Mamma ..." groaned the frail child.

"Difficult child. My own life has been hard, getting more complicated because I have to take care of you!" maki the woman of budacusila to the child.

Ida cleared her throat and steadied her voice. The voice that had disappeared due to fatigue ran and was attacked by the piercing cold air.

"What if I buy your son ...?" ask Ida.

***

¹ Ik wil naar huis: I want to go home (in Dutch)

² mevrouw :mrs (in dutch)

³ stop : stop (in dutch)

⁴ guilders: dutch currency, before being replaced by the euro in 2002.