Childhood Match
The Path at Puncak Sumbing

The Breeze blowing, hit the body until it penetrated into the ribs. Solar light slowly peeked out from behind the cloud clumps, not enough to warm the pore. The time has shown at 08.00 WIB. But it looks like the sun is still timidly showing its light this morning. Thick fog, it's not a strange thing here. The sun is used to appear during the day. The leaves were still wet by the crystal grains, even if speaking, as if there was a blaze from within the body, so the mouth came out white smoke.

For us residents of Merangi Village, Sekar Wangi Village, Kaliangkrik Subdistrict, the highest village at the tip of Sumbing, it is not morning anymore. Because since dawn, after performing the morning prayer, the villagers have rushed to the fields. Even when it was still dark and the crows of roosters were still reverberating, they were already in the fields. Some are hoeing, some are harvesting crops, some are cleaning the weeds of plant disruptors, some are eradicating plant pests, some are killing plant pests, and some are just looking for a pile of dry twigs to turn their furnaces on.

When the dzuhur adhan roared, they rushed back home, congregated at the mosque and ate lunch. Then without waiting for long, they immediately returned to the fields until dusk.

"Good morning, Ma'am Gendhis..." A gentle mother's greeting to Gendhis.

"Yes... Good morning, ma'am..." Gendish replied, stopping his steps.

"His school holiday?" Tanya Bu Rati, a neighbor whose house is not too far away with Gendhis

"Yes ma'am, Sunday, help me in the fields." Gendhis answered while carrying provisions in a bushel made of stenlist and a small teapot of aluminum containing drinks that he will deliver to his parents in the field.

"Mbak Gendhis is great yes, already beautiful, well, school, also diligently helped. Mr. Ratno and Ms. Sari must be proud to have a child like Mr. Gendhis" Praised Bu Rati honestly and innocently.

Gendhis chuckled as he said, "Mother Rati could have..."

"Oh... Deck Dayu and deck Lia also come along Bu Rati?" Genghis continued.

It appeared that the middle-aged woman was carrying her two-year-old son on her back. Her sister, who may be four years old, was seen walking while holding her mother's fingers. What a sight that has been common in Kampung Merangi.

"Yes Ma'am, how else. At home, there is also no momong. His father had been in the fields since dawn with Mr and Simbok." Replied Bu Rati while walking.

Gendhis smiled gently as he touched Dayu's soft yet cold cheeks, as if greeting her with his sweet smile. The little boy laughed and greeted Gendhis smile.

"No papa Dek Dayu yes, join the mamak in the fields, let it be healthy." Gendhis comforted.

Bu Rati's age is only two years older than Gendhis. But that's what life is like in Kampung Merangi, when Bu Rati should have been educated in high school, as if he could not fight fate, he had to marry the man of his parents' choice since five years ago.

Gendhis was grateful to be given the opportunity by his parents, also the family of his childhood husband to give him permission to go to school until now he has just entered the X class of SMAN 1 Bandongan which is different from the sub-district where Gendhis lives.

The two walked together on a path to their fields. The field looks neat and fertile. Along the way surrounded by vegetable plants cabbage and broccoli that began to green. The cauliflower I still had, the potato and carrot vegetables hid behind the ground and the leaves were wet with crystal grains. One of the most characteristic of the Merangi field is the smell of chives that sting the nose, a sign that soon they are ready to be transported by a vegetable tub car, bringing them down along the Merangi road. Gendhis and Bu Rati were separated at the jalalan crossing.

From a distance, Mr. Ratno and Bu Sari look harmonious when picking dark green gimbal vegetables. Gendhis walked to the place where his parents were harvesting broccoli.

"Mr, Mother, rest first. This is Gendhis bringing food!" Excited Gendhis while walking towards the bamboo hut.

"Yes, Nduk." Answer Ms. Sari.

The hut was deliberately made by Mr. Ratno as a shelter during the rain or blazing. Although not as large as a house, but enough to unwind. Not only that, the hut is also used as a place to put their crops.

(Nduk.. is a favorite call for girls for Javanese people, namely Central Java and DIY).

Gendhis placed a bushel and teapot on a bamboo cot measuring 2m x 1m. Some of the broccoli sacks appeared to be leaning against a hut fence made of bamboo. Mr. Ratno and Ms. Sari stopped their fingers from harvesting broccoli. They walked towards the hut which was only a few meters away from where they were harvesting.

"Mom, this was Gendhis cooking your favorite vegetable, oseng cabbage green with salted fish." Said Gendhis while opening a bushel filled with food.

Since childhood, Mr. Ratno always used to live a simple life with his family. Not because of not being able to, it's just that if the affairs of daily food, the family prefers a healthy lifestyle by consuming a lot of vegetables. That is one of their manifestations of gratitude to the Creator for the abundant produce of the earth.

"Jam this way already mateng Nduk, thought you want to finish first a few new lines of rest." Ms. Sari answered while washing her hands with water in a small pond that they often use to hold water beside the hut.

When the drought comes, farmers in Merangi Village must water their crops if they do not want to fail the harvest. They must have access to enough water that they normally drain from water sources using pipes. It is a great job for a farmer. In the heat of the moment, they should keep watering the plant at least once a day. If the price is good, not a few farmers can immediately buy a motor vehicle or build their homes. But when the price of vegetables plunged freely, as if nothing, the vegetables were only used as feed for their livestock. However, they never complain, always grateful for the harvest even though sometimes the price of vegetables in the market is unstable.

"Well, if brought this vegetable, where strong Mr. postpone eating later, Nduk... " Continue Mr. Ratno who is also cleaning his hands.

Gendhis smiled as he said, "Yes Ma'am, it's actually been ripe from this morning, only Gendhis cleaned up first and just followed to the fields."

"Radit didn't come to the fields, Nduk?" Bu Sari asked her sister the youngest.

"Sir, Ma. He said he wanted to play kite with Bambang in the field." Reply Genthis.

"Gendhis is going to the middle first, ma'am..." Gendhis said as he walked towards the middle of the field where his parents had picked broccoli.

"You don't eat first, Nduk?" Ask Ms. Sari.

"So Gendhis ate at home, Mom." Answer the girl.

There seemed to be a sense of pride emanating from the eye brows of Mr. Ratno and Bu Sari because they had been blessed with a daughter like Gendhis. Since childhood, it has never troubled parents. Pinter cooks, and he's also a loving older brother. Ngemong just like his sister. Although his sister just sat in the fourth grade of Elementary School, but while traveling he was never shy to take his sister while Radit wanted.

Gendhis was also a clever girl, since Elementary until now, never dropped from rank one and two. That's what made his parents want to send Gendhis to high school. It was also the family of her future husband who was willing to marry their son to Gendhis when he finished college. But both of the man's parents put forward the condition that Gendhis engagement with his childhood mate should be carried out as soon as possible. The request was approved by Gendhis and his family. Next week, the couple will perform the engagement. And it looks like the engagement will be the grandest engagement in history in Sekar Wangi Village.

*****

"Bu ne Latitude! Ne ma'am... Ms. ne..." The middle-aged man looked back and forth looking for his wife in the living room.

"Yes, Mr. ne... What's up?" The sound of his wife walking from the kitchen to the living room.

"Where is Miss Ne?" Ask Mr. Argo in a panic.

"So he said he wanted to wash the car." The woman seemed to have gotten used to seeing her husband's anxiety.

While preparing food in the living room, Ms. Parti calmed her husband. "Relax Pae, we'll be home soon."

"It's late afternoon, Bu ne, it's time for vegetables. Later kemaleman, the vegetable trader was dispersed." Said Mr. Argo sitting on the sofa in the middle room, while occasionally looking at the clock circular in his left hand already showing at 15:00 WIB. Time to go down to Kalikrik Market to deliver the harvest.

"That kid, you can wash the car in front of the house. It's close, the water is plenty, also cost-effective. Just find the reason for the kid, so I can get lost!" Mr. Argo's face was starting to look upset.

"Let's remember Pae, he'll be home soon. Last night I said all of you want to nganter Gendhis for rental what tasks are from school." Ms. Party tried to find a defense for her favorite bachelor child.

"Oh... The same Gendhis. Yes, that's it then." As if hypnotized to hear the name Gendhis called, immediately the anger of Mr. Argo extinguished like a fire in the water flush.

I don't know what mistake Lintang made when the name Gendhis called all the anxiety of the parents of the Latitude of the lengh disappeared. The kindness and gentleness of Gendhis seemed to win the heart of everyone.

From the yard, there was the sound of a car stopping in front of the family house Mitro Dimejo, Lintang's great-grandfather. A figure who is quite famous for his wealth and generosity. Almost the entire field of Sekar Wangi Village located at the top of Sumbing belongs to the late Mitro Dimejo family, and who now take care of is his descendants. Grandfather Lintang is the only son and heir to a single fortune. He has two sons, Pak Argo and Pak Dhe Aryo, the older brother of Mr. Argo.

Mr. Argo rushed out of the house to make sure that his son was really home, and his anxiety was lost when he saw Lintang and Gendis get off the latest L300 pickup car. Cars are always used Lintang and Pak Argo to transport vegetable crops to the market.

"Sorry, Mr. Argo, so long wait. Mas Lintang nganter Gendhis rental task first after washing the car." Gendhis approached Mr. Argo who had been waiting for the latitude.

"Yes, ndak papa. Is the job done?" Mr. Argo replied as if he had forgotten that he had grumbled waiting for Lintang not to come home.

"Already, Mr. Argo. Thanks for being a hassle. I'll go home first." Gendhis said goodbye. Though their house is only separated by the spacious courtyard of Lintang house, and the main road that connects with the villages below. But still Gendhis was always polite.

"Oh, ndak bothered Nduk, if there is a need or other school duties, just ask Lintang to deliver. You're already a match, and you're about to get engaged." Answer Mr. Argo.

The beautiful girl with the gray hijab blushed in shame, as if she had said Mr. Argo. Gendhis left the spacious courtyard.

"Lintang, help me lift a pile of sacks of vegetables from the warehouse to the car. It's late in the afternoon, soon the vegetable swords at the market are leaving." Pinta Pak Argo while walking towards the vegetable warehouse.

"Ready, Ndan!" Lintang answered aloud while smiling at the father.

The two then lifted dozens of sacks containing various kinds of vegetables on top of the car.

Mr. Argo just shook his head. No wonder with the attitude of his son who seemed to be sober but serious. It has been since the Little Latitude when asked the exact ideals he replied "Want to be Pak Tentara".", replied the little Latang who was then four years old. It turns out that so deep Lintang ideals until he grew up, his desire to pursue military education will be realized after graduating from High School later.

Lintang really understand, if his parents would not agree with the dream of Lintang. But he promised to realize the dream even though he had to pass many obstacles. After all, he had just entered XII High School, there was still enough time to be able to convince the heart of his family.

*****