
BLURBS
When the day goes up in the evening, the ban on wandering outside the house and the appeal to close the doors and windows has become mandatory in the village of Alas Ketonggo.
Aretha who works as an auxiliary teacher, had to move in the village of Alas Ketonggo, which is far from the crowd.
From day to day, he found many peculiarities, especially during the sandekala (time leading up to maghrib).
PART 1'S
Almost 3 hours drive, we have started to enter the pine forests. The paved roads had also started to run out, changing the cobblestone roads. Good thing Danu was wearing a jeep, so we freely entered this area without having to fear the tires leaked or the engine was damaged.
'KITONGGO ALAS VILLAGE'
A large archway is visible in the front. That's our goal.
"Till too."
"Kabarin tuh Radit, fear later there signal is not there."
I took the device in the bag, started pressing the call to Radit. Because of the demands of each other's work, we had to be far apart. Radit works at a bona fide company in the Capital. As for me, it ended up in a remote village with Danu. It's not a job for me, but rather a sense of pity. When Danu said she was going to this village, I offered to go with her. He said, in this village is still very minimal teaching staff. Many children do not go to school because there is no school there, there is only a room surrounded by wooden boards for children who want to learn. And not all of them are interested. Their parents think education is not important. If you can read and write, that's enough. Because most residents in this village, livelihood only as farmers, carpenters, ranchers, and fishermen, who do not need to wear diplomas or be highly educated.
"That's the house of the head of his village, Tha."
A light green painted house stands firmly among several houses. Danu parked his car right in the front yard of the house earlier. Out a pair of men and women who are about 50 years old. We got out of the car and got closer to the owner.
"Assalamualaik."
"Waalaiikum salam warrahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Finally there, Mas Danu," said Mr. Kades, shaking our hands in turn.
"Thank God, sir."
"How's the trip going?"
"Lumayan, sir."
"Mba, this is ...?" asked Mr. Kades to turn to look at me.
"This is Aretha, sir. That I told you yesterday."
"Oh this, Mas Danu's friend who wants to teach here?"
"Yes, right, sir. I'm Aretha, Danu's friend."
"Alhamdulillah, our village will be more crowded, ma'am."
"Insha Allah, Ma'am ... Sir...."
"Eh, I'm talking here. Come on in ...," take Mr. Kades to us.
The welcome from the kades sir and bu kades is quite encouraging. Several times my focus was split into the devices I was holding. The network only displays a cross, which means there is no signal here.
"Mba Aretha's... Sorry there are rarely any signals. Usually only on high ground there," point Bu kades out of the house. He seems to know my anxiety.
"Oh yes, Mom. Yes, it's later."
"Pinjem just call kades sir, Tha."
"Yes, please, Mba Aretha just wear it."
Although a little awkward, but I still use the home phone in the corner of the living room. Radit must have been worried if I hadn't given him the news. My message since then has only been a picture of a clock, which means it has not been sent until now.
"Assynnnya ... Radite? "
"Waalaikum greetings, dear gosh, finally heard your voice too. I called you earlier, but off the grid. Trouble signaling, okay?"
"Yes, honey. Very difficult. Mr. Kades said they only use the house phone. If most hape signals have to go up the hill above the village."
"Yes my. That difficult? Duh, I'm gonna miss you dong."
"Later once a few days I pinjem pak kades phone ya."
"Let me call you. Don't you call, it's not good, unfortunately, if the phone bill is expensive later. Every 4pm I call here. You said mr. kades yes, make the phone pinjemin."
"Yes, dear Radit. What are you doing again? Did you eat?"
"Hey... You think I can eat, haven't heard from you?"
"Hehe. Yes, Dit. Sorry yes."
"Yes, it's okay. You take care of yourself there. Don't eat late. I miss."
"Yes ugly. I miss too. Yes it was. I have to go to the house. It was afternoon. Tomorrow again, baby."
"Yes dear. Yes carefully. I love you."
"I love you too."
Phone turned off. There was a slight sense of relief after hearing Radit's voice just now. I finally came back to the front, with Mr. Kades and Danu.
"Udah?" asked Danu when I saw her. I just nodded then sat down next to him.
"Sorry, Mr. kades... Starting tomorrow, can I borrow the phone?"
"Disappearing huh?" asked Danu with her special laugh. I followed her waist because I felt bad for the family of the kades sir."
"By kok, Mba Aretha. Just put it on."
"I'm sorry, sir ... Ms ... If I am troublesome. At about 4pm my friend called, and it was every day, until later I found another way to find the signal to have a phone."
"Friends or girlfriends?" ask the lady more towards the joke. Danu and Mr. Kades smile to see me misbehaving.
"Aretha's husband, ma'am. More precisely. They're both engaged. Maybe next year will get married" explained Danu at length.
"Well, thank God. Can I have Aretha. Don't hesitate. Just put it on," said the kades sir.
"Thank you."
After chatting about the state of the village, Mr. Kades drove us to the house we were going to live in. It was not far from the village gate. Only about 1 km.