I'm the Newspaper Seller
7. Mom's Issue

"Mom!" call Bastian while touching the soft shoulder of the mother who immediately realized from her daydream.

He could see the tired eyes of the son who was still looking at him.

"What?"

"Bastian's hungry. Bastian wants to eat. Can Mama cook rice for Bastian!"

Mirna chuckled occasionally and said, "Yes, let's get your rice to cook!"

Bastian smiled and stuck out the rice he had bought on Koh Li who he had stopped by earlier with his friends. Mirna rose up to make Bastian look at Mama who looks closed his eyes, his body seemed to be swaying but, still, his body seemed to shake, trying to hold it while holding on to the shoulder Bastian who had been tired of hugging the newspapers from morning until late afternoon so as not to fall.

"What's up, Ma?" ask Bastian to worry.

Mirna opened her eyes slowly. The atmosphere of his house as if twirling makes his head dizzy and dizzy, really can not make it to be strong even if just pretending in front of Bastian.

"What's up, Ma? Is Mama sick again?"

"It's okay, Bastian. Mama's okay."

Bastian just silently looked at his mother who was now stepping out of the room. His steps seemed to stagger and hold on to the door lips while touching his frowning forehead trying to reduce the dizziness in his head even he could feel his head throbbing pain once.

Bastian just stared pityfully at the figure of his mother. She knew her mother was really sick. He was eager to take his mother to the hospital but, Mama always forbid with the reason Mama was afraid of injecting even though Bastian knew the reason Mama refused because they did not have money.

The pain that his mother felt made him unable to work so only Bastian had to intervene to help his mother's finances. Being able to eat breakfast and dinner is a big thanksgiving for Bastian.

What requires a child to struggle as if seen as a homeless child on the highway then beg the driver to buy some newspapers and tissues that he leased. It was all he did just to be able to see his Mama take medicine and eat Morning and night.

Bastian rose to his mother's feet but his intention was restrained when he could see the pile of laundry that was in front of the old closet that no longer had a door.

Well, ever since Mirna was sick, she no longer did the homework she should and that too should oblige Bastian to do her Mama's chores like washing dishes, washing clothes, sweeping and foraging money.

After folding and arranging it neatly in the closet cavity finally Bastian decided to take a bath, grabbing the old towel he picked up from the trash a few weeks ago along with his friends as the rich men who were struggling with the treasure threw away the clothes they were not worth using in the trash.

Maybe some of those clothes are not worth using however, for Bastian and other friends, these items are valuable items, even they had a giggle when getting clothes that are still worth wearing, but that for them is different story again if in the hands of the rich.

Bastian stepped past the figure of his mother who was seen washing rice in the kitchen. The kitchen and bathroom were so close together that when Bastian was in the bathroom he could hear the sound of rice washing from outside.

Guyuran for Bastian's sake do. It felt like fatigue was wasted just below by a splash of water. Dust, traces of sun exposure, dirty air seemed to fall from his body, flowing and bound by water that soaked his entire body.

Bastian who was rubbing his head was now silent. The sound of a small sobbing heard from outside made Bastian step slowly and then peek at the gap of the bath on the porous wall made of wood.

From here he could see the figure of his mother who looked like she was crying. Bastian did not understand why and what reason his mother could cry like that. The heartbreaking sound of even his mother's two shoulders looked up and down continuously as if the pain was difficult to remove.

The time came when he stirred the noodles in a white bowl saw teardrops wetting and mingling on the noodles soup he was stirring.

Bastian was made to be sad. No one can live in such a situation. Pain that every day hit his body plus the mind that always thinks of the figure of his parents and husband who has betrayed him. Moreover, what he could hope for in this cruel world, there was no longer any hope.

Tired, her mother was tired. Tired of facing this world as well as Bastian.

Actually, he was tired even occasionally when sustenance did not come to him any unsold newspapers as well as tissues. Had to make the boy seem to go home empty-handed that night. At that time he did not eat and made him cry as much as with a hungry stomach.

What can be expected of a bitterness of the world. Is the world like this.

The poor will get poorer and destitute while the rich will get richer with a stomach of satiety every day without worrying about hunger.