Jogja At A Time
1. Jogja 1990

The Denok passes through Gejayan road, entering a small alley in front of IKIP Sanata Dharma Jogja. Stop at the modest boarding house of Samirono village. The half-brick half-gedheg wall house looked quiet when Seti turned off the Denok machine. There are three rooms in the boarding house.

Kost Seti is not too far from the campus of his engineering faculty. Most of the boarding around it from IKIP Jogja and UGM. Seti's room at the end. Shade over a large sapodilla tree. Reminds the joglo house that has been abandoned by Seti for a month.

Jogja became Seti's choice after graduating high school with Joe, and Asri. He chose Jakarta. Then Bening and Joko get married. While Seto is still on his voyage.

Crossed the intersection of life stories that cross and imprint in the mind of Seti. Like a pedicel. Time kept turning, and Seti was still with the closeness of Joe, Asri, and Silence. With them the story continues to flow...

...----------------...

Seti washed his face with well water. His freshness reduced his fatigue after a day of following Ospek and P4 at the campus.

Wiping the water attached to his face with a towel, Seti then poured his body into a pandan mat held near the door of the room.The place was always a favorite Seti after returning from campus. The fresh air flowing from the door was greatly enjoyed.

While lying down, the Silent letter that Seti had just received was read slowly. There is a sense of longing that is treated reading line by line of silent writing. Like the pleasure of smelling the scent of the body and the breath of Silence when their closeness in Purwokerto first.

About the good news of Silence and the busy preparation of his lecture calmed Seti's worries. It seems that he is starting to enjoy his adventures in Jakarta.

Urge to take a microlet from the boarding house to the campus. Eat at the warteg with his kost friends until new acquaintances rutun told Silent. Of course, Seti's question when he received his letter was also asked Silence.

About Joe and Asri did not forget to mention Silence. Ask if the two have met Seti in Jogja. Five sheets of Silent writing paper finished reading Seti, and kept well. Later that night he plans to return the letter.

Seti can't wait to tell the campus and its boarding in Jogja, and of course Joe and Asri who until now have not been visited.

Kost Joe is actually not too far from Seti's boarding house. But Ospek's packed schedule and P4's layout took his time to visit Joe. While the Asri kost has also not had time to look for it while in Jogja.

The sparkling night of Jogja when the first dinner in angkringan with a new friend at the boarding house actually has disturbed Seti to invite the Denok around to know the corners. Of course also venting the desire of his heart with the Denok to look for Asri kost.

Unfortunately these weeks Seti's time runs out at the boarding house and campus only. Even his dirty clothes had not been washed were still piled up in the corner bucket of the room. All the desires of his heart were still hidden.

Eating in Jogja is not too draining provision Seti. Rice with vegetables fifty rupiah. Add fried tempeh and tofu fifty rupiah. There is still twenty-five thousand left until the end of the month if Seti saves with his expenses.

...----------------...

"This is forty thousand from your mas Set. Enough until the next shipment," Mother gave one month's provisions to Seti when he was leaving for Jogja.

"Thank you ma'am, that's more than enough to eat a month" Seti replied.

"If you are less, do not owe. Just go home, "Mom reminded me again.

"Yes ma'am." Seti won't argue with Mom.

The needs of each month in Jogja are calculated by Seti carefully when he first went to Jogja. From the cost of eating, buying soap, gasoline Denok, to paying for electricity delivered to Seto, outside the one-year boarding money and book shopping.

Kost Seti one hundred and twenty thousand a year already paid Seto in the beginning. So Seti just set his monthly expenses. Seto begins to teach Seti to value money and time.

Fortunately Seti does not really like smoking and snacks that are not necessary. Playful billiards, hanging out in coffee shops are thrown off the monthly spending list.

...----------------...

After an afternoon shower that relieved her fatigue, Seti changed clothes while looking at the mirror in front of her. His hair has been lost to change pieces 1 inch in accordance with the rules of the school of engineering.

Two campuses that are far apart are helped by Denok. Not much time is wasted if you take the 10-lane city bus from Solo to Ketandan on the central campus or turn to Babarsari on the other campus.

Laughing at his funny face. Seti imagined what the words Asri and Silence if his photos during the Ospek and Penataran P4 seen them. It was planned to send the photos to them immediately.

Mbah Jum Widow has no children like Grandma. Her husband died 10 years ago. Fortunately, Samirono village near IKIP Karangmalang, which is mostly students from the lower middle class. So that cheap boarding and food stalls Mbah Jum student class is never quiet.

In addition to being friendly and affordable, Mbah Jum is very close to all the children in his boarding house or stall customers.

Seti also began to feel at home kost in the place of Mbah Jum. Chips and stir-fried by the gift of Mother given to Mbah Jum make mbah Jum happy, further familiarizing Seti and mbah Jum.

"This is good .. take it for yourself if you want to eat," there was a smile from Mbah Jum saw the arrival of Seti.

"Yes mbah .. I want to make coffee first. I guess not immediately if all day not nyicipin coffee tubruk si-mbah."

Mbah Jum laughed loudly. The betel that he chewed almost jumped between his toothless teeth. He likes Seti more.

"You're like Mbah lanang only Set. if you haven't had a coffee lemes," still chuckling Mbah Jum offended her late husband first.

Usually until 8 pm Seti accompanied Mbah Jum. Then help him close the food stall after the crowd eats his customers and collect food waste into the crackle that early in the morning to feed the chickens mbah Jum pet.

Although Mbah Jum insisted on not accepting the payment of his meal, Seti still left it at the table after closing the shop.

The warmth of Grandma's house was replaced at the house of Mbah Jum.

...----------------...

"A morning lecture session le ?" Mbah Jum asked Seti who was collecting food scraps from a stacked plate.

Tonight the Mbah Jum stalls are very crowded. The new children had apparently started eating at the stall.

"More morning, first lecture,"

"Be careful your bike, do not park carelessly," Mbah Jum reminded Seti to keep the Denok careful.

"Yes mbah .. on campus also use a ticket,"

"The former hostess in your room lost her motorbike time on campus,"

"Are you not ?"

"Not until he graduated," said Mbah Jum, "Eh that boarding in your room is always clairvoyant loh le," continued Mbah Jum again.

"What is mbah ?" Seti was interested in the words of Mbah Jum.

"Sharpened his eyesight, so facilitated all his affairs later. Everyone graduated and was at work. Some are teachers and engineers." The mbah Jum.

Story house abbah Jum fun Seti. He felt comfortable in the room. Sensitized the desire to install the painting Lighthouse on the woven gedheg wall.

Recalling the Silent letter he had to reply to, Seti said goodbye to Mbah Jum after closing the shop door and leaving money on the table.

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*Gedheg: woven from bamboo

*Kripik: a treat of dry fried thin tempeh.