KK
27. GOONS

It was great to see Opik running here and there so happily. We went down, the old man approached us.

"Gee... The car is so cool. Who's this?" The old man rubbed the White while looking into the car.

"Had Wildan, Bang. Now Wildan's the boss. Boss Acep's name is."

"Wow. The boss? In a matter of days straight to be the boss? so lucky for you, son. Great."

I responded to my brother's praise with a smile. Without having to be commanded, I, Randi entered the shop brother. Mang Jana followed us.

"Come, Mang, let's eat first. Here the food is delicious, Mang." The stall brother looks happy to be praised so.

"Come, Opik. Get us a plate for our big guest."

"Ready, Bang." Opik half ran towards the plate. Opik brought four plates.

"Co dishes are four? It's only three."

"This brother, Opik also wants to eat with his sister." Opik slightly pouted, all so laughed seeing Opik pouting.

"Yes, let's eat together. But do not need to be fed yes, brother is also hungry because, want to eat." We ate together. With our own menu of choices. The old man was busy serving his guests.

After we finished eating, we sat around the table. I saw my brother serving one more person.

"Well, Opik. As promised by brother. Today I look at Opik again." Opik listen. If it's so serious, Opik looks like it's already big.

"Yes, Brother. Opik glad Brother came."

"Now, Brother wants to say something. I'm sure Opik would love to hear that."

"What is that, brother?" Opik looked enthusiastic.

"Now, Brother won't stay in Opik again. Opik will take you to the house of Brother. Opik want to stay at my sister's house?" Opik nodded for sure. Bright face. Lips smile.

"You, Brother. Opik wants to come with Brother." That way Opik's spirit says he wants to come with me.

"But, Brother..." Opic speech stopped. He's down. Looks confused.

"Why? Do you have a tap? You don't like it with my sister, do you?" I'm a little worried about the doubt.

"Yes, Ko wears it but everything?" Randi followed the interrogation. Mang Jana just kept quiet. Mang Jana doesn't know anything yet. Even Opik is who, Mang Jana also does not know.

"Don't like the big brother. Opik dear to Sister all, but..."

"No, but again? Come on dong clear. But why?" Brother Warung approached, join us.

"Lohs. Why?" Randi looked furious.

"Regular, feeling aggrieved. He asked for rations." The barung brother added. Me and Randi still don't understand.

"Curkey. Before Opik lived here, Opik lived in the terminal. The thug seemed to be the protector of Opik and the other street children. Keep Opik and other children will work, some are beggars, including Opik. Someone's busking, someone's looking for junk. They all have to be deposited into that thug every day. The deposit is half of the income earned that day." Randi's hands clenched. Teeth grinding. His breath went up and down quickly. I saw Opik. Such a small child had already been used by the thugs so cruelly. With great difficulty Opik and friends looking for money to meet the needs of a hungry stomach. The thugs are so willing to take their money.

"Then why are those thugs getting so angry here, Bang?"

"Well, since Opik lived here, Opik did not beg anymore. So the rations that the thugs received reduced. Angry thugs are not only the same Opik, but also the same brother." Oh yes, I just understood the problem. Randi is also mangosteen. Mang Jana too, looks enthusiastic listening.

"What makes Opik sad, the thugs force Opik to return to live in the terminal." Brother continued.

"Yes can't be so dong. Opik freely chooses where to live." Randi protest.

"It should be so. The goons said, if Opik still wants to stay with his brother, Opik must pay compensation."

"Bright. Strange ko. It's who loses who gets to replace. You thugs." Randi kept interrupting, evaporating his emotions.

"The thugs say, The money that Opik must pay, five hundred thousand."

"Crazy! This is blackmailing his name. Where can Opik provide a ransom of five hundred thousand for himself." Randi can no longer sit. He walked back and forth. I thought for a moment. Really expensive ransom, too hard to get, especially for a child as small as Opik, who previously only relied on begging as a source of income. I remembered my secret plan with Mr. Samsudin. When this is the case, I will have to fight hard to carry out my secret plan, for my plan to succeed.

"O so Opik can't just take it with us, Bang?" Randi's emotions subsided a little, he was already starting to be able to think.

"Don't be taken to a faraway place, to live in a warung abang aja hard. Every day those thugs come here for ransom." We all shake our heads. We didn't think anyone was that bad. Never mind helping, this even uses children for their needs.

"Well, Wil? Randi still has not found an idea to be a solution. I'm the same. The mind is still blank.

"When do the sun kids have another study schedule?" I asked Opik. From earlier Opik just silently listened. Faces looks confused.

"This afternoon, Brother. In the usual place." I have an idea in my head. Either can be applied or not. What is clear is that I have to meet first with the sun children's tutoring brothers. Hopefully we can discuss this afternoon.

"What's the matter, brother? I want to read again, right?" I smiled at Opik's question. Shown his excitement when he taught the children of the sun at that time.

"Teaching again can. But this time Big Brother wants to discuss with the sun children's guiding brothers." Opik mangosteen, as if he understood what I was talking about.

While waiting for the afternoon, Opik I walked around the area of Long Leuwi riding the White. Opik is very happy. Along the way, we talked and laughed. Mang Jana joined the story as well, Mang Jana's childhood story. Opik until laughing curled up listening to the story of Mang Jana. Mang Jana said, Mang Jana used to rarely wear clothes, because in the village play like to go deep into the garden and forest, while looking for grass for goat food. Mang Jana clothes like to be tied around the waist, meaning that the clothes are not dirty quickly because they have to carry grass on the shoulders. Opik says, he and Mang Jana are the same. Both are not snowed if you play again. Although the reason Opik is not on the shirt, because Opik only has two clothes. So just a trick let the shirt be a bit durable. If often used fear quickly broken.

"So we're the same, Mang." They look like compotes. Tosan hands for a while, then laugh again.

Doesn't feel like it's in dorm time. We stopped by the mosque to pray asar. Finished our prayer towards the old man's shop again, the white one in the parking lot in front of the old man's shop. While I, Randi, and Opik walked towards the children's learning place of the sun. Mang Jana deliberately asked me to rest in the car, while waiting for us to return.