MARANTI (FOOD OF THE DEAD)
CHAPTER 28 IS ODD
Mr. Driver's voice stopped my daydream. The Carry we were riding stopped at the roadside right in front of a sign that read "WHITE BULK VILLAGE HALL". Like most other village halls, the atmosphere in the place looks quiet before eight o'clock. Maybe the place will be quite rame at nine in the morning. Do not see people dressed in official service there, only looks old people who dress perfunctory style is pruning plants and flowers that are deliberately planted for the beauty of the place. Predictably, the person is the village hall gardener who came earlier than others.
" Assalamualaikum ..," I said to the old man who had been stunned by our arrival.
"Valayevansalam ... Loh, you, Luh. Where have you been? Your children are in a daze to find your whereabouts," the old man scolded.
"I'm lost again, To. Sinta's mother who helped me to return," replied Galuh Grandma.
"Yes, Sir. Mr Kades or any other staff are there? I want to leave this Grandma Galuh because I can't deliver her to her house. I have other needs" I told the old man.
"Hm ... No one at all, ma'am. Usually, everything just comes at the clock. If Mr. Kades, anyway, sometimes comes. Depending on the needs, Ma'am," replied the Old Man.
"How did it go, sir? Who do I have to leave Grandma Galuh? I have to leave immediately because there is business," I asked.
"If this Galuh Grandmother business let me share with me, Ma'am. Later let his family be called by the village staff. The important thing is that Ma'am left the phone number alone, who knows that it will be needed by the village staff because the family has already reported this to the police," replied the Old Man.
"Then thank you, sir. This I give my business card may be needed, "I replied as I stuck out the box-shaped object I took from my wallet.
"Thank you very much, Ma'am," said the Old Man.
"I thank you, sir," I replied.
"I say goodbye, no, sir ... Grandma ...," I said.
"Thank you very much, Nduk ...," said Grandma Galuh as she hugged me. I returned Grandma's embrace with a sigh of relief.
"Grandma don't go again without family supervision. Same with Grandma's children and grandchildren at home" I said.
"Yes, Nduk ... Next time go to the house, okay?" said Grandma Galuh.
"Thank you very much, Grandma," I replied with a smile covering up the trauma of my childhood.
After saying farewell, I also walked towards the public transportation that was deliberately waiting for me on the side of the road. When I was at the gate of the village hall gate, suddenly there was a sedan car that turned towards the gate. I also marginalized my body to make room for the sedan car so that it can pass freely. It was unexpected that the car stopped right next to me. A moment later the car glass was opened and it appeared that a man of the age of Mas Diki was sitting behind the wheel using the typical service clothes of the village staff. The posture of this man is quite firm, eleven twelve with Mas Diki. Only, this man in front of me has a rather Indian-Indian face with a fairly thick sideburn. The sunglasses he wore added to the level of good looks of this man in front of me.
"What do you need, Mother? Sorry, no one, huh?" greet the man kindly while taking off the sunglasses he wears. Apparently, this man still looks handsome even without glasses.
"Already, Sir ... Uh, Mas ... Already helped by the old man," I replied somewhat stammeringly.
"Monggo, if I want to be more clear, I will help" replied the man again.
"Thank you, Mum ... But, it just so happens that the business is in order and I have to leave immediately," I replied.
"After that. Forgive our service, Ma'am," said the man, throwing a smile at me.
I returned the man's smile with just that. I meant to ask if it was true that the man was the head of the White Curah village, but the man went to cover the windshield and left only the smell of car perfume that came out through the open windshield.
'No! This is not car perfume. It scented body perfume. But, why does the smell seem familiar to me? Wasn't it! This is not Mas Diki's perfume, nor is it my perfume. Hm ... The fragrance of this perfume is very similar to the perfume fragrance ... My God, the fragrance of the perfume is the same as the perfume of a teenager who once peeked at me in the house of Ki Santo.
My chest became tight for a moment. I hastened my way towards the public transport car that had been waiting for me for quite some time. While in the back there, the sedan car that was originally walking in suddenly stopped. And the driver opened the window again. I had a glance, it seemed like the Village Chief was watching me from the rearview mirror of his sedan car.
"Astagfirullah!!!"
"Why, Mbake?" the driver asked worriedly after noticing my confusion.
"It's okay, sir. Come on, walk quickly! I have been long awaited by my friend at TK Amanah Bangsa 3," I said.
"Well, Mbake," replied the driver as he turned on the car and stepped on the gas to leave the place.
Relieved, that's how I feel. I don't know, it's an innate or natural thing. I had thought that I was too excessive if I had to be afraid of the scent of the perfume considering anyone could wear a similar scent. And it happened a long time ago when I was just a teenager. It could be that the culprit has replaced the perfume that he used. But the trauma was hard for me to lose. That terrible event in my growing up really took root and shackled my soul. Every time I smell a perfume similar to that perfume, I must feel scared and make me nervous and scared. That's one of the reasons why I never want to pass at a perfume stand or on a row of men's perfume racks, because I was terrified every time I smelled a scent similar to that horrible perfume.
"It looks like Mbake's friend has been waiting a long time in front," said Mr. Driver, pointing to a car parked in front of TK Amanah Bangsa 3.
"Oh, no, sir. My friend did not bring a car. He's riding on a motorcycle," I replied.
"Oooo .. kirain. Get down here, huh, Mbake? If it is too forward ntar mepet the same car," said Mr. Driver.
"Yes, it's okay, sir. This is the fare, sir," I replied, handing fifty thousand to the man.
"No small money, Mbake? It is still morning, there is no change" said the driver.
"Not to be returned, sir. Think of it as a waiting fee in the village hall," I replied.
"Oh .. Thank you very much, Mbake. Be careful on the road, Mbake. Now there are many bad people especially Mbake is beautiful," replied the driver while looking at me.
I looked strangely at the driver because of his disrespectful remarks.
"Eh, sorry, Mbake. I didn't mean to tease Mbake" he said.
"Yes, I get it. Thank you very much, sir," I replied.
I also got off the public transport car and walked towards the cement tub to sit while waiting for Sister Srintil to come. Public transport also drove away from the place. Suddenly a voice surprised me as I was about to contact Sister Srintil. The sound came from inside the car that was parked right in front of my school.
SERIATE