Mom, I Want School
25. YELLOW RICE

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I sat on a wooden board in a market while watching people passing by and busy choosing the items he would buy. I can now only silently stare at one by one the busyness of the people in this market.

I've been waiting here ever since even I almost felt that the woman I call aunt seemed to have left me in this market alone.

Just now I was made restless with my negative thoughts it was not long ago I was made shocked and quickly rose from a board that I had been sitting on after I saw a red-clothed aunt stepped near me.

"We're going home now! I've bought yellow rice for you. You eat and you take this rice pack and then I'll drive you home," he said, after which he stepped in front of me while I followed him from behind just like a tail.

I didn't hold her wrist anymore because both of her hands were filled with crispy bags of vegetables and I don't know if I could see them.

Isn't that a private matter and I shouldn't peek at the stuff he buys. Hah, I also don't understand why now my sentence is that mature. Is it possible because of the effects of yesterday's learning? But is it also possible that the three letters can change a person's mind?

Yeah, it looks like it's gonna be like that. Learning does change one's views or thoughts and it seems that is the importance of school.

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My jaw moved as I chewed the mouthful after the mouthful of yellow rice that landed into my oral cavity. I can feel the sensation of the aroma of turmeric with spices that are so very delicious to make me chew this food while occasionally smiling.

The food purchased was very delicious even more because it was free and I did not have to spend money to buy this food. It's just that what makes me sad and does not complement the delicacy of this food is the condition of the mother now.

I was worried about what happened to my mother. No one has given me any info on my mother's situation right now. Honest or not, either, exaggerating or speaking properly but this is a fact that Ari really misses the figure of the mother even though the mother is very angry and scolded Ari all-out but without any mother it feels very quiet as quiet as the place I see right now.

As usual, I sat on the embankment alone without any friends accompanying me in this place. Today is Monday, today, as usual, friends must be busy with the school especially said friends if Monday then there is a ceremonial activity that I just knew if the ceremony was the raising of the red and white flag. I've never seen it before and I'd be determined to see it later if I went to school.

I rubbed the yellow rice wrapping container clean, licking it until it was not left. I could see that the brownish yellow rice wrapper looked so shiny, too clean to be described with a word.

I actually spent it without leaving even a single grain of rice. Not because of hunger but my mother always said that the rice sold in the market is very expensive and of course the yellow rice that aunty bought for me has a very expensive price because of the packaged rice it has been purchased it is equipped with side dishes such as half-seed eggs, a little sauce, tempeh, noodles and fried potatoes that are sliced thinly and then fried and mixed with a little flavoring.

After feeling my stomach full, I gulped down a glass of water that was in the plastic that the aunt bought on the roadside earlier on the way home.

I was so lucky to be invited to the market along with the aunt who had given me that yellow rice. After I was full, I rushed home. Yes, maybe my mom and dad have come home.

I run a little when people look at me while whispering. Maybe they're still talking about the mother who was down to the hospital this morning. I don't understand it a little bit. What would be wrong if you were referred to the hospital?

"Dad!"

"Have your mother come home from the hospital?"

"Ari doesn't know either. Ari just wanted to go home."

The brown hijab-wearing woman nodded and she spoke, "But it looks like your father's mother hasn't come home yet because I haven't seen the ambulance coming to your house."

I stepped closer to the woman, seemingly speaking at a distance only making people stare more and more at me.

"Is my mom home long?" ask me who really doesn't know.

"Of course it's a long time, he'll have to stay in the hospital."

"stay? should stay over?"

"You don't know? Your mother gave birth and her parents won't come out. The baby's been out for hours but the baby won't come out."

"The shaman who helped give birth to your mother was inexperienced so her sisters did not come out. Maybe my mom stayed for 3 days at most."

"3 days?" ask me so panicked.

"Yes 3 days. A lot of people like that and then they stay for 3 days, it's been the longest but if your mother is in good health and she recovers quickly then two days just don't arrive."

I nodded with a faint smile and then left and sure enough my steps swallowed as I stared at the door of the house that seemed to be still tightly closed, it made no difference and there was no change when I left the house.

I sat on the porch, looking up at the door that was still tightly closed. My mom and dad haven't come home yet. Do they not remember Ari and they do not think about Ari so they have not returned from the hospital.

If it is right father and mother spend the night or stay overnight in the hospital they should also bring Ari. If it's like this then who will take care of Ari.

Ari also does not want to bother the aunt who has given Ari yellow rice. I took a short, then long breath. I don't know right now I'm really tired.

I yawned widely when the drowsiness that had arrived made my eyes work several times until closed making me really see nothing more. It was dark and this is how I felt. To bring me to a warming warmth. Today it seems very tiring and sleep is one solution.

Sleeping on a full stomach is the most beautiful thing in my life.

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