The House 1937's
11. Laughing Outside the Window

Today in the house of the grandmother a little more crowded than usual because omku who is the brother of my papa come to visit with his wife and one son who is more or less the same age as his neighbor's son the one that had previously come, or rather was hidden by the grandmother into this house. My papa's niece was so happy to meet my grandmother and the others. My father greeted Om and his wife as well as my aunt who was very happy with their arrival. Papa also greeted my son, but his nephew was silent and nodded his head. Aunty to follow the arms of papa so as not to put up a nose stiff and serious face like that. Although my father looked stiff and serious, he really liked children, especially the last time he met his nephew when he was one year old. My grandmother didn't talk to them in the house because she was guarding the stall.

Seeing his parents were busy conversing with his brother after a long time did not meet, making my papa nephew feel bored and finally he decided to step out to the porch of the house. He had time to look at the scenery around the terrace and the outside of the house, because this was the first time he came to this house. Then he saw a small building next to the house which is a grandmother's shop and he walked slowly toward the grandmother who was there.

("Emak.."), call her to the grandmother who was drinking her warm tea.

("Jim.."), Grandma called out her grandson's short name while stroking his head slowly. My grandmother was a little amazed to see this granddaughter because it was similar to her first son when she was a child.

("Sir, who is it?"), Jim pointed to the boy who was sitting in the bale of the grandmother's stall, the boy who the other day was hidden by his grandmother's house.

("This is Akiong, the granddaughter who owns the house next door.., sometimes she likes to come here.., Akiong, this is Jim.., mother's grandson.."), My grandmother introduced the boy to Jim and vice versa.The two of them looked at each other for a moment and Jim was somewhat astonished to see Akiong whose skin looked so pure white.

("Sir.., I mean, she's so clean, huh?"), Jim asked my grandmother who made Akiong look at her in a frown of wonder.

("His original Chinese father Jim, so it looks different from us.."), replied the grandmother to slow down her voice which was immediately answered briefly with a nod of the head by Jim.

Grandma finally told the granddaughter to sit in the bale together with Akiong, so that they could have a closer conversation with each other. Grandma also served her a warm tea and a plate of gem rose biscuits for a snack and was thanked by Akiong, grandma just stroked her ear and told them to go back to chatting.

("You've been living next door for a long time?, said your Chinese mother papa lu.."), Jim started the conversation while chewing on a biscuit. Jim is indeed an active child who is smart enough to open a chat with his peers, in contrast to Akiong who does tend to be quiet.

("He was already a child in Engkong's house.."), Akiong pointed at his Grandfather's house, and drank the warm tea slowly.

("Lu if maen usually Ama who?, often here too?"), Jim was curious about the neighborhood where his grandmother lived. With the environment still tends to be quiet like this, he previously thought there would be no peer of his who lives around here, the presence of Akiong here is really unexpected for him, he said, at least he has friends to talk to and does not feel bored to see his parents who are still busy with their affairs in the house.

("Sometimes with the other children, they live in the Deket alley irrigated rice fields.."), Akiong explained.

("Hmm. I was here for the first time. You've never entered the mother's house yet?",), this time Jim chewed three grains of biscuits at once.

("Ever once.."), Akiong chewed a biscuit. He does not talk much and feels awkward if he talks too much.

("Today I Ama papa and mama want to spend time in this house. Just a semaleman anyway. This Abis goes to Dalem yuk, don't play here.."), Invite Jim excitedly. But not with Akiong whose face immediately turned pale when he heard Jim invite him into the house.

("Why?, why?"), Jim was amazed by Akiong's silent reaction and looked scared.

("Gapapa, minglingan us here aja play, do not need to go to the court.."), Akiong immediately remembered the terrible event he experienced when entering the house the other day. He was afraid of experiencing similar events, but was reluctant to tell Jim even further there was my grandmother there too, he felt bad.

("What to do outside is there is nothing Akiong.."), Jim was a little disappointed by Akiong's reaction to refusing to play in Grandma's house.

*******

Jim threw himself in the bed that had been tidied up by my father and his wife a few hours ago. Clean pillowcases have been installed both on the pillow bolster and head pillows that are ready to accompany their rest. The room they occupied was my room when he was not married and for this stay the room was again occupied by them. They had intended to stay at my grandmother's house even if only overnight. Omku briefly abandoned his intention to stay at grandma's house, and planned to go home in the afternoon after visiting. But because of Jim's strong request to stay here all night, finally inevitably he agreed also to stay at the grandmother's house. Jim was staring at the ceiling of the room that had yellowed in many parts and now his gaze turned to his toy car that he deliberately brought to stay here. He is actually quite happy to come here because there is Akiong who is the same age as himself who can be invited to play or talk. Maybe one day when he returned to visit here, he could meet with Akiong again.

("You were having a great conversation with the neighbor's son.."), My wife went into the room and noticed that her son was engrossed in his toy car.

("Yes ma, but Jim doesn't like mama saying she's handsome, just because she's whiter in skin than Jim. More handsome Jim Tau.."), Jim immediately sat on his bed as soon as he saw his mother and protested over the incident last afternoon. At that time my wife said hello to the grandmother in her stall who was busy cleaning her new merchandise coming from the market with her aunt. Long talking my wife turned her eyes to Akiong who was busy chatting with Jim. And he reflexively calls Akiong 'bull boy' in front of grandma and Jim which certainly makes Jim jealous.

("You know, no need to be so Jim, yes you are also handsome. Kan mama often said that.."), Although this omku wife only had a stale, but she did not reject the call 'bull boy' was indeed in accordance with Akiong. His face and skin are so striking and he also knew from his grandmother that his father was a PRC person and was deceased. He also felt sorry for the boy staying and a house with a chatty old woman who lived right next door to this house.

("But you are seneng right here there play temen?, if later here again can play with Akiong Jim.."), and, Omku appeared in the doorway rubbing a towel into her wet hair after taking a shower.

("Yes pa.."), replied Jim, whose attention was now diverted back to his toy car.

("Ko, why the hell do we find out why not a day or two?, I still want to talk to Alin, Rarely do we see Enah.."), I'm still talking to Alin, My wife who I used to call 'akim' was holding the arm of om who was still drying hair with a towel.

("It's not that Koko won't be here for long, but.."), omku was confused about where to tell his wife from about the state of this house, it was, because he had never told his wife anything about the circumstances of this grandmother's house.

("Why?"), Akimku frowned, what's wrong if she stays at her husband's family's house?, especially rarely do they have time to come to this house.

("Lusa, we will take a walk to the summit, yes."), answered briefly, I ended the conversation that night.

******

Akim squirmed slightly and slowly opened his eyes, he did not know what time it was due to the dark state of the room and glanced at his husband and son who were still fast asleep. It is not usual for him to wake up in the middle of the night like this without feeling the call of nature. He tidied up a bit of his messy hair and felt his throat slightly thirsty and walked to a small table in the corner of the room across the bed to drink the water he had prepared beforehand. A few sips of water he let down, he suddenly heard a soft knock from the room window. Akim immediately closed the canned cup back and put it back on the table. At night like this who's the one who doesn't work knocking on a window like that?. He actually felt afraid as well as worried, afraid that was a thief or a bad person who wanted to enter this house. Finally he decided to tiptoe slowly towards the window of the room with a glance at my omku and Jim who fell asleep in bed. The strange knocking sound was still heard as I stood in front of the window. He wanted to open a little window in the room, but he was too afraid to do so. The disturbing sound was still heard and he finally decided to bring his ear closer to the closed window. And just shut it....

"HIIIIEEE...HIIIE.....HEHEHEEE.....HIHIHIHIH....."

"HEHEHEHE....HIIHIIII......",

A terrifying hoarse laugh was immediately heard and Akim's reflexes distanced himself from the window direction then shouted quite loudly, hysterically and fearfully hearing the frightening sound. Then the room lights suddenly lit up and my omku immediately approached Akim who still looked frightened.

("Why Well yells malem-malem gini..").

("I. That's someone laughing outside..").