The Lives of Five Hundred Thousand
Apes day

Drrt.. drrt...

The old-fashioned phone I had stored inside the shabby negligee pocket I was wearing felt vibrating. Then I stopped for a moment the activity I was doing. I turned off the stove first and put a crook on the frying pan because I was frying the crackers that I would wrap after being fried later.

Impatiently, I reached into my negligent pocket. I look attached to my phone because the screen already has a lot of scratches so it is not too clearly visible. The phone I bought with my own money two years before marriage. Actually, my phone was a good phone in its time because I bought it for three million because I used to work and have money.

A notification from m banking that money has entered my account with a nominal of five hundred thousand. I remember that today was my husband's payday.

I looked back at the phone that I still held tightly hoping that the neatly lined zeros would increase to six. But the fact is, the zero does not change is still the same as five.

Not long after, a message came in from my husband who was working in Jakarta and I immediately read it.

"I've transferred money for needs this month. Don't be wasteful because finding money is hard."

I smiled wryly staring at the message on my phone screen.Do not wasteful, wasteful, That sentence he always delivered when sending a monthly ration that amounted to never more than five hundred thousand as his living to me during the three years of our marriage.

"mama, Zen wants a little grandchild."

I looked down at the one-and-a-half-year-old toddler pulling at my shabby negligee. My son asked me to make milk. Zain did not drink breast milk from me but drank formula milk. In the past, when I was born I had to give him ASI until he was one month old. However, when I was sick and hospitalized my husband forbade me to give him ASI for fear of contracting the disease I suffered. Though my illness has nothing to do with ASI and the doctor allows it. However, my husband still wants to be given formula milk only.

"For a while, son, I made some milk for Zain" I said, stroking his head.

Then, I walked over to a table where I used to keep Zain's milk box. After that, I took the red box on the table and opened it. I stared at the empty box. Why do I just remember that the last milk Zain drank was last night and this morning Zain had not asked for milk. This afternoon he asked for milk. I let out a heavy sigh and squatted to align my height with Zain.

"sorry baby, the milk is up.But, papa has sent money to buy milk again.we go to the mini market first yuk, Zain want to come?"

Zain did not cry but nodded and smiled happily because he would be invited to walk by me even though only buying milk to the mini market.

Then, I grabbed a selfie hanging as a cover for the negligee top I was wearing and then put on a home headscarf. After that, we walked to the mini market which is located quite far from my house because I do not have a vehicle. Sometimes I hold Zain and then I lower it back when I feel tired carrying it until it arrives at the mini market.

I withdrew all my husband's five hundred thousand remittances. Incidentally in the mini market provides ATM machines and I do not need to take it to the bank. After that, I bought two boxes of the cheapest formula that was one kilo and soap and telon oil for Zain. All in total ran out two hundred thousand and the rest of the money stayed three hundred thousand more. The rest of the shopping money my son needs that I have to be good at managing it for one month.

I went back home on foot as I was leaving. Actually many motorcycle taxi drivers and pay the cost of ten thousand. But for me, ten thousand money is worth more than pay the taxi driver better his money is used for more important things.

"o Allah how this is, the crackers must be rained and broken" I murmured softly.

I was so agitated at the thought of the crackers that I was drying and was definitely wet and destroyed because only last night did I make them and hope that today the weather is hot and dry and then dry. My mother's anger was in my mind.

Then the rain came back. I continued my steps again towards returning home while carrying Zain.

Arriving home, I found my mother wailing in tears lamenting the wet bed of crackers. I resigned if my mother wanted to scold me again. As usual, my mother would scold me when I made a mistake despite only making a small mistake. Especially now, a mistake that I think is big and has made the crackers wet and damaged.

I immediately took Zain down from my sling and placed my groceries first. Then, walk up to my mother who did not know my arrival. I looked at the mother who was still crying in front of some rice winnows as a container of sun crackers made by me last night. Crackers that will be sold in every shop and from the profits from the sale of crackers are to eat us every day.

"mother," said I from behind her back. Then, I lowered my regretful face. I regret leaving the clothesline in a state of no one at home because my own mother was away arisan. Before I went to the mini market, the weather looked so sunny and hot that I didn't think it was going to rain this afternoon.

She looked back and then looked straight at me. I knew my mother was very angry with me. Therefore, I resigned whatever she would do to me.

Then he woke up with his breath going up and down. I knew he was holding back his anger on me.

"Why did you let the crackers rain down on Nuriiii, where have you been?" Mother shouted at me while I was standing in front of her, her shrill voice deafening my eardrums. I still looked down, I didn't dare look at his anger.

"Look at that, look at you, the crackers are broken. What if this is how? boro Boro fortunately capital alone does not return. Continue how to make crackers again if the capital alone does not have nuriiiii," said again with breath up and down holding anger.

I ventured to look my face at the woman who gave birth to me and I ventured to talk to her.

"i'm sorry Mom, I bought Zain's milk at the mini market, the milk is up and I don't know if it's going to rain this afternoon."

"Oh, so you've got a transfer from your husband? good if so, you can buy more ingredients to make the crackers use the money. Think of it as a substitute because you've made your crackers crumble and not worth eating" said my mother lightly.

My own mother never knew how much of a living my husband always gave me. I have never complained or told my family or anyone else about the living my husband has given me. because I as a wife just want to maintain the dignity and dignity of my husband in front of family and others.

I swallowed my saliva with great difficulty. The rest of the living money from my husband I have to let go to buy more crackers. Let the important thing is that my mother is not angry with me anymore.