The Lives of Five Hundred Thousand
Good hajj ma'am

I counted sheet by sheet of money from the sale of traveling fried food this morning and counted eighty thousand. I am very grateful because my merchandise has benefited thirty thousand. I set aside money for fifty thousand capital, I set aside for me to save ten thousand because I must have savings. And twenty thousand more for our daily eating needs.

I glanced towards the door of my mother's room which was still tightly closed. The clock was ten o'clock but the mother had not yet revealed her nose. I'm wondering if I'm actually awake yet because the fried food on the table is gone. It's impossible to eat a cat because I don't keep a cat in my house. Did you sleep again after eating? thought me.

I don't want to worry about my mother not waking up. Just let him sleep as he pleases and I better go to the stall just buy the ingredients for my merchandise tomorrow morning.

I rushed to the vegetable stall to buy fritters. Besides, I will also buy ingredients to cook. Then I walked towards the vegetable stall while holding Zain.

"Nur...Nuri..!"

I turned to the source of the sound that sounded from the direction of a house quite large. I saw Fatimah Ma'am who had a hajj title and people in the village called him Hajj Fatimah called me at the gate of his house which was only limited to the chest. I fell silent because I was wondering if Fatimah Tumben once called me. But even so I was curious and went to him.

"Yes, haji ma'am, I'm sorry, what's wrong?"

"Where are you going Nuri?"

"I'm going to Udin Bu Haji's shop."

"That means you passed the loundri place huh Nur?"

"Yes, hajj."

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Seek what hajj ma'am for help?"

"Please bring my laundry to where the loundri is Nuri? my washing machine is broken. I want to wash my hands but my energy is not strong. Want to go to the lounder but my legs are not strong anymore if the road is too far. Wanted to send Rayhan but his son was in college and went home the night. So I'm confused about asking for help who is Nur?" The hajj Fatimah to me.

Haji Fatimah is a sixty-five-year-old mother and has three children. His two daughters were already married and had lived separately with him. Each of his children is already living. And one boy who is still in college. Ms. Fatimah herself is a retired PNS. Likewise with her late husband who was also a PNS.

I smiled at him."Yes ma'am, let me take her there."

"Are you serious, Nur? can you take her while you're carrying your child?"

"Yes, I'm serious. I still have one more hand to take him."

Haji looks to think but soon he smiles."Well, wait a minute, then, Nur?" Haji ma'am entered his two-story house while I waited for him at the gate. But before long, Haji came back to me again while carrying a large bag of crackles in his hand.

"This is Nur's clothes," said Bu Haji to me while thrusting a bag of crackles filled with dirty clothes. I took the bag of crackle that was in the hand of the Hajj ma'am.

"yes, I brought the hajj first." I was about to move but Hajj ma'am prevented me. I turned to look at Bu Haji again.I saw that Bu Haji took the money in his pocket and slipped it into my hand.

"This is for your child's snacks to take, yes" said the hajj.

"Mashaallah Bu Haji does not need to be ma'am, I intend to bring it does not need to be paid by Bu Haji."I want to put it back in his hand but Haji ma'am refused. To be honest, I did intend to help him instead of expecting a reward from him. I feel so bad for me.

"Take it Nur, I don't mean to pay. But the money is for your son's snacks. Take it, it is not good to refuse rizki later his rizki getting away you know." The hajj ma'am forced me to take the money she gave me and inevitably I had to accept it.

"Then thank you so much Hajj ma'am."

"Yes, same with Nuri."

"Then I bring the hajj ma'am?"

"Yes Nuri, be careful."

After arriving there it turns out that the loundri place I am heading to is closed. I breathe heavily. Disappointed, it is far away to bring clothes one large plastic bag even where it is closed.

I went to the vegetable stall first to buy the goods I needed before returning the dirty clothes belonging to the Haji Ma'am . After I finished shopping I went home with a lot of tentengan on the right left of my hand.

"Assalamualaikum bu haji !" I stood behind the gate and called the owner to come up to me. Not long after that, Mrs Haji came out of her house and came to me.

"Is it Nur?" tanyakanya.

"Sorry Mum hajj. The loundri place is closing, ma'am."

"Oh, how's this? Where are the most clothes Raihan. How if he runs out of change of clothes," muttered Bu Haji lirih but still heard in both ears makes me feel unable to see him.

"Haji ma'am sorry, if I may just wash this dirty clothes?" I volunteered to help wash it because I honestly could not bear to see an old and weak woman like Ms. Fatimah.

"A are you serious about washing this shirt?" ask the hajj ma'am as if I don't believe the same thing I said.

"Truely my Hajj ma'am would, but I want to wash it in my house, can you ma'am?"

"By, can Nur. Thank you, Nur."

"Same as Hajji's mother."

Haji ma'am glanced at the bag of crackle that I brought the results of shopping at a vegetable stall.

"Well, there's a lot of shopping, Nur, do you want an event in your house?"

I smiled faintly at the question of the Hajj Ma.

"No Ma'am, this is a fried material to be sold around every morning Bu Haji."

"Oh, so you sell fried food every morning Nur?"

"Actually just this morning anyway Haji ma'am, only I want to sell again tomorrow."

"Oh, if you sell again tomorrow you will stop by here, huh Nur?"

"Yes Mom. I'll come by here." I smiled happily for a new customer. After that, I said goodbye to Haji to return home to my house.

Arriving home I dropped Zain and my luggage and placed it on the floor.

"Zain played by himself, son? mama wants to be holy first."

"Yes my mom." Zain went into the room to pick up his toys.

I looked at my mother's room which was still tightly closed and it seemed like she still hadn't woken up. But I ignored it and then I rushed to wash the clothes of Fatimah so that it could immediately sunbathe because the day was getting late. One by one, I put dirty clothes in the washing machine. Most of the dirty clothes I wash are men's. There are some shirts, some shirts, some underwear, as well as some long Levis pants that look decker. I wonder, not if Raihan his son Bu hajah Fatimah is a college boy but why his pants flat flat deckil all like dirty shit. What a dirty boy, I thought.

I set aside five trousers that look dirty for me to brush because I'm afraid I won't clean if I use the machine. Then I soak it first into five trousers with soap.

While waiting for the laundry I went into the room to see Zain. He looks like a henchman playing by himself. Instantly I remembered the money given from the Hajj Ma'am.my hands reached into both pockets of negligee that I used to find money given by the Hajj Ma'am. The folded money I spread and instantly my eyes turned to look at the money in front of me. One hundred thousand pieces of money.

I looked at him with glassy eyes. "Alhamdulilah son, we can rizki through the hand of the hajj ma'am." A smile also spread on my lips. How grateful I am today to have such an unexpected reward.