THE SANDWICH
Ara

Ara was chasing a train that was about to leave for Jakarta city.

If it wasn't for her late-morning grandmother looking for her fake teeth, she probably wouldn't be late for work.

Be early in the morning help her grandmother find her false teeth that turned out to fall near the bathtub.

But what would be said is also the name of the grandmother, her memory is no longer good and her temperament is so.

Since only Ara woke up early in the morning in her family because she had to go to work in Jakarta, she was the only one who could help her grandmother find where her false teeth were.

He had to rush to catch a train this morning. Fortunately, he was able to get inside the train before the door closed.

The woman's carriage this morning as usual was already filled with some people who were about to go to work.

Most of them will transit in Manggarai to then ride the train to Sudirman or rubber which many office areas.

Some of them will fall asleep when they get seated.

Ara is also usually like that, but not with today. He must be willing to stand from Bogor because the car he rode there was no empty bench.

It was imagined what his feet would be like to stand, he could only pray that someone would come down in Depok.

Standing facing the glass, he thought of his life.

Two months ago he had just experienced a raise, when other friends were rejoicing with the raise but not with Ara.

He was grateful that his salary had gone up, but of course it was just enough for his family life not to be left to his pleasure.

Ara is the Sandwich generation where she has to support her family. Not only his mother, father and sisters but also his grandmother.

He did it by force because when he was in High School his father who likes to play women never came home.

His mother, who was only a housewife, certainly could not support me, my sisters and grandmother.

Luckily we still have a place to stay, yes.even if it is the home of grandmother.

We had to make money for the cost of our daily lives.

For school, my brothers and I went to public school, so not much cost was incurred when we went to school.

Back when High School, after school Iya working part-time as a waitress in a chicken restaurant geprek.

It works from three in the afternoon until eleven in the evening. His mother was a laundry worker for her neighbor.

When he graduated High School he applied to become customer service at a retail company, although only graduated from High School but Ara was accepted to work at the company until now.

He has worked for this company for six years, and during that time he has been the backbone for his family.

His father had just returned home five months ago. In the past Mr. was a contractor who had many projects in various cities in Indonesia.

No wonder my family's finances at Junior High were good compared to our other neighbors.

But it all ended when you loved to play girls. At first even though you play women, but He always comes home, and always gives a living to us his family.

But when he met a young woman in Bandung, the father seemed to lose his mind.

He never came home, never gave us a living again and never contacted us at all.

Even you leave the house with nothing.

All these years I've seen your clothes tucked away in a closet. I'm certainly upset, but it seems my mother still loves you so much that she can't forget you and throw away her things.

And five months ago, I just returned home. I remember once that day was Friday, I had to race to get into the carriage.

Understand Manggarai Station when the clock comes home office Not playing crowded, if we are not smart then it will not be able to enter the train car.

Years of not seeing the figure of the Father in his family made him accustomed, but why suddenly the father was present again in our lives.

He acted as if nothing had happened, as if the years he had been away from home were just a few days.

I forgot how to say hello to my own father. But anyway I still have manners I greet my Father and I kiss his hands before entering the house.

My sister Ima and Ina immediately approached me when I came.

" Tea, have you met your father? " Task Ina.

" It was in front" I replied lazily.

" So Ina was shocked to see the Father suddenly came carrying a large suitcase, Mr. immediately asked the mother"

" When you come home there is no mother? "

" Nothing, I still purify tea at that hour"

" What time did you come? "

"Around three in the afternoon"

"oh"

" How come you don't see your father anymore? " This time it was my turn to ask

" Ordinary, are you happy? "

" Ima is also ordinary, but at least Ima will not be mocked again with Ima's friends"

"Diledek?"

" Yes, Ima's friends at school like to cheat on Ima, he said Ima did not have a father, and Mr. Ima ran away with other women"

Yes indeed what friend Ima said is true.

Ever since you left us with that woman, I feel like my Father is dead.

There is no longer a place for the Father in my heart after his betrayal to our family.

" Yes, have you cleaned first, have you learned yet? "

" Tea, Ina same Ima has finished all"

" Good pinter means"

Ara breezed into her room. In his heart he thought about what he should do with his father.

He still does not know why his father suddenly returned to this house again. Years of never coming home, now it seems as if he went home without any news first.

I don't know, if remembering the betrayal his father did still make Ara very angry with him.

Because of his Father, he had to work hard to support this family. He can't even do his own fun.

Many times he was insinuated by some of his friends because he always wore that shirt.

His salary is actually enough if only for himself, but if his salary is divided with his grandmother, mother, and sisters of course the salary is not enough.

For years, Ara still brought supplies from home to save money for lunch.

Eating rice and side dishes that are cold is his daily life every day.

And after all the sacrifices that he had lived all this time now suddenly his long-lost Father came back.