The Staircase
Second Class

Uncle proudly told my achievements to my father and mother who just came home incised this afternoon.

"You know what this accomplishment is?"

Father and mother fell silent, waiting for uncle's explanation while sipping coffee in the living room. Uncle pulled out my report card and handed it to Dad.

"It's appropriate to give a thumbs up." Uncle continued. Father and mother nodded for a few seconds, bowed in sight of my report card.

"This is the prize." Uncle handed over the parcel from Mad sir, made mom and dad surprised, smiling haru.

A small celebration in our rickety house. The firefly that passed in front of me no longer ignored me. I'd rather enjoy this beautiful night with them than the flickering lights of fireflies. Father praising himself as the head of the dominant family lowered his intelligence on me. Mom doesn't want to lose. Mom told me more about how she taught me to count and read. Uncle also joined. Uncle said that thanks to him I was good at seducing Mad sir, until for hours the speech from Mad sir this afternoon was filled with stories of punishment that were none other than about me.

"We used to be punished if the name was definitely not up the class." My uncle's eyes looked at me seriously.

"That was, Cil. Now it's different. The proof, my son's best value out of twelve students." Dad doesn't want to lose.

"Well, that's it. I'm sure she managed to seduce Mad sir, this is the talent I passed on to her." Uncle funny. The house became crowded even though only four people were circling dinner dishes. Two of the five chickens that survived the fire ant colony were made into our dinner side dish yesterday. Uncle's rice cans moved into our house tonight, accidentally transported uncle because we lacked rice for eight servings at a time.

I blushed in shame. Uncle is right. At first I thought Mr. Mad's punishment would be a nightmare. But it turns out Mad sir did not brag that Aga told me.

Suddenly I remembered Aga. I feel guilty for him. Aga's gaze this afternoon was full of regret. It seems that Aga regretted everything with me; up ahead. But it's impossible. I know Aga has been twice in first class. It couldn't have been his first first class because of sitting in front. What I saw from Aga was that he was lazy to study. All the red numbers he got were due to his laziness. Although Randi and Budi who can also rank classes are not less lazy than Aga. But every time the replay ends, Randi and Budi check their notebook. This means that Randi and Budi did the right way that Aga did not do.

"This is my chair. Two weeks ago I chose it." Randi snatched the seat Budi had chosen.

Two weeks ago? I'm not sure if Randi is as optimistic as it was to choose a seat in second grade; whereas two weeks ago we were still hesitant about going up or staying in class. Budi caved. Again, they both chose the corner seat.

"You sure you're sitting here again, Ki?" Ask Randi.

I nodded flexibly while cleaning my paper-filled drawer. I opened one of the papers. In the upper corner was Nina. The name of the dimpled woman Aga told me about a few months ago. It turned out that Nina had once sat at the table I had chosen at this time. But which Nina? As far as I know, every school must have at least two students whose names are the same.

"Don't, Ki. Remember the friend next to you yesterday didn't go to class because he was sitting in front." Budi nimbrung's.

"Ah, not the wrong seat, Bud." I refute.

"Yes, Bud. The proof is that Aki can be ranked one. We who sit in the corner still lose to him who sits in front." Randi agrees with me.

"Then, I'd like to try to sit down with Aki, Ran. Who knows if my fate could be better than yours." I laughed when I heard the two of them. I rushed to get his bag. Move the seat. Randi looked at Budi in astonishment mixed with annoyance.

"That's not what I mean, Bud." Said Randi, lethargic.

"Just for a moment, Ran. I wonder what it's like to sit in front of Aki."

Budi's smile made Randi understand him. Just sit next to me. For a while, Randi was looking for another semeja friend. He managed to lobby Kino who was sitting in front, parallel to my desk. Kino initially refused, but Randi said the second grade was more often taught by Mad sir. Randi reminded Kino of Aga who was repeating the class. Through careful consideration, Kino finally joined Randi's invitation. For a while, yes. Kino.

So long choosing a seat on the first day of entry in the second grade - finally the three of us agreed to go to the school yard because soon the flag ceremony.

"Bud, you saw Aga, didn't you?"

"Nothing, Ki." Budi replied while looking left, first class line and back.

I thought I was the only one who didn't see Aga in the schoolyard today, but Budi and Randi didn't see him either.

We were lined up next to first class, new students. Among those who use shoes, there are also those who use sandals. I looked down, looking at my feet that had been packed with the first-rank gifts from Mr. Mad who had made both my parents speechless last night.

"Maybe Aga's late, Ki." Imbuh Randi's.

The new school building has been completed. We stood facing the building. "It's thanks to our hard work together who fight for schools in rural areas from year to year." Mr. Mad proudly peppered his welcome word. Welcomed to the applause of the parents standing in the school hallway, watching their new child enter the first-class just like we used to.

The new school building is occupied by sixth graders. Mr. Mad said his classroom was very cool, spacious, clean, which is certainly more decent to use than our class. One condition is that we can occupy the new building, said Mr. Mad, we must be active in learning so that every year we go to class, when sixth grade we will occupy it.

The fifth grader smiled happily at the welcome Mr. Mad said. Of course they smiled happily, because in another year they would occupy the new building. While we who are second class are silent because we have to wait four more years.

The ceremonial attendant today from fourth grade disciple. Usually turn. It used to be first class who was appointed as a ceremonial officer. But we compactly resisted so it was diverted to second grade. This means, we in the second grade can not refuse again if scheduled to become ceremonial officers.

The fourth graders did their job very well. They welcomed the new students with an area song they had learned a few weeks ago. It is quite difficult to sing the song because it uses the language of the region. Yamko Rambe Yamko's. That's the only lyrics I remember because it was repeated many times while dancing to the rhythm of the music. The old disciple who watched clapped excitedly.

We went to class after the flag ceremony. It turns out that being a second-grade student is no different when in first grade. It was just that the second grade room was slightly better than the first grade, especially his rickety chair. My chair is pretty strong. Otherwise, I would have fallen down because I had gained more weight. Actually, not only weight gain, but age as well.

"My age this year is one year old from you, Ran." Budi.

"What age are you, Bud?" Askaqua.

"Eight years, Ki. Nine months, fifteen, eight years."

Randi came back to his desk when Neli-guardian of our class, got into second grade. Neli's smile is so sweet. The motherly nature of Neli's mother made Randi switch seats to an empty chair in front of her desk. Our seats are even for twelve students if Aga does not repeat the class.

"Kids. Today I'm just a moment. There's a meeting outside. When I'm done, I'll be back in this class. But remember. I don't want this class to be dirty. You know, you mean mom?"

We said, understand teacher. Randi enthusiastically took a broom behind the door after Miss Neli left the class.

"This is a broom for you, Bud." As bestowing the most important position in the class, Randi thrust the broomstick at Budi.

"You?" Tanya Budi did not accept.

Randi smiled broadly. "I'll be watching you guys." Blink one of his eyes.

"Basic slacker." Budi grumbling.

Until the rest bells reverberate, Ms. Neli did not come. We left class for the school cafeteria. In the cafeteria, Budi and Randi ordered their favorite porridge. I choose fried foods. My money is only three hundred silver, not enough to buy porridge whose price is slowly rising. The reason the owners of the canteen the price of porridge rose because of massive inflation. Production costs also go up, said the canteen. So to balance between production and income, the cafeteria bu had to raise the selling price of its trade. Though the first three hundred silver can buy a bowl of porridge, now only three fried foods.

"This. Your friend bought it for you." The cafeteria put a bowl of porridge in front of me. I follow behind the cafeteria.

"You buy me, Bud?" I asked Budi who nodded pity."Thank you, Bud." My next.

From a distance, the shadow of a person like Aga gelagat quickly deviated to the left-hand side toward the Tibetan pack's house.

"You saw the one at the intersection, didn't you?" I asked Randi who was sitting next to me.

"Nothing, Ki. I just saw your porridge wasn't finished yet." His reply reminded me to immediately finish the porridge that was starting to cool down.

School is like a second home to us. None other than after a break in the cafeteria, we returned to second grade. Randi who had moved the seat forward, spontaneously returned to his original seat after knowing Mad sir replaced Neli's mother. Kino laughs at Randi.

"Now you can go home. Tomorrow don't forget to bring a coconut broom."

We cheered happily after Mr. Mad left class. Like chicks left by their mother, we scatter each one towards the way home.

In front of the Tibetan man's house I was chased by a goose again. The shortcut has become a bush. I had to run faster than that goose.

Arriving at home, I saw my uncle was opening his ruumah gembo. I arrived home about ten minutes earlier than uncle. I looked up from our doorway, uncle came into his house and took off his shoes. Tumbens. I thought in my heart. Unusually uncle out of the house without a clear purpose using neat shoes and clothes. Even from a distance I could smell the fragrance of her perfume.

Our house was gone, my father and mother had not yet returned from the rubber garden. Usually they just come home in the afternoon. I went inside the house. Apparently the lamp has not been extinguished. I blew the flame out with all my might, until it was finally extinguished. I remember that little birthday boy we saw on Tibetan sir's television a week ago. In this village only Tibetans have televisions. It also works if with electricity from his personal generator. Tibetan television is opaque, only black and white. But the television managed to invite a crowd. Every night the Tibetan house is full of visitors. As a result, the Tibetan store selling sweet. Then I repeated the sentence of the boy's birthday on the television, May he live a long life. I murmured in my heart. The black smoke of the flame billowed upwards.

"You don't know yet, do you?" Uncle came up to me who was wetting the cloth for the house pole with kerosene.

"What news, uncle?" I asked while looking up, looking into the eyes of uncle who was not joking. The scent of uncle's perfume is still as fragrant as forest orchids.

"Not yet to know, huh? Uncle thought you knew." It seems that uncle deliberately provoked my curious emotions from earlier.

"No, uncle. About what?" I ask once again.

Uncle is a prankster. Boro-boro answered my question, instead she poked my butt crouched in front of the house pole with her feet. I looked back, looking at uncle full of anger. Uncle laughed out loud. The more I was annoyed with him, the stronger my uncle's laughter was as he moved away from my pursuit.

After the laughter subsided, the uncle approached me again. "Your friend, Aga didn't go to school just now, did he?" Uncle's question this time made my emotions run low. The question is more important than maintaining resentment.

"Yes, so why?" I sediki cuek.

"He won't be going to school anymore."

"Where did uncle know? Don't make it up, deh." I looked at uncle, cynical.

"It's up to you if you don't believe." Uncle turned his back to his house.

"But Aga didn't go to school this morning, uncle."

"Yes, Aga stop. My uncle met Aga at Neli's house. Frankly you said you can't afford school because it's been repeated twice." Obviously uncle.

I haven't had time to ask what reason uncle met Neli-paman's mom has gone away. Soon, my mom and dad came. Dad's like a sweat bath, his shirt's wet. Mother limped while carrying an empty bucket.

I followed my mother from the back to the kitchen while carrying a lamp. After washing his feet, I asked my mother.

"Is there still a supply of kerosene, ma'am?"

I checked the oil bottle. "out of." The answer shook violently.