The True Love
Ambulances

As soon as he got home, the first thing Aminudin denied was his wife's neck. Because in the part of the body that is always covered with a veil, he did not see a necklace hanging from white rocks. Amin did not know what the name of the rock was. It doesn't matter to him. Because the main thing, when he first saw it in the gold shop, he felt that the necklace would be good for his wife. And his savings money collected secretly, was enough to buy it.

It is not so special when measured scales that are only seven grams. But, if people knew how hard it was to save that much for a small employee like Amin, that heavy gold necklace was very special. It has been five years since applying for the girl, Amin wanted to give her a gift like the necklace, During that time, he saved by cutting down on food and quit smoking altogether, collecting tng his employer who often ordered in office hours, and looking for extras to help wash dishes at tegal stalls every night.

And, Nia received it so joyfully. File the time he pinched his own hand, as if to believe that it was not a dream. His face is so bright. His body whirled as it reflected in the cupboard. Amen happy to see it.

"But, where did Akang get this much sustenance?"

"Saving, since five years ago, since we got married first."

"Huh?"

Nia's mouth gawked. It was inconceivable to her how her husband was saving. Because all the notes on his receipt are received every month. Even if he gives it back, just make a fare and a few cigarettes every day.

The necklace that Nia only uses when going to the surau, is special. Not only for the husband and wife, but also for the entire village of Ninggul. The houses here consist of bamboo-walled stage plots, roofed rumbia, ground floor. One or two houses that belong to the Head of Village, the roof of the precarious was purchased not new because it had blackened and overgrown with moss here and there.

The specialty in Ninggul is actually simple when viewed from other villages. Just make a house with half of it walled, it's already special. Such a house is certainly not how valuable in other villages, especially in the sub-district city. But in Ninggul, not only is it special, a half-wall house is a miracle. Who can afford cement, pay the transport workers, bring in the wallers, with a farm like this?

Farming in Ninggul is special if you can give breakfast and two meals a day until full. Because of the results of rice fields that can only be cultivated once a year, palawija which is always lacking in fertilizer, never gives such privileges. In the past, there have been extension workers coming from the district, giving instructions on how to farm well, choosing seeds, fertilizing, but not long in the community. All that is too complicated applied in dry rice fields, worked by the majority of illiterate Ninggul people, are accustomed to the cost of farming. And perhaps for the extensionist, coming to the village that needed a day's walk to reach it, was too much

Hanging is far from everywhere. For shopping to the city of the district, requires a day of foot. Can not use a vehicle, because the mest passed through the edge of the cladas forest, cliffs of the ravine and a dry expanse of weeds. Therefore, there are rarely people who go to the city. They are content with what their land can produce.

Food shortages are common. Not only when the famine arrives, when the sun continues to shine, "the plants begin to dry up, the rice fields are fragmented, but also after the harvest where saving mest begins. Children will play all the way to the edge of the forest, looking for wild cassava whose tubers are no more than thumbs. Or go into the forest, looking for kupa fruit that tastes sour.

How is it not special a seven-gram gold gold necklace in such an isolated village? But, Amin himself is indeed a special Ninggul citizen. Unlike other illiterate residents, Amin had learned to read and write in school. From the age of seven, he was taken by a district official who had been to Ninggul when the muntaber outbreak occurred. Amin's father and two brothers were among the dead. He himself was taken to the sub-district city, helping at the home of Mr. Secretary Camat. He was educated until the end of SD.

At the house of Mr. Sekmat, Amin learned a lot. He can take care of the park, wash the car, sampal make coffee, tea tubruk, and cook rice. Then, he became a lackey in the Pak Sekmat children's office in the district city, got a salary every month, and got one room to sleep. How is it not special such a job for a village as poor as Ninggul?.

Amin could actually leave the poverty of Ninggul in his life. Many suburban women would be willing to be proposed by people as good and work like Amin. But, Ninggul like having a magnet for his children. Amin returned to Ninggul after having enough savings to see his mother who lives alone, and proposed to Nia.

Nia itself is a flower that blooms on the dry land of Ninggul. He is the only son of the Village Chief. Never attended school, but had studied njai in the pesantren sub-district, and then taught children in the only surau in Ninggul.

How will Nia get a partner if Amin doesn't come? Because Nia is different from children who are striated, red-haired exposed to sunlight, and toothed rarely rubbed.

After marriage, Amin and Nia can actually move to the district city, start a new life, away from the poverty of Ninggul. But, they didn't do it. Not for fear of insubordination like the view of the people of Ninggul. Whoever son of Ninggul who wander without returning, he is an ungodly child who will not get the blessing of his life. Amen and Nia did not believe that. But they didn't because Ninggul is like a magnet that attracts its children wherever they are. Therefore, none of the children of Ninggul who wander without going home.

Therefore, anyone who is a Ninggul will agree that Amin and Nia are a special couple. In fact, a blessing for Ninggul, even though this husband and wife has not been blessed with children. Residents of Ninggul always have great expectations when they see their children go to school, learn to read and write in a small surau. If they leave the village, at least they can talk about Amin and Nia as pride.

But, that special gift Amin did not see on his return this time. Normally, Nia would continue to wear them on the days where Amin was expected to return home. Hasn't Nia forgotten? Not yet Amin asked, there was a letter from the Head of Village to pick up his wife.

As usual, when the evening comes, Amin will rest for a while and wake up in the afternoon. When he woke up, his wife had just finished cooking. They also eat. Hot white rice, egg omelette, basil sauce, crackers. Of course, it was a special meal for Ninggul. Nia only cooks it when Amin comes home. For two days. Because usually, only during that time Amen came home. The usual days, as did the Lain residents, Nia only cooked rice which limited her amount, a lute of chili-salt and lalapan found around the house. Even if you burn salted fish or scratch the eggs, it must roast for a few days.

Amin knew the daily food of the Ninggul people. Never let the stomach rumbling be filled with his smell. But later that night, when he visited the homes of neighbors and relatives, the usual food was not found. They beg tiwul, gaplek, even gadung.

Thin fleshy, dry-skinned, smiling children show their dirty teeth. Such food does not make people poisoned Ninggul because Ninggul is already experienced in cooking it.

Only in the house of the Head of Village, his father-in-law, Amin still get rice in the children. It became porridge, for the food of some sick people. The plague muntaber like to come again if the Head of the Village and Nia who still memorized the signs, did not act quickly. They invite all healthy people of Ninggul to take clean water at the source far enough. Do not use any more turbid shower water to cook anything. Some more shopping to the city, buying rice and medicine, take care if help from the district is late as in the past years.

Until he returned home, Amin said nothing. Even the question he had in his mouth was not asked. There is no longer any desire to know the whereabouts of the pemian necklace. Let it be, it is Nia's right. As a child of Ninggul, he was too memorized despite only seeing the slightest cue. The lack of food this time, it tastes different from last dry season. Ninggul people have been used to eating tiwul, gaplek, or gadung, but this time. food without mixed rice was another hint.

When he wanted to sleep, Amin asked softly, "Is that the drought of the season?"

"Maybe not yet because it's just the beginning of the dry season. Everyone knows, we must act quickly if we do not want to dry up like the rice fields. We do not have the capital to drain water from distant sources. I will begin that work if this plague is completely avoided, if the population is well. And all that, Kang, is funded by the sale of your necklace, some of which has been bought medicine and rice."

Amen did not speak. He predicted it

"Aren't you angry?"

Amen took a deep breath.

"For Nia, the necklace was the most beautiful gift ever received, the most beautiful jewelry ever owned. Maybe if you buy it yourself, Nia is not likely to get it at any time. You also cannot buy it. I must be disappointed, sorry Nia, for not being able to tell Akang first."

Amen is still silent.

"Anger angry?"

Amen hugged his wife, very tightly. And he said

"The man was not angry. We are the Ninggul people, who know how hunger must be faced. You are the most beautiful gift not only to Akang, but also to Ninggul."

Outside, the voice of the crickets was so clear.