What a Beautiful Divorce
36. Gotong Royong Started

Timo walked over while looking towards the payment table without blinking. Arriving there, the female figure that Timo saw stood up. "Is there anything we can help you with, Mom?" tanyakanya.

Timo smiled at how sweet the smile of the woman before him was. Rarely did he meet a woman in a car dealer whose long hair was carried like this woman. Timo looked at her, watching her plump eyelashes.

"She, Ma'am. You want to help?" tanyakanya.

The woman nodded, somewhat astonished. "Mau, Mum. What can I help you with?"

"There are two, Ma'am," Timo said. "First of all, my father wanted to buy that black American model truck." Timo pointed towards the truck he had chosen earlier.

The woman nodded. "Good, Mas. Keep going, second one?"

"Secondly, help me to know your name, Ma'am," said Timo, smiling.

The woman smiled down. "Iron, Mas. Nesia," he said as he greeted Timo who had already extended his hand to shake his hand.

Timo is grateful that when he spoke by phone with Prapto last night, he had recorded Prpato's explanation of how to be a real man and learned it. Timo did not expect that the knowledge said by Prpato was taught to him by Mr. Oscar, the village head of Kejora.

"I'm Timo. So, how's the payment, Nesia?" ask Timo.

Nesia smiled again as she looked at Timo. Then he said, "Come, let's go see Mas Timo's father, I'll explain to him."

Mr. Gumiro frowned when he saw Timo and Nesia walking up to him while chatting. He was surprised to see the child who usually failed in approaching women now seemed confident chatting with Nesia.

After the payment transaction was completed, Mr. Gumiro immediately waited for the black American truck outside the dealer while waiting for Timo who took the payment note.

"Nesia," call Nimo. "You write down your phone number, yeah. If the truck has a problem, I'll call your number to report."

The writing nesia raised her head. He smiled, then said, "The company number will be in the file, Mas Timo. Just call that number later if there's a problem."

Nesia knew Timo was asking for his phone number. He himself wants to give his mobile number to Timo. But Nesia wanted to see how Timo would react if he answered like that.

Timo who had studied Mr. Oscar's treatise which Prpato had bestowed upon him smiled. "You know? It's not that I'm not sincere with my own father, but my money's gone to help Dad buy that American truck, Nesia. I don't have any more money to buy credit, I just have an internet package.

"So, write your number on that paper. I'll call you later if the truck has a problem."

Nesia shook her head while smiling. After writing a note, he gave the paper to Timo. "Mas Timo lied, right? Watch out, the real money is gone!" said.

Timo looked at the note given by Nesia for a moment. He smiled and saw the phone number in the upper right corner. "Yes, I lied, Nesia. You know, right, if I was lying?" goda.

They laugh.

***

That morning the ground in Kejora village was a little muddy due to the heavy rain last night. However, the mud and cloudy sky did not make the spirit of gotong royong Kejora villagers weaken. Most of the residents who had finished taking care of their gardens had gathered in front of the village hall.

Mothers and their daughters seemed to be serving snacks and drinks to the tables that have been provided. Starting from bakwan, pastel, boiled cassava, fried cassava, fruits, coffee, tea, ginger wedang, and many other dishes.

The fathers talked to each other about the shape of the building and facing which direction the two buildings will be. Kejora villagers have agreed that the two buildings will be built across the street from the village hall. In addition to being close to Mr. Oscar's house, the road in front of the village hall was also the largest road so it was not difficult to pass by a pickup truck.

Lapen Oscario sits on the terrace of the village hall with Taro and Lennon. They listened to the chatter of the villagers while waiting for the gotong royong to begin.

"Where do you think the two buildings are going, Taro?" ask Lapen to his best friend.

Taro who was asked did not immediately answer. He looked at the land for the two buildings first. "I think one should be facing the street, then the other facing the rice fields behind him, Lapen," he replied with a serious look, as if he had been thinking about the direction of the building for days."

Lapen frowned. "What's up, Taro? Wouldn't it be difficult to load it into the truck if the door was facing the rice fields?"

"Yes, just to be different, Lapen. The distance will not be far. Two buildings adjacent to each door facing the direction of the street were already too common."

Lapen shook his head. "Your idea is a little silly, Taro." Lapen then turned to Lennon. He said, "Lennon, without diminishing my admiration for your hair, which is similar to the hair of the British band members, I want to know what you think about where the two buildings should go."

"Facing up, Lapen," Lennon answered briefly.

"Facing up to what do you mean, Lennon?" ask Taro curiously.

Lapen again frowned. "What effort? Wouldn't the fathers loading the crops into the trucks be able to collide with each other?"

Lennon smiled. "So that the two buildings are not difficult if they want to chat, Lapen," replied Lennon. "Because of you, Lapen! That's my reply to yesterday's one, which you said Grandpa Gumiro was your grandfather's old friend."

Lapen looked at Taro. "Funny don't you think, Taro?" tanyakanya.

Taro shakes. "There's no funny thing at all, Lapen." They looked at Lennon.

"Ah, stop! I better get some tea. You guys, if you want to take it yourself," lennon grumbled. Then he went to the tea table.

About ten more fathers arrived at the village hall. They still wear caping and clothes for gardening. Those who are sitting and standing. One of them, who had shoulder-length hair, said to Mr. Oscar, "It's complete, Mr. Village Chief."

Mr. Oscar nodded. He finished his cigarette first. "Let's go to the village forest to collect the ingredients!" bring Mr. Oscar.

The men immediately followed Mr. Oscar to the forest area of Kejora village. Lapen, Taro, Lennon, and the other boys also rose to follow.

The village forest intended by Mr. Oscar is a forest that is still located within the Kejora village area. The forest is lush and located on the edge of the river. There should be no hunting with any weapons in the Kejora village forest. While in the river, fishing is allowed as long as it is for adoption or for eating.

Kejora village forest is only used to take medicines and food ingredients derived from plants. Alternatively, some animals may be adopted for cultivation purposes on condition that: if adopting a calf, the mother must be adopted. Conversely, if you want to adopt a mother animal, you must all adopt her child.

Such is the rule in Kejora village that upholds the three elements. Humanity, animalization, and vegetation.

The men have reached the forest door. Prapto looked at the shady forest somewhat stunned.

"Nimo, aren't there any beasts in this forest? Or snakes? We'll be safe, right, if we get into this shady forest?" prapto asked in a somewhat anxious tone.

Nimo laughs. "I don't know about forests in other areas, Boss. But if in the forest of this Kejora village, I guarantee you will be safe and will not be eaten by wild animals. Indeed, there are residents who meet bears, wolves, even tigers. But ..."

"What! Tiger, bear, and wolf?" cut Prapto.

Nimo. "Yes, Boss. But wait for my explanation to finish" he said.

After Prapto nodded, Nimo said, "But, in the forest of this Kejora village, if you don't disturb those beasts, they won't attack you, Boss, instead they will stay away. There were even citizens who got lost in the forest and found no way out, led by the tiger to the forest door."

Prapto looked at Nimo dumbfounded. "How's the story?" tanyakanya.

"I forgot the name of the father. I was Lapen's age. It was already late afternoon when he found no way out. Then the tiger sounded. Of course the father was worried. But after that came the sound of a wooden branch being stepped on. Then it sounded again from a place further away."

"Then?"

"Then the father's instinct said that the tiger was showing him the way out of the forest. The father continued to follow the sound of the crackling of the wooden branch that was stepped on by the tiger. Shortly thereafter, the man arrived at the forest door. When he turned to the last ringing of the twig, he saw the striped cat walking away."

Prapto. "So, I don't need to be afraid of being attacked by beasts, huh, as long as I don't disturb them?" tanyanya was still a bit anxious.

Nimo nodded. "Yes, Boss. But all I know is that in the Kejora village forest, boss. In the forest that was somewhere else I didn't dare to be sure. After all, Boss isn't afraid of ghosts but is it afraid of beasts?"

"Surely different, Nimo. A beast can kill you. If it's a ghost, I've never seen a ghost kill people. Looks like a ghost form alone will definitely I sack directly," said Prapto.

Prapto and Nimo looked back. There were only a few other gentlemen and a few men their age who had not yet entered the forest door.

"Yes, I've, Boss. Come on, we're in the woods!" bring Nimo. He then walked with the last group.

Prapto was about to step up, but Lapen who was walking the very back with Taro and Lennon stopped. Lapen looked at Prapto. He said, "Uncle hasn't entered the forest because of fear, huh?"

"Where might I be afraid!" exciting Prapto. "My ghost is a sack."

Lapen changed the look on his face. "Pa .. uncle, behind you," he said, pointing to the back of Prapto.

The startled Prapto jumped straight ahead and then turned around. "Sir Oscar!" yells.

Oscar and Lapen both laughed, followed by Taro and Lennon. "Come, Nak Prapto! We're going into the woods" asked Mr. Oscar.

"Grandfather and grandson are the same!" gerutu Prapto while shaking his head. He then stepped into the forest following Mr. Oscar.