What a Beautiful Divorce
71. Groundball

From the village Kejora river looks like the sun almost drowned entirely behind the hills. The light grew dimmer, but the light of joy in the souls of the three boys sitting by the river was so bright, and it seemed that it would never dim because the three boys were always happy.

"Beautiful, yes ... I never get tired of watching the sunset" Lapen said, as he ranted the river water with both feet. He, Taro, and Lennon were sitting by the river.

"Tomorrow the sun will appear again. My mother said, if a day the sun does not shine, there will be a great disaster on this earth." Lennon is speaking. "Then my father connected it. He said, although the sun has always shone up until now, there are still many people who are not grateful about it."

Taro laughing. "Your mouthpiece is like the grandfathers of our village, Lennon," he said. He then looked far away at the sun that was about to set completely. "But it's true, not everyone wants to be grateful for sunlight. My father said that most people in modern times do not want to set aside their time to be grateful.

"They busied themselves pursuing careers and money. Then, when their career and money are earned, their souls remain empty. They're far from happy."

Now Lapen is laughing. "Look, you two are now both talking like grandfathers." He then waved his hand at the sun that was now fully set, followed by Taro and Lennon. "Well, Mr. Sun is asleep, let's go home!" bring Lapen.

Lapen, Lennon, and Taro then stood up and looked for a moment at the part of the river where they had released five ornamental fish. As they were about to step up, there was the sound of crying from the direction of the forest door not far from where they were standing. The three friends looked at each other.

"You hear?" ask Lapen to his two best friends. Lennon and Taro nodded slowly.

"Come, we'll go home!" take Lennon with a frightened tone.

"really. Come on, Lapen, it's almost night" Taro said.

Lapen smiled widely and raised her eyes at Taro and Lennon. "You're scared, right?"

Taro and Lennon shook their heads. In front of them, Lapen had stepped towards the forest door while saying, "At the other end was the sound of a wounded beast. After all, even if it's a ghostly voice, why don't we just help? The ghost was ‘lan crying, must have been hurt."

Lennon and Taro looked at each other. The two then nodded and began to raise their legs. But, not to mention the step they had taken, the sound of crying had been heard again and this time it was getting louder.

The faces of Taro and Lennon paled. They silently looked at Lapen who was almost at the door of the forest.

"Come on! You're so scared" said Lapen, as he looked back but his two friends were still standing. Finally, after looking back at each other, Lennon and Taro followed Lapen.

They reached the door of the forest, and the sound of crying came closer and closer. Lapen, Taro, and Lennon both looked up at the dark sky to estimate their return hours. They do not want to make their parents and neighbors worry.

"There!" lapen said, pointing to a small tree that fell not far from the forest door. Then he approached. His two friends were not far behind. Lapen bent her body and narrowed her eyes to pay attention to the center of the small tree.

"Oi, Taro, Lennon, get over here. This weasel has its feet crushed by a tree!" shout Lapen. He then rubbed the head of the weasel.

Lennon and Taro breathed a sigh of relief. They immediately approached Lapen and immediately raised the tree that squeezed the foot of the ferret. After the tree was lifted and moved by his two companions, Lapen helped the ferret stand up.

"Try to let go, Lapen," said Taro. "I think he'll be able to walk because only one leg is injured.”

Lapen let go of his hand. For a while the ferret seemed to be trying to balance itself by standing three feet. His left front curry was lifted because of injury. He looked at Taro, Lapen, and Lennon.

"It looks like the ferret is saying thank you" Taro said. The three friends smiled and waved their hands. The weasel then turned around and ran three feet into the forest.

"Cure healing!" cheers Lapen, Taro and Lennon, simultaneously.

"Almost dark!" exclaim Lennon. "Come, racing!" he immediately turned his body and ran.

"Cheat you, Lennon!"

***

That morning, Prapto, Nimo, and Tri had prepared to help Mr. Rahul garden. They were sitting smoking on the edge of the moat waiting for the Old Man to come.

"There's a lot of early morning birds here" Nimo said.

Tri turned towards the row of oak trees. Then he said, "I've read there are some birds who like oak trees, then make a nest there.”

Prapto and Nimo nodded in understanding.

Mr. Rahul came with four baskets and gave each basket to Prapto, Tri, and Nimo. "We're going to harvest some vegetables and some crops. After that we eat," he said, smiling.

While helping Mr. Rahul harvest, Prapto and Nimo continued to pay attention to every detail of the garden and the way the old man harvested his crops. Aside from the grouping of plants, Prapto and Nimo saw nothing different from the way Pak Rahul farmed.

"How's this, Boss?" asked Nimo in a lowered voice. He was harvesting vegetables next to Prapto. “Maybe Mr. Rahul will not bequeath the knowledge.

"I also thought so, Nimo. Look," said Prapto, showing the kale he had just harvested. "I think our vegetables in Kejora village are the best, but it turns out the vegetables here are fresher. Cool."

“Iya, Boss. Pak Rahul's plants are more fertile when compared to our plants.”

***

It has been three days Prapto, Tri, and Nimo live in the area of Mr. Rahul's house.

The same is true of Mr. Rahul. Although he was so good at Tri, Nimo, and Prapto, he never talked about natural farming in the slightest.

That night, Prapto, Nimo, and Tri sat on the edge of the trench smoking and drinking coffee. They were silent for a long time while continuing to meet the row of oak trees surrounded by the night sky.

"Looks like we're going home with the wind, boss. Hopefully we don't catch a cold on the way home" Nimo said without looking. He then sipped his coffee.

"Tomorrow morning we must eat a lot before going home, Nimo, so that in addition to bringing the wind we will also bring food in the stomach" said Prapto, laughing.

Tri who was sitting to the right of Prapto scrunched his face and turned his head. "You can still be cheerful, yes, even though Mr. Rahul does not want to bequeath his knowledge even though you have come all the way from Endonesa. Ask me again tomorrow morning, how do you know Mr. Rahul is willing to inherit it."

Prapto. "There's no moody reason for that, Mr. Tri," he said. "No need, sir. If Mr. Rahul changes his mind he'll definitely tell us."

"Actually I never mind passing on the science of natural agriculture to you, Prapto, Nimo, Tri. But I have to test your determination to learn first and see how you think. Natural agricultural science will not work if applied by people whose mindsets are wrong."

Prapto, Nimo, and Tri were startled and looked back. They did not mishear, the voice just now was the voice of Mr. Rahul who was now standing in front of them with a smile. An increasingly peaceful smile added to the look of wisdom on his face. The old man sat behind them.

"Facing here" said Mr. Rahul. "Tri, you can also apply this natural agricultural science despite living in the city. You can plant in pots, box fields, and so on."

"Yes, Sir. After participating in gardening with my Father and my two friends, I have decided to garden at home," replied Tri, who now sits facing Mr. Rahul.

Mr. Rahul nodded. "Although the results are not enough to sell, what is clear with your own gardening means that you make sure that the food in your home is healthy and nutritious food."

Prapto and Nimo were still staring at Pak Rahul with faces of disbelief. Rahul smiled at them and said, "Take a good look. I'll talk about it."

Mr. Rahul ignited his shell. After exhaling smoke, he began to explain. "One of the meanings of natural farming is, we grow crops by following how nature grows crops. There's nothing less than the way you run a natural farm. In your garden, how many seedlings do not grow until harvest?"

"Nearly fifty percent, sir," Nimo replied.

Mr. Rahul nodded. "If eighty percent of the seedlings are grown to be harvested, then your crop will be far more than enough to supply to those companies. Tell me, how can plant seedlings spread and grow in forests without anyone planting them?"

Prapto, Tri, and Nimo were stunned. None of them answered.

Rahul smiled back. "These seeds are spread by animals, especially birds. Birds are the most effective spreaders of seedlings compared to other animals. They spread seedlings through food and fruits that they had just eaten. Birds eat the flesh of the fruit in the tree and throw away its contents from the tree.

"And that's not the only way birds spread seedlings. There is another creative way, which is through the seeds attached to their feet. Birds are very likely to carry a large number of plant seeds that are covered with mud attached to their feet. Birds are winged farmers."

Prapto, Tri, and Nimo were stunned and amazed. Mr. Rahul continued, "That is why the seedlings you planted almost fifty percent died. Natural farming means following the ways of nature, not fighting the ways of nature."

"Then, how do we get our seedlings to be spread by birds, Mr Rahul?" ask Prapto.

Rahul sir laughed. "That's not the conclusion, Prapto. But we have to plant crops in the same way that birds spread plant seeds." Rahul then grabbed his shirt bag. In his palm was now a ball of earth. "Farmers in western countries name this ball of land seed ball," he said.

Mr. Rahul then put the ball on the grass and flashlight it with a mobile phone. "This ball of soil contains the seeds of plants. I mixed the plant seeds with clay, gave them some water, then shaped them into a ball of earth like this.

"The balls of earth are what I will spread in my garden. This ball of soil will protect the seedlings from being eaten by insects or other animals. By applying this method, I believe your harvest will increase to eighty percent.

Prapto, Nimo, and Tri were again stunned. They then nodded.

"Why are your plants not grouped per type of plant, Mr Rahul?" ask Prapto.

"Look at the plants that grow in the forest, Prapto, none of them grow in groups. The more diverse the plants that grow close together, the more types of soil-fertilizing microorganisms that come to the place, and the soil will become more fertile. Micro organisms that like tomato roots will not necessarily like cucumber roots,” explained Mr. Rahul.

Prapto, Nimo, and Tri stood up and thanked Rahul.

The next morning, they eat first and then leave. Pak Rahul gave his garden fruits to Prapto, Tri, and Nimo.

Prapto and Nimo are escorted to the airport by Tri. They exchange addresses and mobile numbers. "See you later, Mr. Tri. Don't be lazy to take care of your driver's license" Nimo said, laughing.

Prapto. "When you return to Endonesa, visit our village, Mr. Tri,” he said.

Tri smile. "definitely. See you later, Prapto, Nimo. If you're going to India, call me."

They then waved each other's hands.

***

After arriving in Endonesa, Prapto and Nimo stayed at an inn near the airport and then returned tomorrow morning to the village of Kejora. They arrive during the day.

When Prapto was about to enter the gate of his house, he was stunned.