TEMARAM1

By: Mustika Nur

(music played)
Lenggang lenggok Jakarta
Bagai pinggul gadis remaja
Setiap pandangan s'lalu menatap
Penuh harapan untuk menjamah

Lenggang lenggok Jakarta

Suka membuat orang lupa
Terpikat oleh manisnya cerita
Mudah jadi jutawan di sana

Ribuan mimpi-mimpi ada

Menggoda mereka
Jangankan cari surga dunia
Neraka dunia pun ada

Lenggang lenggok Jakarta

Jadi simbol maju usaha
Tak kurang banyak juga yang kecewa
Akhirnya cuma buang waktu saja

The morning mbah’s2 ritual is she always plays the Lenggang Jakarta cassette from
Andi Meriam Matalatta. The song will be played with an old radio from mbah’s
room. I don't know what history within this song. What's wrong with the capital?
Maybe it's a sad or happy story.
1 Dim, twilight
2 Grandmother
Each time she play this song, mbah will start rubbing some pieces of batik cloth in the
closet. Sometimes it looks swollen in her eyes like she has been crying all night.
“Mbah” I say softly then I enter to mbah’s room
“Yes nduk3” answered mbah
“Mbah, ara is ready to school, and ara had prepared lunch for mbah in the rantang3”
“Thank you nduk”
“Mbah, don't forget to wear a hat, please!”While kisses mbah's hand
“Assalamuailakum4 mbah”
“Waalaikumussalam5 nduk, be careful” answered mbah while giving her most
beautiful smile.
Today is my first day at school, after the 1st semester holiday and also Christmas and
New Year holidays. I was a freshman student in superior senior high school in Yogya
area because the scholarship that was issued by the government required me to go to
school there. I have to go immediately after Subuh6 pray because the distance from
home to school is quite far. Mbah bought me a bicycle from work’s salary for a
year. That's what I use as a vehicle to go to school.
Mbah and I live in the suburb of Yogya. Mbah’s job is making clay bricks. Mbah work
every day. But I never heard one complaints at all. I know it's tiring and I'm very
grateful to you.
Mbah once told me about my mother. Mbah said that my mother had died a long time
ago. She died shortly after giving birth to me. Mother died at a very young age. She is
16 years old at that time as young as my age. Mbah also said that my father died in
tragic accident and mbah was my only family left.
Since I was in elementary school up to now my name has always been a mockery of
friends.
Once, the teacher asked me about the meaning of my name. I can not answer it, because
honestly I really never know the meaning of my name. I did not dare to ask mbah, what
the meaning of my name? Why did mbah named me by use that word? Did mbah not
love me so she gave A.. name carelessly?
3 child
4 greet in Arabic
5 answer greet in Arabic

6 the early morning prayer for muslims

TENG TENG TENG ……
(The bell that enters the first lesson starts)
The first lesson of the day begins with Bahasa lessons. I really like this lesson, I hope
one day I can become a Bahasa teacher and introduce Bahasa to the whole world. I
hope
“Good morning class” said Mrs. Intan
“Good morning ma'am Intan” answered the children crowded
“First of all I will check your presence” while opening the attendance list.
“Andin ..., Anto ..., Dedy ..., Kusno ..., Tantowi ..., Temaram ...”
I raised my hand a sign of attendance.
Yes my name is temaram.
Sometimes people call me dark, dim, gloomy and so on. Sometimes they equate my
name with my brown skin. Looks darker among my female friends and is equivalent to
my male friends.
I go home from school around 4 pm every day. Not forgetting I immediately rushed to
the market to buy cassava and vegetables to be cooked the next day. At school I sell
cassava chips. I do this every school.

That afternoon is not as usual. Visible from a distance many people crowded in front
of our house. I rushed to the house. Then look mbah is being insulted
and threatened must pay off its debts. I immediately embraced Mbah.
"MBAH, YOU MUST PAY A DEBT NEXT WEEK, REMEMBER, NEXT WEEK!
If it is not paid, you will see the consequences! "Threatened big scared man.
mbah is only silent. That big man went away followed by two other men.
Everything is raging inside me. Debt, what debt? Why is mbah owed? Whom do you
owe? For what? I keep all the questions until mbah be calm and she will tell it.

Finally my neighbor tell me.

They said that Mbah borrowed money to finance my appendicitis.
Formerly mbah borrowed one million and up to now surprisingly never been
paid because the interest charged is too high. Early next week should have settled for
one million rupiah.

[Type here]
Not wanting mbah to be burdened, I will soon find a way to make money.
In the morning when I go to school I sell jamu7. Then at school I still sell chips and at
night I end up selling coffee around.
One week pass, and alhamdulillah8, I have collected one million and also more fortune.
On Sunday morning the debt collectors came to our house. I give my debt
“Why one million?” Snapped the big man
“Don’t you want to paid the interests. It is 10 percent!” Said the brown-skinned thin
man
“Yesterday you did not say like that” I replied with a high tone
“Nduk , please be patience ....”mbah pulled my hand and directed to stand beside her
“Kick them!” Said the big man.
The two people who had been standing behind the big man poured liquid around the
house and smelled like
“Oil”
“Why do you have to do this?” I asked with holding tears
“Go away!”
Both men pushed Mbah's body and I moved away from the house. I and mbah fell on
the yard. We could only hugging each other then surrender to see our burnt house.
But, suddenly mbah ran into the house while shouting.
“SINGGIH, MY DAUGHTER ......”
Too late to pull her hands. Mbah is already inside the house. My chest tightened as
soon as the world disappeared from my sight.

7 traditional drink made from medicinal herb

8 (All) praise to Allah (god)

***
The doctor said that mbah had to be put into the isolation room because of burns which
she had, reached seventy percent. Hospital in my village does not have the adequate
equipment and space, mbah should be immediately referred to the
town hospital. Where is that much money come from? Faithful neighbors accompanied
me and tried to help. But the money is still not enough yet.

The next day, Mba9 Surti who had just arrived from Jakarta came to see me at the
hospital. She offered a loan of money but with special term. I had to come with her to
Jakarta. Without lingering, I accept her job offering.

Mba Surti is a person who is wealthy person in my village. Her house is big and also
his other wealth. All her wealth is the results of working in Jakarta. Mba Surti is a
young widow. She abandoned by her husband when he was pregnant her second
child. Her husband left with a village singer. Almost everyone in the village dream to
live like Mba Surti.
***

In Jakarta, I live in a boarding house not far from the center of the capital of Jakarta. I
was given the task to serve clients by Mba Surti.
I dare not refuse, what I think is only healing mbah. The only one family that I have
and my guardian angel.

***
“Dek10, this is your first client, his name is om11 Erik. He is a single father of two
children. The owner of the rich business. You contracted with him a year. One hundred
thirty million plus a car. But the mba must cut 20 percent. Is it ok dek?”Asked mba
surti
“it's okay mba. Mba can take the car also, I can't drive a car “I replied.
9 honorific for older sister

10 honorific for older sister

11 honorific for uncle

[Type here]
“Ok, don't forget, if we are outside this room and in front of people you have to call me
mamih Shinta! Then your name changes into Lala, in social media it will
be @lalaimoet , understand? Now change your clothes! We want to take a photoshoot,
“explained Mba Surti.

***
That day arrived,
Mba surti was driving to take me to meet om Erik. We made an appointment at one of
the malls in South Jakarta.
Mba Surti told me that she would drop me at the mall lobby. I wear a magenta mini
dress. Very contrasting on my skin. I also was wearing makeup and a perfume that
smelled like sweetness.
I have waited him at one of the coffee shop in the mall. Suddenly a man in his 40s
greeted me and gave me his hand.
“Hello, Erik” while giving a smile
He was sweet
“Hello, A ... ah Lala” I shook his hand
Hopefully he is a good person.
“I like doing business with you” said om
“Yes” while I smiled
“So today, where do you want to go, I will take you wherever you want?” Asked om
Please forgive me, ya Allah…

***
During time as his secret partner, I have always given a lot of gifts. Eat in a luxurious
place and go wherever I want. I honestly don't feel happy about this. I feel there is no
treasure that is most valuable than mbah.

Once a week I send a letter through mba Surti. All processes in correspondence
to mbah was done by mba Surti. I really believe in hers. Mba Surti is really kind person.
She helped mbah to cure.
 ***
A year passed, the contract with Om Erik had finished.
During my time with Om Erik, I took a hairdresser course and passed certification. I
also often go back and forth to the brothel to teach the women there.
Om gave me the house we often visited. Mba Surti said that om was satisfied with my
service. The house will be made into a house of beauty or saloon and that will run by
women who already I give training and socialization.
After hearing the news that Mbah had returned home then I decided to quit this job.
Suddenly there was a phone call from mba Surti. She said that she wanted to go to my
house to pick me up.
Mba surti offered me the last job. She said that new om only asked for a week to
be accompanied and offered a fantastic price. It is eighty million for one day.
I agreed, but my hunch said no.
***
Mba Surti dropped me right in front of a clinic.
“Have you eaten?” Asked Mba surti
“Not yet, mba” I replied
“Hey why not anyway. This is your meal, and the water. Why you so careless, what if
you got stomachache again!”While offering a meal box and a mineral water
I’m really happy to talk about everything to mba Surti. She like my own
mother. Although our age is far apart I am 17 years old and mba Surti 49 years old but
her face is really like a teenage girl and she also prohibit everyone to call hers, mam.
“I will eat this mba”
I also eat heartily. For a moment I felt sleepy maybe because yesterday I was sleeping
too late. But it doesn't seem like that. I'm very sleepy, really sleepy. There will be a
deep sleep.

***
I opened my eyes, I tried to look around. My head hurts.
Where am I? A room. Green. Light.

[Type here]
I can't move. People dress in green. Surgery room?

Suddenly a woman appeared and she is mba Surti

“Ara, o my god. What’s wrong with you dear?” Asked Mbak Surti worried she stood
beside my bed and stroked my hair.
Ara ... I try to open my mouth wide but my voice couldn't come out,
What does this thing on my face?
“HAHAHAHAHA …… ..”
Mba surti suddenly laughed heartily. Sounds really bad. Then he said:
“Ara dear, you, mbah and your mother, you are all stupid! You and your family are a
whore, hahaha……”
“Your mother died in a brothel when she was giving you birth, YOU ... now a prostitute
too!”
“Forgive me, dear... your mbah is long dead! hahaha ... , Because you don’t have
anyone else it means There will be no people looking for you right. So ... I will help
you to continue to do good things. Your body is definitely very useful and
expensive because om Erik already willing to take care of you who are malnourished
and the good news of your eyes will be awarded to the daughter of om Erik”
‘Thank you ara”mba surti smile looked very sincere.
“Start!” she instructed the people dressed in green.
And immediately I began to get sleepy. I feel deep sleep. At that time I was sure
I would not be able to open my eyes again