SHORT STORY : A STRANGER MAKES ME UP

 

A STRANGER MAKES ME UP

     It was 11 p.m. The street looked quite. The sky was cloudy. Only one or two vehicles passed it. Some of the street vendors went home quickly. They didn’t want to get a trap due to being rainy. The situation at that night was really still. At the end of Panglima Sudirman street, there was a thin brown skin girl walking along the street, wore a dirty blue dress and small bag around her neck. She stepped alone without friend and sibling. She stopped in an unoccupied store, took a second hand newspaper and put it on the floor. She looked so tired so she wanted to sleep as soon as possible. She tried to close her eyes but she couldn’t do it. She still thought about something. It was a hard for her. A half an hour later, she got asleep.

     It was 7 a.m in the morning. The traffic was very noisy. There were some street vendors bringing their merchandises. They looked friendly and kept smiling toward the people. They wanted to persuade them for buying their products. They offered their merchandises at the front of the occupied store where the girl was sleeping at. Suddenly the rough tall black guy came nearer her. He kicked her feet. ”Wake up, please! “Go away from this place.” The girl woke up quickly. She looked scare as if she saw a ghost in the afternoon. “Let me wait here for a while, sir, ”said the girl. “I am still sleepy, “ she continued her speaking while wiping her eyes. “No, get out from this store, you don’t know that I’m responsible for this place. I will get a problem from my manager.” As soon as possible she stood up and passed away the store.

     The girl walked along the street. She looked hungry and thirsty but she couldn’t buy anything because there was no any money in her bag. It seemed She didn’t know that the man chasing her from the store was following her steps. An hour, she still walked when the bus passed her by. She almost bumped by bus. Luckily the man pulled her hand out so her life saved. She saw the man surprisingly. ”Sir, why do you follow me? And Why do you help me?”, She said. “I’m so sorry if I follow you, I just remember with my sister in Kampong, the name of small blocks in the village. “Why do you want to end your life? Don’t you think that It is a great sin?” he continued. “Yes, sir I know it but The problem is so hard for me I can’t stand it anymore. “No one takes care about me even my mom and dad”, The man saw the tears were rolling in her red check. “Let’s walk to the stall nearby, You look so hungry and thirsty. We will talk it later”. They went to the stall nearby where some traditional food served there. The man ordered the food and beverage for her. She ate greedy as if she didn’t eat for along time. The man only stared pity to her.

      The girl had finished her eating when she continued to tell a story. She took a deep breath and talked to him. “ I grow up in a wealthy family. My dad is a manager in one of company in Jakarta while my mom works as a civil servant in one of office in my home town, Surabaya. They love each other. Though they have separated but they can educate me and my little brother well. My dad goes home once a month and we always go travelling around the city. We are a happy family. We always get everything what we want. They never disappoint us till something happen in my warm family. My mom looks different every day. She never pays attention of us. We are taken care by our maid. After working, she enters her room and locks it. We seldom talk with her. I feel that I live in another world. I ever hear her crying along in her bed. She speaks with my dad. She looks disappointed with him because she finds him with another girl in Jakarta. She gets information from her close friend. It has occurred for two year. Eventually They divorce when I passed from Senior High School. My brother and I live with my mom while my dad is in Jakarta. Sometimes he calls me from there. I missed my warm family a couple years ago but It can’t happen anymore. Three months later, My mom marries with her beloved man from Surabaya. He is a cute cool white man. He works in the same office as my mom. In the first year of  their marriage, my new family looks pleased and peace. I find my dad’s figure in his. I consider that my warm family has come back. I saw his character same as my dad. He is a lovely father for me and my brother,” She took a deep breath and some tears were rolling down. “Be calm, please. You do not need to continue your story if you feel that you can’t do it, “The man said. “Oh, no. I will tell you all even though you are a stranger for me but I trust to you. I wanted to give a part of my grief story to you, “She added while wiping off the tears. It happened when I came back from school. My father got mad when I came back home late. I had said that I got an assignment from my teacher so we needed to do in a group. We did in my friend’s home but he couldn’t accept my explanation. He was very angry and took a long stick under the cupboard. He hit me three times in my foot. I felt hurt at that time. I reported to my mom but she didn’t believe what I was talking about. She was more believed to him. It seemed love had blinded  my mom’s view. She had drugged by love virus. She couldn’t differ which one was true or false. I had got a rough treatment for two months. I couldn’t stand anymore. So I decide to go away from my home. She ended her story.

      The man felt pity to her. He tried to make her calm. He put his right hand onto her hair. I deem you as my sister so you may obey my saying, “He added. You have to go back home. I’m sure that your mom and dad are worrying you. I believe that they love you very much. There is no parents that don’t miss her children. They will do everything for them. Therefore you should go back home. You should show them that you are a nice and kind hearted girl. Her advises made me calm for a while. “Where is your address?” , He said. I stay at Mawar street 79, “ I replied. “Let’s take the bus here, “ He added. They drove a city bus. It was a luxurious bus. It had a complete facility. There were a television next to the driver in the top. The seat consisted 45 passengers. That girl was sitting behind the driver while the man was sitting next to her. They traveled to the girl’s home. When the bus run, the conductor checked the passenger’s ticket. He looked serious to give a sign in their tickets. After finishing to check them, he took a remote control and pressed the channel of television. He pointed to TV One. Suddenly, The reporter read a news about the missing girl two days ago. “There is a sad news coming from the family in Jl. Mawar Surabaya. They have lost their daughter. The characteristic of her is she is a thin brown skin girl and wears a blue dress. Someone finding her can contact to TV One as soon as possible. One of her parent will say something to the viewers. A 50 year old man looked sad and said,” My daughter, please forgive my fault. I don’t mean to hurt you. I did the mistake for you. Please, Come home. Your mom and dad always love you so much”. The girl watched his tired and grief face on it. She considered that her dad missed her a lot. She was aware that both of them waited her at home. She appeared blissful. The man sitting next to her smiling and he had  Conductor go down in Mawar street. Ten minutes later, the bus stopped there. They went down from the bus. The girl seemed so exciting when she saw her huge and luxurious home. She knew that it is her shady. The man said, “I can only accompany you here. I can’t enter into your home. You have to go alone there without me. The girl felt that he had a great man that make her aware. She just nodded without saying anything. She smiled and looked at glance to him when he drove on the bus. The girl went to her home when a wrinkle old woman swept the garden. She saw her surprisingly and yelled out, “Miss Enna is coming…….Miss Enna is here. She appeared so glad and walked in the home for telling to Enna’s parent. Enna stood at the gate, was silent and nodded. She trusted that she had done the mistakes by running away from her home and It made them worry. Her mom and dad saw her, walk quickly and embraced her. “My beloved daughter. You make me bother. I yearned you much. Don’t go away from us, sweetie. They embraced her as if they don’t want to release though a second. Enna just thought the man assisting her to come home. She didn’t know his name and address. She just smiled and told to her heart, “He was a stranger that makes me up.