"Bu..., I just bought some shoes" Here came Mbak Tina the household assistant show-off taking out the plastic bag she had brought from home.
"Let's see,"
I examined the maroon sandals she had just bought. "Shhh nice... how much?" I continued
"Hundred and fifty thousand."
"It's cool... I want, mbak. Where did you buy it?" Asked me again.
"Ah, that's very kind of you. Shoes like this are BUKAN TAHAP IBU (Not mom's stage)."
Oops. I almost laughed if I didn't see her innocent face seriously looking at me. I knew she meant 'not mom's level.'
"It's the same mbak... if it's good, it's good. If it's bad, it's bad. No stage."
Now it was she who laughed. Maybe she felt her words were not quite right.
Mba Tina lives in the upper village. Every morning she came to help clean the house, sweep, mop, iron, clean the bathroom, and then went home when she was done. Many of the natives in the village work to help the urbanites in the new Green Valley housing estate located below the village.
I accompanied mbak Tina in ironing while making fruit salad using up the dressing stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time. If Bright caught this, she would surely complain, "Mama, is the mayonnaise still halal?" The meaning of 'halal' is 'not expired'. I smiled again, remembering the word 'stage' of Mbak Tina.
"There have been a lot of these shoe sales at a rented house, bu" said Mbak Tina while ironing.
"O Mbak Tina, live near the rented house, isn't it... the one with many doors? Whose own the houses mbak?" Ask me curiously.
"If I'm not mistaken, her name is Bu Irma. She has a lot of rented houses, bu. More than 100 doors in the upper village." We prefer say it 100 doors than 100 rooms.
I imagined the location in that area, there are small shops, beauty salons, barakah food stalls, Padang restaurants, grocery stores for household appliances, workshops, helmet shops, knick-knacks, accessories and gifts shops, and clothes, and t-shirt shops on the front row. Behind them, the room for about 100 doors neatly lines up.
The cluster in this housing estate is located in the middle of the industrial area, so many employees or factory workers are mostly immigrants who rent a place, and how many rooms are available is always fully booked.
One thing I want to do when retire is to have a rental house like that. Unfortunately, I stop working prematurely and have not had time to prepare things.
Now I'm curious about Mrs. Irma, who is Bu Irma...
*️**
"SEKAR?"
I am surprised.
I thought about her, knowing she was already on the terrace.
Sekar is Bright's schoolmate. Many of Bright's schoolmates have ever been visiting here except Sekar.
Of 10 of Bright's female friends, only Sekar doesn't know where she will continue further education after graduating from elementary school.
Unlike in the regions, the public school on the outskirts of Jakarta is impoverished in quality and lacks facilities. Many private schools thrive everywhere, but it's easy to guess. The cost is exorbitant.
It is not easy to find a good quality school with a friendly cost. There is no such thing as cross-subsidies. If you can't afford it, simply mean it's not your level.
Bright herself wanted to go to school with one of her BFFs. But after I've been trying desperately for the past three months to sell insurance, the sales commission still doesn't cover just the registration fee.
And I'm trying to find a school with a more 'slanted' tuition fee. Exchanging ideas with their parents, only Sekar's mom whom I have not been able to contact.
And this afternoon, suddenly Sekar appeared on the terrace.
️***
This is, again.
Have a business one day open and one day closed. What are the intentions? Many people dying desperate to have a business, thinking about the capital for renting a place, employee salaries, operations costs, and all sorts of things. This shop owner already has a good business; how come it's run vaguely?
This boutique is very suitable to occupy this shop. Muslim clothes complete with hijab, and a tailor's stand by serving the customer. The first time I saw the collection, I immediately fell in love; as it is a limited edition, only made one piece for each model. And what makes it feel comfortable, the price is affordable.
Because it's closed more often I forgot about it. Months after I return back and forth a few times I couldn't find it, it turned out that the boutique now changed become Family Reflexology.
Ahh... What's happened with the Boutique Owner? I thought idly.
️***
From Sekar, I got her mother's number. So far, we only meet when there is a parent-teacher meeting at the school. Now I find their house. A simple house with two floors, it is located on the hook, so it looks a little more spacious than others. The excess land was utilized for children's playgrounds, with swings, slides, tumbling, and so on.
"Mam.. anyone looking for a house?" Bunda Sekar as I call her; which means Sekar Mom, asking as she knew now I'm also an independent property agent. We have just done discuss regarding the higher school for our kids.
"I have an empty house, It was rented by an expatriate for one year, but it's only been six months, and he has to return to Australia."
"Whose house, Bund? Do you want to rent it or sell it?" Immediately, I remembered Monic, my friend, the head of the famous bank branch who asked me to find some good properties for investment. Monic and Heru had planned to come several times but always canceled because of their busy schedules. She asked for property data in several locations to save more time when visiting.
"It can be sold or rented. Full furnish, four rooms, one downstairs, three upstairs. Each room is equipped with a bathroom and a bathtub."
As hearing the name of a housing complex, I immediately imagined a luxurious house with a beautiful environment, a wide main road, tall pillars, guarded by 24-hour security and visitor must leave an ID at the gate, It's a Victorian-style building at a fantastic sale price!
Then she showed the pictures on her cellphone. I looked at the images while Bunda Sekar was holding her crying daughter.
"Is this your own house?"
"Ho-oh" answer Bunda lightly.
"Why not occupy yourself, Bund?"
"Yes, we did, but Sekar can't stand any longer mam... it's a very quiet neighborhood. Less than a month Sekar ask to come back here." she explained.
"It is such a coincidence, my friend just looking for the house I would offer her. But she is a very detailed person, she doesn't want to consider if the certification is not complete."
Then Bunda Sekar entered the room, still holding her 1-year daughter.
"Is there anything else?" Ask me again
.
"Yes, the condominium, will you? But still, occupy right now, next month will be finished."
"Which condo?" I asked back.
Then she mentioned the name of a well-known condominium, which is strategically located in the middle of the city, surrounded by hotels that line up from three-star hotels to five-star hotels. The residents are mostly expatriates.
"That's what Bright and Sekar like swimming there, right?"
"Yes... " Answer Bunda from inside the room.
Never thought Sekar owned the condo.
"How about the boarding house? Do you have any information?" I asked later. "My relative who got an assignment working here, looking for a boarding house nearby"
"Boarding house, furnished or empty? There is also the newly built one if you like"
"He just wanted to rent, not buy. However, any certificate? May another investor be interested"
Then she came out still holding the baby with a folder in her right hand. "Look it for yourself," she said while placing the clear folder on the table.
I opened it slowly
page one,
page two,
three,
four, page five to the end of the page, the contents are all proprietary certificates!!!!!!.
This Clear Folder keeps the important documents similar to mine at home, the thick ones. The difference, my folder contains certificate course & awards from competitions that I have participated in since kindergarten, while this one consist of certificates of ownership of houses and land..!
I also took one of the house certificates and then photographed it sheet by sheet.
Another certificate seems to be familiar with the address "Bun... Is this the Boarding house at the upper village, right?" Ask me to ensure.
"Yes..."
"Is that yours?" The boarding house with 100 rooms. I continued silently in my heart.
"Yes."
"Which direction from the Boarding house of Mrs. Irma? asked me pretentiously.
Bunda Sekar was silent for a moment. "Yes, there it is."
"Means?"
"Yes, it is me, Irma."
"HAH???" Masha Allah... I was surprised that I didn't expect Bunda Sekar original name is Mrs. IRMA!" Why didn't I even think about it? All this time, I have known and always called her SEKAR'S MOM or Bunda Sekar. OMG OMG OMG!!!.
The person who was in my mind for a long time was in front of me, and I've met her many times. Never imagined it before.
Then I took one more certificate. And this one, the address also looks like well known."
"Is this the Shophouse that used to be a BOUTIQUE, if I'm not mistaken?" Ask me
She nodded
"So the one who owns the boutique is also Bunda?"
She nodded as she continued to pat her daughter on her lap.
"Ugh... Bunda. You just stress me out!! I want to be angry with the owner because it's more often closed than open. Why is it close, Bun?"
Bunda just smiles lightly, "Lazy."
"So if I'm not mistaken, now it has become a place for family Reflexology, right?"
"Yeah, it's Sekar's father's fad. There used to be a reflexology place, but once it was closed, the people upper village were unemployed. They asked to open a reflexology massage. Then it was done. We only had a week to prepare. Just go straight as the employees are there." Bunda Sekar tell the story.
I almost gasped when I heard her endless list of assets. This person has assets everywhere, but her appearance and lifestyles are very simple. It doesn't show at all that she's rich. There's no sign that they are wealthy. I didn't see anything valuable in the house. Humble, the most humble person. Calm the calmest family. I've never met someone like them before.
Her husband is a contractor. Any project he held seemed to turn into gold. But moreover, I see their children are the most special asset. And the relationship between the two husbands and wives looks so harmonious. They spend more time at home, playing around with their children.
I put the clear folder back on the table. And sitting back in the chair, I thought,
what makes this house feel so peaceful?
It turns out that they don't have a lot of desires. I saw the true wealth in Mrs. Irma's family life.
"Bunda bunda... You own houses everywhere. All the most fantastic houses. Why did you choose to live here?" I asked slowly.
"It's nice to live here, near to the mosque!"
️***
Finally, after getting the necessary data, I said goodbye.
"Oh yes, did you mudik past Lebaran? Where is kampung*) Bunda? I asked, stopping on the terrace before I left.
"Malang"
"Oh, I've wanted to go to Malang for a long time. To the Transportation Museum. The Museum of Human Organs... "
"A lot of tourist points of attractions over there."
"Later, when I visit, I will stop by your house ."
"Tell me when you get there, you can stay at our family hotel"
What? Only my eyes were wide open.
"It is a guest house exactly" Correct Bunda humble herself.
"OO YAAAA????" Unfinished yet? I feel like I have to hurry home, afraid of a heart attack. Oh my God. Why am I so silly? It's poor me. So ridiculous. I lost my words.
I got in the car and started the engine while hissing...
'Kapan saya DALAM TAHAP IBU...'
(When I am at A MOM STAGE?)
️***
*Kampung, village, hometown.