Rawamangun (IV)

We moved from Bukit Duri to Rawamangun in 1977. That year was also my first year at Elementary school. We lived in Betawi surrounding area, even tough my parents are from west Sumatra but I grew up in Jakarta, so I feel more like Betawiness than Padangness. The house we used to live was rented from pak Jaka, he’s the owner of the house. Like usual our house was always full of people from Sumatra coming to Jakarta and also it’s the place where people from my neighbors liked to hang out and gather. I don’t know why they liked to gather at my house maybe it’s because they loved my mother’s cook. My mom is really a good cook though. There also lived my aunt Yulia, my dad’s little sister whom my dad loved so much, she went to university at IKIP Rawamangun and given much privileges. But then her relationship with my dad was disturbed by her disagreed relationship with her boy friend uncle Iye who later became her husband. Uncle Iye is the step son of my mother’s father’s wife. We didn’t know why my dad never agreed to her relationship with her boy friend back then. Until my aunt Yulia left the house and eventually married with uncle Iye. My dad used to love her so much then hated her so much till he died

Besides working my father always had some business, he had a home industry for home made bags to be marketed to stores. He also had another venture of “Ayam Potong” chicken livestock

Like usual I rarely met my father, but I still remember he was a very strict person, most of my relatives were just too afraid of him. Even one of my relatives I called him “ Palo” used to hide if he wanted to smoke, he wasn’t working yet, my father wouldn’t allow any member of my relatives staying at my house to smoke unless he already had a job. As he also wouldn’t stop helping find jobs for them and teaching them what life is. He would have no doubt to punish whoever did a mistake. I was once punished and locked in the bathroom for stealing coin and lying. I was beaten on my butt with “sapu lidi” and I used to say to my dad” it’s not hurtful, it’s not hurtful” repeatedly until I say” it’s hurtful, it’s a hurtful” and asked for forgiveness. Even tough he was very hard to his kids but still he was a very loving father. My mom would only be quiet if my father got angry and was also too afraid to disagree or to stop my father from giving punishment to his kids or any member staying at my house. But he was very respected and adored by many people of his uncompromised generosity and disciplinary.

One morning I was complaining to my dad and mom about why my school was never finished, I was probably in my second year of elementary school. They were just smiling to hear that coming from my mouth. And were telling that to my uncles and aunts whenever they were gathered. Normally after my dad got back from work or during dinnertime, they were usually exchanging stories and remembering the good old days when they were still young. I didn’t remember all the talks but I still remembered some of the topics they were talking about. They were mostly speaking in padangness dialect and I could understand some words but couldn’t speak it. One night my dad was telling story when he was in high school, and the distance was very far from his school to his house and had to walk for a few hours or ride a bicycle to reach the school from his house. Sometimes I could hear them laughing, they must have been telling jokes.

Someone knocked my door house at night it was my far uncle Ramzil from Malimping Cikotok who came to visit us, uncle Ramzil was married to my father’s cousin who also happened to be my dad’s closed friend. And my other uncles like uncle Cieh, uncle Ciin would come to visit and had small reunion. They were playing “domino” or “ceki”card, not sure until what time, I was already on bed and they were still playing.

to be continued...