"DO YOU LIKE IT?
"YES, I DO.
"DO YOU WANT IT?
"YES, I DO.
"DO YOU LIKE ICE-CREAM?
"YES, I DO.
THE ENGLISH LESSON AGAIN. AND ALWAYS THE SAME QUESTIONS AND THE SAME
ANSWERS. "DO YOU HATE IT?
"YES, I DO.
"DO YOU LIKE IT?
"YES, I DO.
JONI WAS NOT THINKING ABOUT THE ENGLISH LESSON. WIDI IS VERY
BEAUTIFUL TODAY, HE THOUGHT. SHE IS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL. "AGUS, DO YOU
LOVE ICE-CREAM?
"YES, MISS SUHARDI, I DO.
"JUNJUN, DO YOU LOVE BOOKS?
"YES, MISS SUHARDI, I DO.
JONI WAS STILL LOOKING AT WIDI. SHE IS SO SMALL AND QUIET, HE
THOUGHT. SHE IS LIKE A FLOWER, A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER. "JONI, DO YOU LOVE
HER?
"YES, YES, SHE IS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER.
EVERYBODY LAUGHED. JONI'S FACE BECAME RED AND HOT.
JONI, THAT IS NOT THE CORRECT ANSWER. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE LESSON,
SAID MISS SUHARDI. THEN THE BELL RANG. IT WAS THE END OF THE ENGLISH
LESSON AND IT WAS THE END OF SCHOOL FOR THAT DAY. MISS SUHARDI GAVE
THE CLASS SOME HOMEWORK AND LEFT THE ROOM. THE STUDENTS BEGAN TO
TALK
AND LAUGH. JONI'S FACE WAS STILL HOT, BUT THE OTHERS HAD ALREADY
FORGOTTEN HIS MISTAKE. THEY WERE EXCITED BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT THE TRIP. "ARE YOU GOING, PRIYADI?
"OF COURSE.
"ARE YOU GOING, TUTI?
"IF I CAN GET THE MONEY.
"AND YOU, ESTI?
"IF MY PARENTS WILL LET ME GO.
"THE MEETING IS IN ROOM 4, ONE OF THE STUDENTS SAID. THEY TOOK THEIR
BAGS AND WENT TO ROOM 4. WIDI PICKED UP HER BOOKS AND WENT TOO. JONI
WALKED NEAR HER. HE WAS HAPPY. HE WANTED TO SIT NEAR HER. PRIYADI
STOOD UP AND SPOKE TO ALL THE STUDENTS. "NEXT THURSDAY,"HE SAID,"WE
ARE GOING TO VISIT THE STUDENTS OF A SCHOOL IN JAKARTA. WE ARE GOING
TO STAY WITH THEM FOR THREE DAYS. WE WILL VISIT SOME PLACES IN
JAKARTA TOO. IT WILL COST 2,500 RUPIAHS. PLEASE PAY THE MONEY SOON.
TELL ME YOUR NAMES AND PAY THE MONEY TO ME.
HE SAT DOWN. ALL THE STUDENTS BEGAN TO TALK AMONG THEMSELVES AGAIN.
"ARE YOU GOING?
"IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY, DOESN'T IT?
JONI WATCHED WIDI. SHE PAID HER MONEY AND SOMEONE WROTE HER NAME.
WIDI IS GOING, JONI THOUGHT. I WANT TO GO TOO, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE
MONEY. THEN HE THOUGH ABOUT HIS MONEY FROM HOME. EVERY MONTH JONI'S
MOTHER AND FATHER SENT SOME MONEY TO HIM. IT WAS NOT VERY MUCH, BUT
IT WAS ENOUGH. NEXT MONTH I AM NOT GOING TO EAT VERY MUCH. BUT I AM
GOING TO GO TO JAKARTA. GOODBYE FOOD, HELLO JAKARTA, HE THOUGHT. THAT
EVENING, JONI COOKED HIS RICE AND THOUGHT ABOUT HIS MONEY AGAIN.
PERHAPS HE COULD PAY FOR HIS ROOM NEXT MONTH. YES, HE WOULD ASK HIS
LANDLADY. AT THAT MOMENT HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. IT
WAS BU PARTO, THE VEGETABLE SELLER. SHE WAS HITTING HER COOKING POTS
WITH A LARGE SPOON. JONI TOOK HIS BOWL AND WENT OUT. HE REACHED INTO
HIS POCKET. I'LL ONLY SPEND TWENTY RUPIAHS TONIGHT, HE THOUGHT. HE
USUALLY SPENT FORTY. "WHAT IS GOOD TONIGHT, BU? HE ASKED. "IT IS ALL
GOOD, BU PARTO LAUGHED. SHE LIFTED THE LIDS OF THE POTS. JONI SMELLED
THE NICE SMELLS AND HIS STOMACH SPOKE TO HIM. HE POINTED TO THREE OF
THE POTS. "CAN I HAVE TWENTY RUPIAHS WORTH OF THIS ONE AND THIS ONE
AND THIS ONE PLEASE?
"THAT WILL BE SIXTY RUPIAHS. DO YOU HAVE A GUEST?
OR ARE YOU VERY HUNGRY TONIGHT?
"NO, NO, NO. I MEAN TWENTY RUPIAHS FOR THE LOT."
"TWENTY RUPIAHS!
BU PARTO LAUGHED AGAIN. BUT SHE STOPPED WHEN SHE SAW JONI'S FACE.
"TAKE TWENTY RUPIAHS WORTH OF THIS ONE, SHE SAID. SHE PUT SOME IN HIS
BOWL. IT WAS NOT VERY MUCH. "JUST ONE MORE SPOONFUL, HE SAID. "YOU
ALREADY HAVE MORE THAN TWENTY RUPIAHS WORTH", BU PARTO SAID. BUT SHE
GAVE HIM ANOTHER SPOONFUL. JONI WENT BACK INTO THE HOUSE AND INTO HIS
ROOM. HE TOOK RICE FROM THE POT ON HIS LITTLE STOVE AND PUT IT IN A
BOWL. THEN HE PUT THE TWO BOWLS ON HIS TABLE. BEFORE HE COULD BEGIN
TO EAT THERE WAS A KNOCK ON HIS DOOR. "COME IN,  JONI CALLED. IT WAS
BU TIEN, HIS LANDLADY. JONI LIVED IN ONE ROOM OF THE SMALL HOUSE AND
BU TIEN AND HER FAMILY LIVED IN THE OTHER PART OF THE HOUSE. JONI
SHARED THE BATHROOM WITH BU TIEN AND HER FAMILY, BUT HE DID NOT EAT
WITH THEM. EVERY MONTH JONI'S FATHER AND MOTHER SENT HIM SOME RICE
AND SOME MONEY. HE COOKED THE RICE HIMSELF AND HE USED THE MONEY FOR
HIS ROOM AND FOR HIS OTHER FOOD. FOR THE PRICE OF THE ROOM BU TIEN
GAVE HIM TEA TOO. SHE HAD A GLASS OF TEA FOR HIM NOW. "HERE IS YOUR
TEA, SHE SAID. JONI WANTED TO ASK BU TIEN ABOUT PAYING FOR THE ROOM
NEXT MONTH. BUT BU TIEN SPOKE FIRST. "I WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING,
JONI, SHE SAID. "I KNOW YOU USUALLY PAY FOR YOUR ROOM AT THE END OF
THE MONTH. BUT NOW I HAVE A PROBLEM. I HAVE JUST GOT NEWS FROM
BANDUNG. MY BROTHER DIED TODAY AND I MUST GO THERE ON THE TRAIN
TONIGHT. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THE TRAIN. CAN YOU HELP ME, AND
PAY FOR YOUR ROOM TODAY?
"OF COURSE, BU, JONI SAID. "I AM SORRY ABOUT YOUR BROTHER.
BUT HIS HEART SANK. HE UNLOCKED THE DRAWER IN HIS TABLE AND GAVE HER
THE MONEY. "THANK YOU JONI. I KNEW YOU WOULD HELP ME, BU TIEN SAID.
"TRAVEL SAFELY, BU.
JONI CLOSED THE DOOR AFTER HER AND RETURNED TO HIS MEAL. WHILE HE ATE
HE THOUGH ABOUT THE VISIT TO JAKARTA AGAIN. I CAN SAVE TWENTY RUPIAHS
A DAY, BUT IT IS STILL NOT ENOUGH, HE THOUGHT. I MUST SELL SOMETHING.
HE LOOKED AT HIS GUITAR. NO, NOT MY GUITAR, HE THOUGH. IT WAS A
PRESENT FROM HIS UNCLE AND IT WAS LIKE AN OLD FRIEND. WHAT OTHER
THINGS DO I HAVE? HE LOOKED AROUND THE SMALL ROOM. THERE WAS NOT
MUCH. A SMALL STOVE, ONE COOKING POT FOR HIS RICE, TWO FOOD BOWLS,
A FORK AND A SPOON AND A GLASS. HE NEEDED ALL THOSE. HIS SCHOOL
BOOKS. HE COULDN'T SELL THEM. A BED, A SMALL TABLE, A CHAIR, AND A
SMALL CUPBOARD FOR HIS CLOTHES. THEY BELONGED TO BU TIEN. HE WENT TO
THE CUPBOARD AND OPENED IT. HE LOOKED AT HIS CLOTHES. ONE PAIR OF
PANTS, TWO SARONGS AND THREE SHIRTS. ONE OF THE SARONGS WAS NEW. HIS
MOTHER HAD SENT IT LAST WEEK. I ONLY NEED ONE SARONG, HE THOUGH. AND
TWO SHIRTS ARE ENOUGH FOR ME. AND HE TOOK OUT THE NEW SARONG AND HIS
BEST SHIRT. JONI FELT PLEASED AS HE LEFT THE NIGHT MARKET. IT WAS A
GOOD PRICE FOR THE SHIRT AND THE SARONG. HE WALKED SLOWLY ALONG THE
MAIN STREET. IT WAS CROWDED WITH PEOPLE AND THE SHOPS WERE BRIGHTLY
LIT. HE FELT THE MONEY IN HIS POCKET AND LOOKED IN THE WINDOWS OF THE
SHOPS. HE COULD WALK INTO ONE OF THE SHOPS AND HE COULD BUY
SOMETHING. BUT HE DID NOT WANT TO BUY ANYTHING. HE HAD A BETTER PLAN
FOR HIS MONEY. "JONI, JONI, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? HE HEARD. HIS HEART
JUMPED, AND HE TURNED. IT WAS WIDI. SHE WAS WITH YUN AND ESTI. THEY
WERE JUST COMING OUT OF A RESTAURANT. "I'M JUST GOING HOME, HE SAID.
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING? "WE'RE GOING TO A MOVIE, ESTI SAID. "WHY DON'T
YOU COME WITH US? JONI LOOKED AT WIDI AND SHE SMILED. HER SMILE WAS
LIKE A SONG. "YES, WHY DON'T YOU COME WITH US, JONI? SHE SAID. HE
THOUGHT OF THE MONEY IN HIS POCKET AND HE ALMOST SAID YES. "I MUST
GO HOME. MY LANDLADY HAD TO GO AWAY AND I MUST LOOK AFTER THE HOUSE,
HE SAID. IT WAS NOT TRUE. BU TIEN'S OLDEST SON WAS AT HOME LOOKING
AFTER THE HOUSE. BUT HE COULD NOT SAY, "I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR
A MOVIE AND FOR JAKARTA.
"OH, WELL, WE'LL SEE YOU AT SCHOOL TOMORROW, YUN SAID. "YES, SEE YOU
TOMORROW, JONI SAID, AND HE TURNED AND HURRIED AWAY. THE DAYS WENT
BY QUICKLY. WIDI WAS READY EARLY ON THE DAY OF THE TRIP. AS SHE PUT
HER BAGS BY THE FRONT DOOR HER MOTHER SAID, "HAVE YOU GOT THE CLOTH
FOR AUNT SITA?
"YES, MOTHER. DON'T WORRY, WIDI SAID. "I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ANYTHING.
"BE CAREFUL NOW, WIDI, HER FATHER SAID. "JAKARTA IS MUCH BIGGER THAN
JOGJA. DON'T GO ANYWHERE ALONE.
"I'LL BE ALL RIGHT, FATHER, WIDI REPLIED. HER MOTHER AND FATHER
WALKED WITH HER TO THE GATE, WHILE THE SERVANT CALLED A BECAK. WIDI
GOT IN. "HAVE A GOOD TIME AND COME BACK SAFELY, THE CALLED. WIDI
WAVED AND THE BECAK MOVED QUICKLY AWAY. THE VISIT TO JAKARTA WAS
GOING TO BE FUN. NEW ADVENTURES WERE WAITING FOR HER. SHE WAS GOING
TO BE WITH HER FRIENDS AND SHE WAS GOING TO BE AWAY FROM HOME. SHE
LOVED HER MOTHER AND FATHER VERY MUCH, BUT THEY WERE ALWAYS
WORRYING
ABOUT HER. SOMETIMES SHE WANTED TO SAY TO THEM, "LOOK, I AM SEVENTEEN
YEARS OLD. I CAN LOOK AFTER MYSELF. I CAN THINK FOR MYSELF. DON'T
WORRY ABOUT ME SO MUCH.
BUT SHE NEVER DID. SHE ALWAYS SAID, "YES, MOTHER, OR "YES, FATHER.
NOW SHE WAS GOING TO BE AWAY FROM THEM. SHE WOULD BE WITH HER
FRIENDS. HER BEST FRIENDS, TINA, YUN AND ESTI. AND JONI. SHE WONDERED
ABOUT HIM. HE WAS A NICE BOY. HE WAS KIND AND HELPFUL. HE SEEMED TO
LIKE HER. HER BECAK REACHED THE BUS STATION. IT WAS CROWDED AND BUSY.
PEOPLE MOVED IN ALL DIRECTIONS. TICKET SELLERS SHOUTED AND PUSHED.
FOOD SELLERS MOVED BETWEEN THE BUSES AND CALLED OUT. CLOUDS OF SMOKE
CAME FROM THE MOTORS AND MIXED WITH THE DUST. THE NOISE WAS EXCITING.
"WID, WID, OVER HERE! IT WAS TINA WITH A BIG SMILE ON HER FACE. WIDI
PAID HER BECAK DRIVER AND FOLLOWED TINA ON TO THE BUS. "COME AND SIT
WITH ME, TINA SAID. "HERE'S MY PLACE.
WIDI PUT HER BAGS UNDER THE SEAT. THE NOISE IN THE BUS WAS AS LOUD
AS THE NOISE OUTSIDE. EVERYONE WAS CALLING OUT AND MAKING JOKES.
PRIYADI STOOD AT THE FRONT OF THE BUS WITH A LIST OF NAMES. THEN JONI
GOT ON THE BUS. "YOU'RE THE LAST, PRIYADI SAID. "LOOK, SAID TINA, "HE
HAS HIS GUITAR. JONI, COME AND SIT NEAR US!
JONI SMILED AND SAT IN THE NEXT SEAT. FINALLY THE BUS MOVED OFF. THEY
ALL LAUGHED AND SANG. JONI PLAYED HIS GUITAR. WIDI WANTED TO SING,
BUT SHE WAS AFRAID. SO SHE DID NOT SING WITH HER FRIENDS. SHE JUST
LISTENED AND LAUGHED WITH THE OTHERS. SHE FELT HAPPY. SHE LISTENED
NOW, AS JONI PLAYED HIS GUITAR AND ESTI SANG A SONG. IT WAS GOOD.
WIDI LOOKED AROUND THE BUS. EVERYBODY LOOKED HAPPY, AND THEY ALL
WANTED TO HEAR ANOTHER SONG. SO ESTI SANG AGAIN. THEN WIDI HEARD ESTI
SAY, "NOW, WIDI, SING A SONG FOR US, PLEASE!