Hampir setiap kali pulang dari pasar Sinpasa (Gading Serpong) selama beberapa bulan terakhir ini, saya melihat pasangan suami istri setengah baya ini. Mereka duduk diatas sehelai alas plastik, yang dihamparkan diatas rumput. Didepan mereka selalu ada ikatan daun pisang yang sudah dikemas cukup rapi, kadang ada 4 ikat, kadang tinggal 3, 2 atau 1 ikat, tapi tidak pernah saya lihat lebih dari 4 ikat.

Mereka, dengan ikatan daun pisang itu, cukup menarik perhatian saya setiap kali melintas disana, terus terang mata saya selalu mencari mereka. Sesekali saat mereka tidak ada ditempat itu, ada sedikit rasa kuatir, kenapa ya mereka gak jualan. Beberapa hari lalu, saat melintas disana, kebetulan dengan suami, eh pacar ding 🙂 … pacar bilang ‘mampirin yuk, kasih jajan sedikit, kasian udah tua-tua begitu’. Saya turun, si bapak segera berdiri sambil mau menyodorkan 1 ikat daun pisangnya. Saya bilang ‘saya gak mau daun pisangnya pak, ini buat jajan bapak ibu aja’. Sedikit diluar dugaan saya, mereka berdua melongo selama beberapa detik, sempat bikin saya jadi salting (ketauan deh, saya jarang kasih kejutan ke orang lain, sekalinya kasih kejutan kecil, saya yang salting). Setelah detik-detik kikuk tersebut, si ibu yang duluan mengambil sikap, dia berdiri membungkuk sambil bilang ‘terima kasih bu, terima kasih bu’, eh si bapak malah mewek… nahlooo makin saltinglah saya. Setelah semua kembali tenang, saya sempetin nanya-nanya dan ngomong sedikit:

“Tinggal dimana, pak bu?”

Jawabnya, “disono” (sambil nunjuk ke arah kiri), di kampung bu (maksudnya mungkin di perkampungan pinggiran Gading Serpong)

“Jauh ya,  jalan kaki kesininya?”

“Iya bu, jalan pelan-pelan”

“Ada anak-anak bu, pak?”

“Anak mah ada 6, tapi gak tau pada dimana, tinggalnya pada jauh-jauh.”

“Daun pisang ini dapat dari mana?”

“Dari kampung, kan di kampung banyak pohon pisang, boleh ambil aja daunnya terus dijual buat beli makanan sehari bu. Tapi ntar sore bisa bikin ketimus buat dijual besok. >> untuk jawaban ini, setelah saya obrolin dengan suami, maksudnya kira-kira begini: biasanya uang yang mereka dapat dari hasil menjual daun pisang hanya cukup untuk membeli makanan mereka untuk sehari (makan siang dan makan malam), tetapi hari itu karena mereka mendapat sedikit tambahan rejeki, mereka bisa membeli makanan seperti biasa dan bisa juga membeli bahan-bahan untuk membuat ketimus yang akan mereka jual esok hari. Semoga yaaa…rejeki yang kami bagi itu, meskipun tidak besar, akan memberi manfaat baik buat mereka.

“Oo ibu bisa bikin ketimus?”

“Emang bikin, bu, tapi tempo hari saya dan bapak sakit, modalnya kepake.”

“Oo begitu, mudah-mudahan tetep sehat ya pak bu, mudah-mudahan bisa terus bikin ketimus dan laris.”

“Terima kasih bu, terima kasih banyak bu.” jawaban penutup sambil memberi salam dengan kedua tangan mereka. Dan saya kembali ke mobil untuk berbagi rasa senang dengan suami.

Catatan saya:

Banyak orang yang hidupnya berbeban berat, namun dalam kepasrahan, mereka tetap berjuang. Dalam keterbatasan, mereka tetap berupaya. Dalam kekurangberdayaan, mereka tidak menyerah.

Hidup seringkali tidak mudah, tapi kita yang dilengkapi dengan kecerdasan dan keberdayaan untuk menjalani hidup, dan kemampuan untuk bersyukur atas semua berkat dan sukacita yang diberikan kepada kita, semestinya kita bisa membuat diri dan kehidupan kita menjadi lebih baik. Jangan membebani hidup dengan pikiran-pikiran yang keliru tentang alam, situasi dan orang lain, jangan mudah menggerutu atau mengumpat, jangan melemahkan diri sendiri dengan kepesimisian dan sikap tidak percaya diri, namun jangan juga meremehkan hidup dengan sikap angkuh dan selalu merasa benar.

Almost every time on my way back home from Sinpasa market at Gading Serpong, during these last few months, I saw a middle-aged-couple, sitting on a plastic sheet stretched on the grass.  In front of them there are always some bundles of banana leaf  that have been packed pretty neatly, sometimes 4 bundles, sometimes just 2 or 1 bundle left, but as far as I remember there were never more than 4 bundles. They, with the banana leaf bundles, simply draw my attention every time I pass there,

They, with the banana leaf bundles, simply draw my attention every time I pass there, frankly my eyes are always looking for them. Occassionaly when they were not there, there is a bit of anxiety, what’s with them so they do not show up.A few days ago, while passing there, with hubby, he said “let’s stop by, give them a little money, poor old people.”  I got off the car, going to them. The old man immediately stood up to thrust a bundle of banana leaves. I said “I don’t  need the banana leaves, here is for you, just a bit giving.” A little beyond my expectations, they both gawked for a few seconds, make me a bit nervous (it was detected, I rarely gave surprises to others, once giving a little surprise, I myself become nervous…hahha..). After such awkward moment, the wife took a stand, she stooped up and said ‘thank you ma’am, thank you ma’am.”  Unexpectedly, the husband even shed a tear … well, I was clumsy again. After the situation calmed down again, I had time to ask and talk a little:

“Where do you live, ma’am?”

“Over there” she answered “in the village” as her hand pointed toward the village outside the estate complex.

“Quite far, are you coming here by walk?”

“Ya, we walk slowly.”

“Do you have children?”

“Ya, six, but do not know where, they live far away.”

“Where do you get these banana leaves?”

“From the village, there are many banana trees and we can take the leaves freely, we sell them to buy our food for a day. But (later) this evening we can make Ketimus (a kind of traditional snack made from grated cassava and coconut and brown sugar), and we’ll bring it here for sale tomorrow.” >> This answer, after having a further discussion with hubby, we came to a clearer understanding about what she meant, were about this: usually the money they got from selling banana leaves is spent only to buy foods (their lunch and dinner), that day since  they got a ‘little surprise’, they could use such extra money to buy food and  the necessities to make ketimus that they can sell tomorrow. It is our hope that every good thing we share, even it’s not big in value, will be a good benefit for those who receive it.

“Oo you can make ketimus?”

“I used to make it, ma’am, but the other day, both of us were sick, and our money run out for medicines.”

“Oo I see…hopefully you both will stay healthy, keep making ketimus and your selling goes well.”

“Thank you so much, ma’am.” A closing answer with greeting with their both hands. And I got back to the car to share the joy with my husband.

My notes:

Many people whose lives are heavily burdened, but in defenselessness, they are still struggling. In their limitations, they keep doing their hard efforts. In powerlessness, they do not give up.

Life is often not easy, but we who are equipped with the intelligence and empowerment to live life and the ability to give thanks for all the blessings and joys that given to us, we duly should be able to make ourselves and our lives better.Do not burden life with wrong thoughts about nature, situations and others. Do not easily grumbling or cussing. Do not weaken ourselves with pessimism and unconfident attitudes. But also do not underestimate the life with a haughty attitude and always feel right.

~Sherly Hermawan~

Serpong, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia

Published on 2nd June 2017, 15.03

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