A crystal in the mud<\/p>\n
By Hawa Arofah<\/p>\n
The devastating economic crisis not only destroyed business
\ntycoons but also beggars. Karjo and his wife Sumi have barely
\nbeen able to make ends meet since 1997, because now they earn
\ndrastically less money from begging. And Sumi foresees the coming
\ndays as even more worrisome because she is expecting a baby.
\nThere will be no way they will be able to feed the newborn.<\/p>\n
\"I have been thinking about abortion. What's your opinion,mas?
\n*),\" she asked her husband before going to bed last night. The
\ntwo occupy a small hut in a slum area along a muddy river. This
\npoor section of town looks poorer because it is crowded with
\nbeggars, tramps and prostitutes.<\/p>\n
Outside the couple's hut the air is cool and a light rain has
\nstarted to fall.<\/p>\n
Without waiting for her husband's reply, Sumi continues to
\nvoice her concerns.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure that our baby will die in poverty,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Karjo did not react. He took a long breath and sighed. For him
\nthe problem was a dilemma. He understood the baby would be cause
\nfor even more burden. Not only could they not afford to feed it,
\nbut he would also have to allow Sumi to stay at home to take care
\nof it. It would be a great financial loss because she is an
\nactive breadwinner.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, to abort the pregnancy would be a great
\nblow to him. Although he is poor, Karjo dreams of having
\nchildren, as other people do.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think I'm ready to be a mother. Besides our hut is
\ntoo small for three people.\" Sumi said.<\/p>\n
Karjo did not say anything, although he understood what his
\nwife was saying. The hut was not only too small for them, but
\nthey also lived under the threat of being evicted by city
\nsecurity officers.<\/p>\n
\"Sumi, getting an abortion is not easy. Who will help you get
\none,\" Karjo asked.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure there is a doctor or a midwife willing to help solve
\nour problem,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"It is not easy to find such a doctor or midwife.\"<\/p>\n
\"There are many as long as one can afford to pay.\"<\/p>\n
\"How do you know this?\"<\/p>\n
\"It is a reality now.\"<\/p>\n
Sumi was already five months pregnant but still she wanted an
\nabortion. Besides the dreary future faced by the baby, Sumi was
\nalso worried that after the child was born Karjo would start
\nfooling around with the prostitutes who lived nearby. She had
\nheard that infidelity was common in slum areas.<\/p>\n
When Sumi again brought up the idea of getting an abortion,
\nKarjo became angry. He screamed that he would never betray her in
\nany situation. He said that if he had such poor morals, he would
\nnever have taken her as his wife.<\/p>\n
\"How can you have such a dirty mind? Don't compare me with a
\ncrook. I have never slept with another woman. Never. And I would
\nnever do it while you were busy with our child,\" he said in a
\nraised voice.<\/p>\n
\"I don't trust you,\" Sumi said pinching his thigh \"I know
\nyou've thought about it before.\"<\/p>\n
\"Now, listen to me, Sumi, these are my last words: Forget
\nabout the abortion.\"<\/p>\n
Sumi did not react. After several minutes of silence, Karjo
\nadded: \"Believe me, our future baby will change our fate. It will
\nbring us luck.\"<\/p>\n
\"You only say that because you still believe in the outdated
\nadage that the more children you have the more fortune will come
\nyour way. That is dangerous nonsense.\"<\/p>\n
Although Sumi teased her husband, in her heart she was happy
\nbecause of his reaffirmed fidelity. Sumi was convinced now that
\nKarjo's regular praying really was a sign of his devoutness and
\nsincerity.<\/p>\n
After a moment of silence, Karjo hugged Sumi warmly, promising
\nthat they would always be together.<\/p>\n
Silence again. Outside the rain fell harder. Sumi's mind
\nroamed to when she and Karjo first met. After a courtship lasting
\nseveral months, the two decided to get married even though Karjo
\ndid not have a job.<\/p>\n
They soon moved to town to try their luck. But Karjo had no
\nskills and he could not find a job. With no options, he began
\nbegging.<\/p>\n
After several months it became clear Karjo's income was far
\nfrom enough to support the couple, so Sumi voiced an idea. She
\nasked her husband's permission to work in a red-light district.
\nBut to her surprise, Karjo's reaction was thunderous.<\/p>\n
\"Remember, sleeping with a man outside of wedlock is a great
\nsin,\" he shouted. \"Tomorrow you can join me begging.\"<\/p>\n
\"But our lives will never get better by begging,\" Sumi
\nprotested.<\/p>\n
\"It is better to live a humble life than to get rich from the
\ndamned flesh trade, which will drag us into the deepest hell.\"<\/p>\n
Since then Karjo seems to have enjoyed begging. Unlike other
\nvillagers who came to the city, he did not want to be a
\npickpocket, much less a robber. Work as a construction worker?
\nNo, because a small economic hiccup could leave him unemployed.
\nSelling goods on the side of the road? The thought frightened him
\nbecause he has seen many such vendors being harassed and
\nblackmailed by security men.<\/p>\n
Today, after begging for hours beneath the scorching sun,
\nKarjo and Sumi are exhausted.<\/p>\n
\"Let's take a rest,\" said Sumi, touching her enlarged belly.
\n\"I feel sick inside.\"<\/p>\n
Looking at his wife Karjo became nervous. He knew Sumi was
\ndue. \"We have to get you to a maternity clinic right now,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Karjo stopped a mikrolet (minibus) and helped Sumi in. After
\ngetting off in front of the clinic, Karjo grabbed the first nurse
\nhe saw. \"My wife looks like she is about to go into delivery,
\nSister, please help her.\"<\/p>\n
Karjo noted the look of suspicion on the nurse's face. He
\ntold her repeatedly that he had some money and would arrange to
\npay for the cost of delivery later.<\/p>\n
\"Please Sister, I have a gold ring and my wife's earrings at
\nhome.\"<\/p>\n
With a bitter smile, the nurse led Sumi inside the clinic.
\nKarjo was left in the waiting room, tense and sweating. Even in
\nthis state, he did not forget to pray to God that Sumi and the
\nbaby would be safe.<\/p>\n
After half an hour, a midwife appeared at the door. Karjo
\nstood still and the woman asked him if he was Karjo.<\/p>\n
\"Yes.\"<\/p>\n
\"You have a baby boy and you wife is fine.\"<\/p>\n
Karjo raised his hands into the air and praised the Lord.<\/p>\n
After two days at the clinic, Karjo took his wife and the baby
\nhome to their hut. No sooner had they arrived home than their
\nneighbors began arriving to congratulate them. During a more than
\nmodest ceremony, Karjo gave the baby a name: Bejo, which is
\nJavanese for \"lucky\".<\/p>\n
When Bejo was one-month-old, Karjo and Sumi began to take the
\nbaby with them when they went to beg, carrying the boy in turn.
\nAlthough the sun was no less cruel, they were happy because
\npassersby loved to take a close look at Bejo and often gave him
\nmoney.<\/p>\n
From before the baby was born, the couple's income had
\nincreased by 500 percent.<\/p>\n
Feeding Bejo under a shady tree one hot afternoon, Sumi
\ncaressed her child's hair, saying: \"You really bring luck, Bejo.
\nNow we have money deposited in the village bank.\"<\/p>\n
-- Translated by TIS<\/p>\n
Glossary:<\/p>\n
*) Mas: a Javanese word literally meaning brother, in this case
\nused as a respectful title of address by a wife for her husband.<\/p>",
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