Murti's Tale<\/p>\n
By Teguh Winarsho AS<\/p>\n
Murti was disoriented. The words of Ningsih, a friend of hers,
\nkept ringing in her ears: \"Don't you have any compassion for your
\nmother who is old and sickly? Care for your younger siblings.
\nThey need food.\"<\/p>\n
Ningsih gave Murti a piece of her mind a few days ago. It was
\nnot that Murti refused Ningsih's offer to work for her in her
\nfood stall. No, not at all. She would consider the offer and ask
\nher mother's opinion. Indeed, since her father left home four
\nyears ago, not being heard from since, the family's life was in
\nruins.<\/p>\n
Murti was forced to quit junior high school during her second
\nyear. Her mother did not work anymore. Murti had to \"take over\"
\nall her mothers' responsibilities, including earning money to pay
\nfor her younger siblings' school fees.<\/p>\n
As the eldest child in the family, Murti did not want to see
\nher brothers and sisters' futures in ruins. She always remembered
\na message she had seen on a neighbor's TV. The message said,
\n\"However hard life may be, children must stay in school!\"<\/p>\n
Murti was often at a loss how she could send her three younger
\nsiblings to school while her mother was not able to work.<\/p>\n
Her mother's job required great strength. She husked rice with
\nthe traditional mortar and pestle. This job is now gone because
\nmodern machinery has taken over. Like Murti's mother, the
\ntraditional tools now lay idle. Gone was the sound of the music
\nproduced by the striking of the tools.<\/p>\n
Murti realized that she had to find some way to make money now
\nthat her mother no longer had a job. Moreover the size of the
\nfamily's rice fields had shrunk. People were forced to sell their
\nland at prices far below its actual value to make way for
\ndevelopment projects, such as buildings, factories, tennis courts
\nand luxury houses.<\/p>\n
\"If you want to earn more money, take my advice,\" Ningsih's
\nwords rang clearly in Murti's ears. Murti was undecided whether
\nto accept or refuse the offer.<\/p>\n
Night was approaching and Murti could not sleep. The faces of
\nher mother and siblings wouldn't leave her mind. It was all very
\npainful.<\/p>\n
Everybody knew that Ningsih's food stall was located near the
\ntown's market, and it was no secret that men hung around there
\nfor prostitutes. This fact was becoming increasingly well-known
\nbecause the number of prostitutes in the area was mysteriously
\nrising. Maybe it was because more legal brothels were being
\nclosed down according to the demands of reform-minded people. As
\na result, prostitutes looked for customers all over town, and it
\nwas horrible.<\/p>\n
That was another reason why Murti hesitated to ask her
\nmother's permission. She was not sure her mother would let her
\ntake the job. Suddenly, Ningsih's words came to mind: \"Any kind
\nof job has its consequences. The important thing for us is to be
\nresolute in facing the truth.\" Ningsih then told her how
\ncustomers in her stall often dared to touch or pinch her
\nbuttocks. She said that all that was part of the risk that had to
\nbe confronted.<\/p>\n
Murti took a deep breath while leaning back in her chair. She
\nglanced at her mother, who was lying weakly on a wooden bed. The
\nold woman's face was wrinkled and pale. She looked older than her
\nage.<\/p>\n
Her mother had been ill over the past three days. She coughed
\nand sometimes vomited blood. Murti was worried that her mother's
\ncondition would deteriorate if she did not give her medicine.<\/p>\n
\"You are not working today, are you Mur?\" her mother asked her
\nsuddenly.<\/p>\n
Murti only shook her head slowly. That day she did not have
\nanything to do. Mrs. Tutik and Mrs. Hermin who used to ask her to
\ndo the laundry had not done so for one week now. These women
\nmight be doing their laundry themselves. Murti could understand
\nthis, because the soaring prices of essential foods made people
\nthink twice before spending their money on other needs. This also
\napplied to Mrs. Tutik and Mrs. Hermin, the richest people in the
\nvillage.<\/p>\n
In the past, almost every day somebody asked Murti to do the
\nlaundry. She used the money to help her family survive. She could
\neven save some of her income. But now?<\/p>\n
\"Mother, I want to work in Ningsih's food stall,\" Murti said
\nbreaking the silence.<\/p>\n
Her mother looked intently at her for some time. Anger flashed
\nthrough her mother's face. Murti bowed her head, not daring to
\nlook her mother in the eye.<\/p>\n
\"You have thought it over, Mur?\"<\/p>\n
\"Yes, mother. You should not worry mother. I can take care of
\nmyself,\" Murti replied convincingly.<\/p>\n
\"What do you think, mother?\"<\/p>\n
The old woman remained silent for a long time. She gazed
\nblankly.<\/p>\n
Then she murmured, \"But you must be careful ....\" It was all
\nthat came from her mouth. But for Murti it was more than enough.<\/p>\n
After three evenings at Ningsih's food stall, Murti thought
\nthat she could not bear it any longer. Customers' indecent
\nbehavior made her sick.<\/p>\n
On the first evening, there were people who dared to pinch her
\nbuttocks. On the second evening, somebody touched her breasts.
\nThe harassment continued.<\/p>\n
\"That is usual, Mur. Don't be offended,\" said Ningsih,
\nreplying to her complaints.<\/p>\n
\"After all, they will not go beyond that. The important thing
\nis how to make this stall attract people so that you can earn a
\nlot of money,\" said Ningsih.<\/p>\n
Sadly, Murti accepted this bitter reality, and she tried hard
\nto continue working. She knew that she had to earn money so that
\nher siblings could continue their studies.<\/p>\n
One evening, a dim kerosene lamp the only source of light at
\nNingsih's stall, four men came by. The strong smell of alcohol
\nimmediately filled the small food stall.<\/p>\n
\"Ningsih, I heard there is a newcomer here,\" said one of the
\nmen. \"Oh, this one,\" the man said, grabbing Murti's hand.<\/p>\n
Murti was frightened. And she was shocked when she saw the
\nman's face. The old man was equally surprised. The two looked at
\neach other for a long time. Everybody in the food stall was
\nbewildered.<\/p>\n
Murti could not stand the revulsion she felt. She swiftly
\nturned away and ran out of the food stall as fast as she could.
\nLess than 50 meters away she stumbled over a stone and fell.<\/p>\n
The night was dark. Murti got up and walked slowly. The man's
\nface was still clear in her mind. She would never be able to
\nforget it. It was a familiar face: Her father's!<\/p>\n
Translated by SH<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/murtis-tale-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }