Assistance

By Jujur Prananto

Parwanto took a deep breath. His wrinkled forehead betrayed his anxiety. For a few moments he stared in silence at the letter in his hands, from Yanti, his youngest sister, even though he had already read it several times.

The letter, neatly hand-written, informed him that his sister was expecting her third child in about three months. And it was almost certain that she would have to undergo a caesarean, just as she had for her first and second children. In another paragraph she wrote that her husband's firm was downsizing, and that he was on the list of those to be dismissed.

"She needs help," said Parwanto slowly.

Yanti had not openly asked for support in her letter, but, how insensitive can one be if one could not read between the lines. Also, Yanti was an introvert, which made it impossible for her to talk about her problems, let alone ask for help.

"Do we help her individually, or, do we all pull together?" asked Lastri cautiously, while pouring a cup of hot coffee.

Parwanto did not immediately reply to his other sister's question. "We'll hear what Mas Dibyo has to say."

Lastri's question could not hide the hint that she did not want to be the one to solve Yanti's problem, even if the letter, mailed from the city S, was addressed to her. The same was true of Parwanto, whose tone could hardly conceal the hope that he would not be the "only responsible person."

"I am afraid that Mas Dibyo would prefer not to know of this problem," said Lastri afterwards. "Remember his attitude last year when Yanti gave birth to her second child."

"At the time he was extremely busy, his own child needed a lot of money to go to university."

"That's not true. I heard from Mut that Mas Dibyo was angry with us for offering Yanti some cash. He said, if we are not sincere, we should not help her, rather than giving her a trivial sum of money.

"Oh, that's just looking for a reason! If he thought our gift was too small, he should have come up with more money! And not ignore the problem the way he did."

Lastri did not say anything. She tried to control herself.

Her husband had not thrown the problem on the table, the family's financial problem. But the truth was that he had often been careful with money these past two months, which Lastri took to be a sign that his construction business was not going all that well. Each time she asked what project he was busy with, his standard reply was affirmative. But, Lastri was told by the construction workers exactly what was happening.

The rumbles of an aging Daihatsu Hijet minivan driving toward the front yard jerked Lastri from her thoughts. Not long afterwards, Mas Dibyo appeared uttering apologies for his late arrival, followed by a series of familiar other reasons, like the car broke down, or the roads were jammed. He downed the glass of water brought by Lastri and sank into a chair to read Yanti's letter, which Parwanto had given him.

"We are still lucky that we are in no need of support," were the first words he said after reading it. He said the words in a slightly consoling tone, as if to himself.

As the eldest child of the Martodisuryo family, Mas Dibyo sensed that his opinion was needed in all family matters. It was not always easy, but his father and mother had told him to be involved in all family-related matters. The problem was that he could not help them all. Not to worry, because of all the six children, he was the only one who happened to be a civil servant -- on a meager salary -- which understandably meant he could not afford generous donations.

However, since his sister needed his help, Mas Dibyo gave the matter his utmost consideration. The caesarean birth would require at least Rp 2 million. Not to mention other expenditure. When Yanti's husband was still working, it was already difficult. Matters would be worse now.

"So, what do you all plan to do?"

Parwanto did not immediately answer. He looked furtively at Lastri, who also glanced at her brother.

"We hope, and we would really appreciate your advice, Mas Dibyo."

"My answer is clear. Yanti needs help. Ever since she got married she has been beset by endless problems. I'll put aside five hundred thousand for her. You two collect five hundred, so we can give her one million. I don't think that two hundred and fifty thousand should be a problem for either of you."

Parwanto was startled. He did not expect such a decision from his oldest brother. "Don't, brother. Let me come up with five hundred thousand. You and Lastri donate the rest."

"Just a minute, Par. I may be a civil servant, but that doesn't mean that I'm all that poor. I have my lucky moments too and I will save that. Also, I did not give Yanti anything last year when she had her second child."

"But Zul has to pay a lot for his studies still."

Dibyo fell silent and pondered on his brother's words. It is true, he thought. His year-old loan from the office to cover Zul's entrance fee to university needs to be repaid. How could he tap into their meager savings of just several hundred thousand?

"You want to give five hundred thousand, Par?"

"Hm..mm yes."

"You don't sound convinced."

"That isn't the case, Mas. It's that I haven't talked this over with my wife."

"Oh! Even if you discussed it, you're still not convinced," Lastri interrupted harshly. It seemed that she had wanted to speak out for some time.

"In all honesty, I really object to giving more money when the time is nearly there. I myself am not in the best of financial situations. Amri's business is not doing well at all."

"That doesn't mean it has ground to a halt, does it?

"No. But, what's the use, if it would raise enough to pay for building materials and the workers?"

"Tell your husband not to be too choosy with projects."

"What do you mean, choosy. We are grateful for any kind of work. Do you want to know, Mas Dibyo, that my husband's last work order was to build a dog house for Mr. Onggo."

Dibyo would have burst into laughter had he not seen the tears streaming down Lastri's face as she tried to quell the violent sobs fighting to burst forth.

Nevertheless Dibyo decided to help Yanti. And after much consideration and serious thought, Lastri and Parwanto realized that they still had time, about three months, to do extra work. Parwanto, being on the staff of the Technical Director of PT Percetakan Sentra Aksara, was determined to work with someone in the administration department. They were going to take orders on the side, skipping official procedures, so the earnings would go straight in their pockets. Even if it meant risking his job and his livelihood.

Lastri would revive the old business of diamond trading, the kind of work her husband hated.

In less than three months, they collected the Rp 1 million. Then, one weekend, Lastri, Parwanto and Mas Dibyo departed in Dibyo's old minivan with Zul as driver, to the city S. After a five hour trip - including two visits to a car service which lasted an hour and a half, they finally arrived at Yanti's place.

However they were welcomed by a quiet, empty house. A watchman told them that Yanti had given birth a week ago and was living now at her in-laws who lived in a hamlet, called G.

"God be praised.." they said as in one breath.

Then they traveled on to G, because they agreed that they should meet Yanti that day.

"I hope that they are not in debt now because of hospital costs," said Mas Dibyo full of hope.

They entered the village G at nine in the evening. Amid the pastoral sounds of frogs and crickets, they heard the distant sounds of a gamelan amplified through speakers. A villager explained to Dibyo how to get to the house of Yanti's in-laws.

"You go straight from here, turn right, go on straight again till you come to the village center, pass that building and count ten houses from there." He added "There is a gamelan with loudspeakers there."

"What is the occasion?"

"They are celebrating the eighth day of their grandchild."

And true to his words, Yanti's in-laws were busy having a party. Tono - Yanti's husband - clad in a long sleeved batik shirt, his hair combed neat and flat, glistened with hair cream, approached Mas Dibyo and the others with barely concealed surprise and pleasure. Yanti, who had just fed her newborn baby, was moved and happy. Tono's parents sprang into action to prepare dinner for the "second round table."

"At any rate Mas Dibyo, Mas Parwanto and Lastri, you cannot go home tonight," they said wholeheartedly. "There is an empty room where you can rest."

There was nothing to be done, they had to stay the night. Mas Dibyo shared a room with Parwanto, Lastri moved in with Yanti, while Zul joined Tono and his relatives on the terrace drinking and munching tidbits.

"Have you finished senior high school Zul?"

"Yes, I have"

"You didn't bring your girlfriend?"

"I don't have one yet"

"Ah, high school kids nowadays have sweethearts"

Zul only smiled shyly.

"My younger brother Bahrul here, is getting married next month. I told him not to date too long, that usually ends up in nothing. If a relationship clicks, don't wait much longer. One can always look for work. I have just been laid off, but, as you can see, I'm still around. Luck is everywhere. Previously my brother believed one should own this and that before one could think about marriage. Well, if you want to wait till doomsday, nothing will ever happen.

"Look at me, for instance. Do you think that I had everything in order when I courted Yanti? I had nothing! I owned only one thing: willpower. Where there is a will there is a way. Believe it or not, at the time I spent only several thousand on the wedding. The reception was taken care of by someone else. When I'm in trouble, support always comes my way. More so after the arrival of my children. Wow.. luck seems like an endless river stream. You know yourself, that all my children were born by caesarean section. Did I spend millions on doctors and hospitals? Never! Before they were born, donations were already flowing in. I'm not saying that I actually expected it, but, if it happens by itself, I will be the last to turn it away, right?"

Translated by Claudine Frederik.

Jujur Jananto's short story Bantuan or Assistance, appears in Laki-Laki Yang Kawin Dengan Peri: Cerpen Pilihan Kompas l995 ( A Man Who Marries A Fairy: An Anthology of Kompas Short Stories l995). It is printed here by courtesy of Kompas.