A Bicycle for Dewan

"Daddy, hurray, Daddy come home early. Would you like to buy a bicycle for me?" asked Dewan to welcome Darma's arrival by jumping for joy.

"Sorry, Dewan, but I came home because I wasn't feeling well. We'll buy the bike later, Son," said Darma who immediately put the hoe and machete under the bamboo bed in front of his house and then He went straight in, leaving Dewan, who was standing with a disappointed expression on his face.

Dewan had to be patient and resist his desire to get a bicycle. The bicycle that He has long wanted and until this moment, his father and mother have only asked him to be patient and continue to be patient.

Dewan walked with his head down towards Masiti's house, where Ajeng was helping to cook there.

"Dear, What happened? Why are your face look so sad?" asked Masiti when seeing Dewan walking with his face down and sitting next to Ajeng, who was facing the blazing fire stove with a casserole on it.

Ajeng is often asked by her neighbours to cook rice on the stove if one of them has a celebration that requires a cook for help and others.

"What are you doing, Wan?" asked Ajeng, glancing at her son.

Ajeng caught a tear on Dewan's cheek, which Dewan quickly brushed away with his finger. Dewan's chest felt tight. He wanted to force his desire to have a bicycle. However, Dewan also knew about his family's condition.

Only by crying he can express his disappointment due to Darma and Ajeng's promises, which often fall far short of their expectations.

"I want a bicycle, Mom. All my friends ride bicycles. I'm the only one who doesn't have a bicycle." Ajeng heard Dewan's voice stuttering. Dewan sobbed, his head propped on Ajeng's arm, he still trying to hold back tears so as not to keep multiplying.

"I've already talked to you; you'll buy it later when we have the money," said Ajeng, he's trying to persuade Dewan so that his cries would not continue to be heard.

"But when Daddy came home, he said he'd buy the bike later. Stay tuned, Mom. I don't want to play alone. All my friends go around on bicycles. "I can't possibly run after them," Dewan said in the midst of sobs.

"Ajeng, does your son want a bicycle?" asked Masiti, who had accidentally passed by and could hear Dewan and Ajeng's conversation even though they were talking in whispers.

"Yes, ma'am. But we don't have the money to buy a bicycle yet," admits Ajeng, according to their actual financial condition, although they are embarrassed. However, it is impossible for Ajeng to dodge Masiti's guess because Dewan is beside her.

"Dewan, I have Rangga's used bicycle before going to school in the city. If you want, you can use it and I give it for you, son," said Masiti, patting Dewan's shoulder.

"Are you sure, mom?" asked Dewan, looking up as he wiped the tears that rolled down his cheeks.

"Yes, it right, dear. Look at that, that's the bike. Lying there with no one to use If you want it, you can use it. Can you ride a bicycle? "

Dewan nodded enthusiastically. His eyes immediately lit up when he saw Rangga's used bicycle. A bike with red as the dominant colour and white and black stripes as accents

"is that bike for me, ma'am?" asked Dewan with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, son. That's for you. Please use it. Be careful when you play," said Masiti while rubbing Dewan's shoulder.

"Thank you, Ma'am, thank you," replied Dewan, repeatedly kissing the back of Masiti's hand.

"Mom," Dewan turns to look at Ajeng. Without he saying anything, Ajeng understood what his son meant.

"Yes, dear, you can use that's bicycle. But remember, you must be careful and not speed on the bicycle." Ajeng's message was met with a sparkling nod from Dewan.

"Thank you, mom. Can I go now? I want to play with my friend, Mom." Dewan said, grabbing Ajeng's hand for a kiss.

"Yes, be careful, Dear."

"Yes, ma'am, assalamualaikum." As usual, when he was about to leave, Dewan often said greetings which Ajeng never returned because she didn't really understand the meaning of his words.

In their village, there are still many people who do not know who their God really is. It is not clear what religion they follow. Villagers also know the various offerings that are often served to the spirits. The belief that has been passed down is held by the residents of Rancarawa.

The spirits of their ancestors seemed to be the determinant of the success of their children's lives. While the mosque is only in a sub-district which is located quite far away, the little mosque has been left piled up and has only continued now since the arrival of Abah Mul's family.

"Your child is learning Pencak Silat with the new teacher? Whose wife is called Umi Lela and her husband is called Abah Mul?"

"Yes, ma'am. I do not know the name of Dewan's Pencak Silat coach. I let him study there because the etiquette, manners, and attitude of Dewan have become better after studying there," explained Ajeng, who had never visited her son's Pencak Silat training in the field of little mosque.

"Many children practise there. I heard that Abah Mul's taught the Al-Qur'an too. Ngaji is reading the holy book of Muslims. The name of the book is Al-Quran, but I don't know what kind of book it is. "

"O yeah, ma'am? I don't know. I'll ask Dewan later. By the way, how about Rangga's bicycle. How much did I pay for it, ma'am?" asked Ajeng, who immediately remembered the bicycle belonging to Masiti's youngest child that was brought by his son.

" You don't have to pay; I give it it as a gift for your son, I often order Dewan and he never accepts anything in return from me. Your son is good boy, Ajeng. I hope he will have good lucky," said Masiti, to which Ajeng immediately agreed.

As a parent, he really hopes that his son will have good luck. Unlike her and her husband, who are unable to find a mouthful of rice to meet their food needs.

"Thank you, ma'am. Dewan really wanted the bike. I don't know what to pay for your kindness. I –"

"It's okay, No. problem Ajeng, it's enough you and me that know that I gave the bicycle for free to Dewan. You can say that you bought it from me. Don't let your mother go back to insulting your husband. I think Darma has worked diligently, but human fate cannot be changed easily. Everything is a long process, and I hope you and your husband can one day get a much more decent life"

"Hopefully, Ma'am. Honestly, I am also sad if my husband is insulted by my Mom. But I can't doaing anything, ma'am."

"Don't worry about it, continue cooking the rice, Ajeng. I will go there first. Don't take your mother's words to heart; she's always disagreed with you marrying Darma." Masiti rub Ajeng's hair before she left, leaving Ajeng, who was still faithfully sitting in front of the fire stove waiting for the rice she had cooked to be perfectly cooked.

One problem was solved by the hand of God, a God whom neither Ajeng nor Darma knew. Through Masiti, Dewan's bicycle problem was resolved, even though it was not the end of the test.