HUMMING NOON
Walaupun terbentang jarak di antara kita
Kurela demi cinta setia menerima
Biarpun walau hanya sekedar lewat maya
Semoga impian cinta kita jadi nyata
(Even though the distance lies between us
For the sake of love, I faithfully accept
Even if it's just through cyber
May our dreams of love come true)
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Like an obligatory, the song is melodious, playing from A Jay's cell phone upstairs every noon. Hira just heard the song in this place, but the song Rela Demi Cinta (willingly, for the sake of love) feels like a touch of sarcasm. He was playing the music on purpose to insinuate.
A Jay was the only person in this place who could feel something happen without saying a word, the only person who could understand things without speaking or making eye contact. A Jay's thought waves vibrate with the same frequency as Hira's and Billy's, his bosses. Luckily, A Jay is a quiet person and rarely talks, so whatever happens in cyberspace remains a secret.
"The audio is excellent; I thought it was using a Bluetooth speaker," Hira commented when she got to the 3rd floor and caught a cell phone lying beside him.
A Jay was busy measuring the big yellow foam sheet and then cutting it into small pieces with a sharp knife as 2x2cm square.
"What is that, A? What's for?"
"This is Rockwall, Sis. Hydroponic media."
Hira just discovered that the media where Hydroponic plants grow is Rockwall, whose original shape is like that of a big sheet like a door leaf. She thought it was a material for a chair or car seat.
After being cut into small squares into hundreds and soaked in water, A Jay put vegetable seeds on top. He took the bases with a stick of 4-5 grains and then put them onto the pieces of Rockwall until they stuck. A Jay can sit up all day long, diligently and thoroughly concentrating, like making batik painting when planting the seeds.
Hira imagined that if she had done the work all day long, she might have fallen asleep. The relaxed afternoon, the gentle breeze accompanied by whole-heart Sundanese songs made the afternoon hard to miss.
Observing A Jay, who is so tenacious and persevering, sometime Hira wants to increase his salary by 1 million. Ahaha, she laughed to herself.
Finished with the batik work, as Hira called it, the seeds were left on the Rockwall for a few days until they sprouted. Then the Rockwall grew with sprouts to be transferred to a mini-sized plastic pot with a diameter of about 4-5 cm and placed in the Styrofoam foam holes or paralon pipes holes with water flowing underneath.
The growing plant from seedlings in the Rockwall will be removed from the pots at harvest time. Then they are weighed in plastic packaging weighing 250 grams, and A-Jay himself distributes the vegetables ready to be sold to the collectors.
"Before a covid pandemic, we sold directly on the car-free day. Now all harvests are only deposited to collectors."
"This also affected by Covid, A?"
"Yes, sis. Sometimes the harvest has piled up, and there are no buyers yet."
Hira saw that the PakCoy leaf on the west side had started to turn yellow.
"Btw, did you know there was government assistance, a special pre-employment card for people affected by Covid? Have you ever registered yet?"
"No, sis. I've never proposed joint a program like that." Said A Jay little embarrassed, afraid to be told as arrogant, unwilling to accept aid.
"This is assistance for training. Later, you will get a balance with a nominal value of 1 million rupiahs which must be used for spending on courses or training. There are various kinds of training according to the field of interest. After that, the government will transfer 600 thousand every month four times, and if you don't need the money, it can also spend it on training again. It's good, A, for self-development to increase competence." Hira speaks like an extension officer.
A Jay nodded.
"I will send you the web link if you're interested. It's a good opportunity. Many people don't know the info."
"May I have a look tonight?"
"That's it, I've sent a link, so you're not mistaken... because now there are many pre-employment jockeys," Hira said while forwarding the link to A Jay WhatsApp.
Suddenly there were steps up the stairs and, "A Jay ... Ibu called!" Bibi appeared from behind the door
Before saying goodbye, A Jay offered Hira some vegetables, PakCoy.
Doel Sumbang's voice accompanied his departure, and the traditional song Amparan Sajadah (prayer mat spread) caressed the afternoon of the city of Parahiyangan...
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Dina amparan sajadah
Abdi sujud pasrah
Diri nu lamokot ku dosa
Nyanggakeun sadaya daya
(On the expanse of prayer mat
Servant bows down
The sinful self
Surrender with all power)
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Hira had just picked up the dry clothesline when she saw Mrs. Yulia and A-Jay sitting and chatting while threading vegetable seeds on top of the Rockwall pieces with a stick.
"Heyyy… There's Ibu. I thought that was a new employee." Hira greeted them.
"Yes, help A Jay," replied Yulia. "While Bapak is not around," she continued. "His subordinates in the same room got Covid. Fortunately, his swab result was negative, but he didn't dare to go home and self-isolate first in Jakarta. "Bu Yulia's telling the story without being asked.
Hira listened attentively. Occasionally the three of them laughed together. Sometimes A-Jay and Hira looked at each other smiling meaningless smiles. Or maybe it's full of meaning, only they know.
It was recorded that 'Bapak' words came out of Yulia's lips more than 20 times before she finally ended the conversation because of the sound of Icha's crying.
And Hira also said goodbye and came down leaving the 3rd floor.
Jay continues his work, and not to be missed, the mandatory song is playing from his cellphone...
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Walaupun terbentang jarak di antara kita
Kurela demi cinta setia menerima
Biarpun walau hanya sekedar lewat maya
Semoga impian cinta kita jadi nyata
Oh My, AA
***