CHAPTER 11: THE GATEWAY TO A NEW LIFE

The atmosphere in Mr. Rudi's house was calm and comforting that night. Ben felt as if he had found a new family. Although everything felt unfamiliar at first, he enjoyed the warmth of his new home. Mr. Rudi then told Ben to rest and provided him with his own room. As he stepped inside, Ben felt like his dreams were getting closer. For the first time, he had his own personal computer with unlimited internet access and a television inside his room—exactly as he had always dreamed of, something he had only seen in movies.

The next morning, at precisely 4 AM, Mr. Rudi woke Ben up for the morning prayer at the mosque. On the way, Mr. Rudi explained the rules of living in his house.

"Ben, I know you're new to this family, but there are some rules you must follow. First, in this house, prayer is the most important thing. If you forget to pray, I will be very upset. Second, no matter how far you go, you must return home before Maghrib (sunset prayer), because I consider you my son, and you are obliged to come home. And lastly, build a close relationship with your younger siblings in this house."

Ben gently replied, "Understood, sir." In his heart, he whispered, I can do this.

After returning from the mosque, for the first time, Ben could clearly see how large Mr. Rudi's house was. He also noticed that Mr. Rudi owned four personal cars. In his mind, he thought, Wow, so you don't have to be a government official to be rich. Then, he murmured to himself, Is this the father figure I've dreamed of since childhood? But I wanted a government official, not a private worker. Oh well, whatever it is, I should accept and be grateful, he smirked slightly.

Before heading to work, Mr. Rudi and his family had breakfast together. Mr. Rudi then asked Ben, "Do you know how to drive?"

Ben shyly replied, "No, sir."

Mr. Rudi chuckled, "How can a mechanic not know how to drive? Hmm... Okay, later, go with Akbar to learn."

Akbar was Mr. Rudi's eldest son, a fourth-semester university student at the time. Akbar and Ben then went to a stadium in the city. Slowly, Akbar taught Ben how to drive. Surprisingly, within a short time, the two started to feel like real brothers. After a week of practice, Ben became skilled and was able to drive on his own.

Then, Mr. Rudi took Ben to an office to obtain his first driver's license. While processing the documents, Ben curiously asked, "Sir, if I don't have a driver's license, I can still drive, right?"

Mr. Rudi smiled, "Technically, yes, but if you get pulled over, you'll be in trouble. A license proves that you are qualified to drive."

Once the license was ready, Mr. Rudi also opened a bank account for Ben. "Just in case you ever need financial help," he said. "With this ID and driver's license, you can withdraw your own money from the bank."

On the way home, they stopped by a phone store. Mr. Rudi bought Ben his first mobile phone. "Living in the city requires communication. Without a phone, you might lose your way," he explained.

At that moment, Ben wondered, Who exactly is Mr. Rudi? He's not my relative, yet he is so kind and generous. Could he be an angel sent by God for me? His thoughts began to drift into endless possibilities.

When they arrived home, the family was waiting to go out for dinner at an upscale restaurant. This was the first time Ben had ever dined in such a luxurious place. However, when the food arrived, he was shocked. Deep inside, he grumbled, Wow, the food is expensive, but the portion is tiny. Not filling at all, just costly. I should have eaten at a regular food stall instead. Is this what it's like to be rich?

While enjoying the atmosphere, Ben noticed a group of middle-aged men who appeared to be government officials. He was mesmerized. How wonderful their lives must be. What have they gone through to reach this level? If only I were among them...

Without realizing it, Mr. Rudi had been observing Ben's fascination with the officials. On the way home, he asked, "Ben, I saw you looking at those officials. Are you interested in being like them?"

Ben replied, "Yes, sir, I am."

Mr. Rudi gave a faint smile and said, "Becoming one of them takes a long journey. You need to go through university, compete with hundreds of thousands of people, and if you're only a high school graduate, it's nearly impossible—unless you have something they need. But remember, their world is full of deceit. You could easily become just a tool for them. Once you're no longer useful, they'll discard you and replace you with someone new."

Mr. Rudi continued, "If you want to live among them, strive to be a diamond in their eyes, not a tool. I brought you into my home for a reason. I want to shape you into a diamond. You have great skills in car mechanics—maybe one day we can open a workshop. But everything takes process."

Ben firmly responded, "InshaAllah, sir."

Throughout the journey home, Ben kept thinking about Mr. Rudi's words. What did he mean by that? When they arrived, Ben went straight to his room and, for the first time, turned on his new computer. He tried to search for answers to Mr. Rudi's statement. He started exploring Google and felt as if it was a window to endless possibilities.

He spent hours searching but found no clear answer. In his mind, he wondered, What exactly is Google? It can't be touched, yet it can be used? What is it made of? Who created it? How does it work?

Curious, he began researching how Google functions. If cars have a physical form, then what is Google made of?

Days went by, and he finally discovered that Google was built using programming languages. This sparked his interest in the world of coding. He started learning different programming languages, including:

HTML & CSS – The foundation for creating website layouts.JavaScript – To make websites more interactive.Python – A language widely used for artificial intelligence and data analysis.Java – Commonly used for mobile applications.C++ – Often used for large-scale software and game development.

The deeper he delved into programming, the more fascinated he became. For the first time, he felt that this might be the start of something much bigger.