It had been a week since my grandma
was sleeping. She had not waked up until the day I returned to home. In
advance, she was bought to the hospital but several days then the doctors and
hospital officers stated that they had to stop infusing her. The liquid in the
transparent bottle containing vitamin and nutrition for patient’s body was put
off. Not enough, the oxygen cable was also removed from her mouth. “Grandma’s body will be pitiful if she has
to bear the misery longer” my mother said that way when I asked her why she
was not treated at the hospital. I had asked the same question to my uncles and
aunts who were staying at my house then, and most of the answers were concluded
to be similar.
My second day at home, the house was
really crowded, those relatives of mine who I seldom saw gathered at one spot,
my house. In addition, Farah, Abi, Zuffan, and Bunga made the atmosphere more
crowded by their laugh, move, cry, and weep. Those toddlers I mentioned the
names are my cousins. It means that they’re also grandma’s grandchild.
It’s nearly all of those who ever
lived with Mbah formerly came to my house. Even Lek Menik, someone whom I knew
only from the name finally I could see her face. My mother told me much about
Lek Menik. Mother said that she was fatherless and adopted by grandma. She
lived far in the slope of mountain. As a child at that time I was so curious to
see her directly but eventually time brought people who were far became close.
After Maghrib, yasin
recitation was fulfilling each air particle in house, produced by people
staying at my house. Sometimes if no one recited Koran for grandma, Mbak Ida,
my mother’s lil sister, would play Murottal for grandma.
The next day, in the afternoon I sat
nearby her and held her hand. It felt like touching skin and bone. In my right
side, I only saw a lying body which the mouth was open and sometimes looked
difficult to take a breath, while her eyes were still closed.
“When will you return to Salatiga
Pik?” mbak Ida, who was sitting two sits after me asked. There are three
people actually in that room: mother, mbak Ida, and I. It became 4 if grandma
was counted. “Thursday morning I think” I responded mbak Ida’s question.
The situation was still silent. Only grandma’s hard sigh seemed dominate the sound
in the room.
Finally Thursday morning came. I
woke up early and prepared all the things I needed to bring. At 5 a.m. after
doing early morning prayer I asked for permission to the people in my house.
Just those who were still sleeping such as Mbak Nevi, Napis, and the toddlers I
did not invite to shake hand. Their tight sleeping had represented their
permission. “Pik, ask the permission to Mbah too” mother ordered me. I
then approached the bed where my grandma lied on. I touched her right hand and
held it. By my sight, I swept the faint body. Starting from her palm of foot to
the grey hair, suddenly my eyes stopped at the frowning- skin of her face. It
as if said that time was showing that no creature in this life was eternal. No
beauty in the world was everlasting. And all the creatures would return to
their creator. Ya Allah, by the thing you created namely “time” you have taught
human being many things.
After putting her hand on the
original position and tidying up the blanket I then left the house. My father
escorted me to the Kudus Terminal.
I still remembered clearly. It was
at 08.41 a.m. when green Taruna I got in entered just now the entrance of Bawen.
At once my HP vibrated. I did recognize that such vibration was not the sign of
a message came but indicated that someone was calling. My heart guessed that it
was from home. The guess was 100% accurate after I took out the HP from my
shirt pocket and saw the display “home calling”. Did you know the other guess
to be 100% accurate anymore? By the HP, through the voice of Bahar, my lil
brother, I got the news that Mbah had passed away. She left this world for
good, just no more than three hours after my departure from home. I did feel so
guilty of it.
I was confused whether I should go
back or not. I asked to myself “will I be disobedient grandchild?” In addition,
I also got message from a friend confirming about the time to do assignment. I kept
thinking until the bus arrived at Salatiga. Suddenly I remembered what my
mother said to me when I was at home related to this thing. “You do not need
to go home if you have been in Salatiga and got the news about Mbah’s going,
just focus on your study!”. With the guilt I brought from Bawen finally I
decided not to go home. I kept being able to pray for grandma in the dorm.
The thing I know from you, as the
last grandma, was you’re absolutely strong. You flung away what doctors said
about your age. You could dodge swiftly from our assumption. Mosquitoes and
house-lizards competing with the sounds of your hard sigh for more than 7 nights
must be inspired of your struggle to survive. I know that someday I will leave
this world. You knew that thing. That’s why you gave a very kind mother who has
been teaching me all the time, reminding me when doing mistakes, and giving the
great love as you gave her when she was a child. Sorry I cannot visit you
today, as in the 7th day of yours.
