Crazy Woman in Kitchen

Looked forward to death, Wak Haji Mail even delirious. At first no one caught what he said. I thought it could not. Do not want to, more precisely. I myself, as soon as permitted to hear directly digest immediately, not words, but a name. This muttered over and over among the poor intake of breath. Saodah.

Two weeks after the hospital gave up and returned it to the house, Haji Pak Mail has not picked Azrael. The fourteenth child of three increasingly difficult to muffle her marriage anxiety, alternating guard outside the room, ready to revolt from the division of inherited property is not fair. There's no way fair.

Hajj was off maghrib Mail opened his eyes and mouth speaks again. One hour later all the people continue to rush into so furious Misnah Wak. Fourteen children, grandchildren and, of course, makes the situation could quickly turn into the night market. That time Wak Misnah, Haji Mail's first wife, drove all the people, and called me inside.
"Did you hear?" Asked my aunt half snapped. I pause. In front of me, Wak Haji lying like a piece of wood. Indistinct, in between the heavy breathing, I could hear his voice, low and in pain. Wak toward Misnah, I nodded.

"Call him." My aunt's voice a little shaky, shocked me. What worried about?
On the road, I made up now own a piece of love affairs not until Wak Haji Mail on Saodah Mak. Just like my love of Aminah.

A few minutes after I ask a request of our family, Mak Saodah remained unmoved. Previously, I imagine he would hurry up, brushed herself off and briefly and then sat on the luggage rack of my bike. Although Pak Haji Mail machetes science practice in the case alms, all the villagers knew that Madame Saodah as always stingy drug store in the vegetable and side dishes. Not enough to build latrines with septic tanks, Wak Haji Mail sent people to build a semi permanent shanties, cement floor of the front of the house of Madame Saodah, electric pair, and send their five children through high school Saodah Mak. Finally he was granting the former wife of the refrigerator so they can make Saodah Mak own ice cubes and ice candles.

Mak Saodah in front of me was still motionless. Her eyes filled with tears and I thought he had touched. Amina, her older daughter, approached. He had been silent in the corner, listening. Now he groped maknya back, soothing. I saw a moment, seemed rattled the jaws Saodah Mak. I'm not sure.

Aminah looked sharp. I'm getting nervous. His gaze always made me feel have made a mistake. Since first. Perhaps because of the dirty mind easily read. Since arriving from abroad, last week, only this time I saw him. Aminah more beautiful.

"Madame did not want. You better go home, "Aminah said softly, seriously.
This sentence ulu stabbed my heart. My stomach churn. He once told me this same sentence. His words, arrangement, song, nearly the same. The only difference, he used to add this sentence is not the name of maknya, but his own.
I forced her eyes, trying hard not give in to her beauty. Once, I failed, then bowed his head, walked home with unsteady, married a cousin who had long since arranged for me to forget, but instead found that, during the ceremony, his face haunted me. Now I swear, in the heart, no longer.

Kubulatkan my resolve. This time, I'm not going home empty-handed. At least, I have to get a reason. Aminah smiled, a little weird. Looks like he merendahkanku. Yes, he merendahkanku. Did he also merendahkanku?
"The reason, Minah. At least there's a reason. "This phrase, I'm not sure is ask for the case where.

For some reason, she looked down. He seemed to think a moment before then decided to carry maknya rise, and led him back into the kitchen. A moment later, from the kitchen, I heard a roar. Mak Saodah voice.

I invented an explanation now in my head. Mak Saodah not come because they can not accept someone so instrumental in his life was dying. He would not look so sad. Would not exacerbate the family endured sadness Haji Mail.

It's a strange thought, actually. Everyone knows how hard Saodah Mak. Hard to face customers, hard to keep secret her kitchen. Many years to open shop in the village to eat, do not make good Be nice. The customer called Madame Galak, keep coming back to his stall simply because the delicacy of the cuisine is difficult unchallenged. I know almost all my life and never once saw him smile. Not even the Hajj Mail or distinguished people in this village. The boys of our village my grandmother called Magic Forbidden Forest because when night came he was always menggerai long hair and a figure even more terrifying.

My mind has not broken down well when Aminah out. Her eyes were red and swollen. I'm sure he cried. He sat in front of me, but it could turn when he heard shouts from the kitchen. This cry is followed by the sound of breaking dishes crashed. Or slam.
Aminah back at me, but this time calmly, as calmly as his voice filled my request. A piece of reasons, a piece of the story. I still would not understand even long after he finished this story. Either because the story was so difficult and horrible, or because all the talk, broken plates ditingkahi bebunyi slam, his voice remained as calm as a pond.
When I was called in, Wak Misnah was sitting in the left side of the head Haji Mail. That side of the ear Haji Mail still want to work. I sat down, but failed to overcome anxiety.
Haji Mail long muttered, exhausted. Misnah time put his ear to the mouth Haji Mail. Not sure, ask at Misnah Wak the ear of the miser. He mumbled back light, but seemed to understand Misnah Wak. My aunt had cleared his throat and nodded.
"What said the Saodah?" He asked, half yelled. This question is not the slightest felt awkward in his mouth, but half an hour ago he received the answer already.
Even if I told you before, I knew my story would return stammered. Even worse. Once the panic, my sentence was a mess and not sequential, like a kid learning to talk. Fortunately, Wak kekacauanku improve Misnah diligent. He repeated the story told in the ear of the miser with loud, as he always did the last 10 years.
"Anything else?" Snapped my aunt.

I choked for a moment before shaking his head. Among cekat feelings and shake my head could think to express the secret Aminah told me. Not really a secret because only a light outline. Haji Mail Saodah sinned against Mak. Her husband, Amina's father, slandered apostate, polytheism, polytheists, infidels, exiled people like lepers village, left to die without dignity.

This remind me when I heard moaning Haji Mail. She moaned long and painful agony. I believe the right choice. No need to tell you, Haji Mail remember.

Fifteen minutes later, having left a message that can only hear his wife, Haji Mail and piece of mind to go. I saw him stretch last breath, a slow breath as hit the exhausting life. Back of my neck hairs rise. I've just shared a room with Azrael. Wak Misnah still trying to determine her husband's last command, asked loudly in his ear that had just left behind.
Early morning, after dawn, I returned to the house of Madame Saodah with mixed feelings mixed. Facing Mak Saodah scared, but came home without the effort and face the same Misnah Wak horrible. Halting forced myself delivered last request Haji Mail.
Mak Saodah listened quietly to this request. I can not tell legaku feeling when I saw him nod. He got up and did not find older women who have helped to walk into the kitchen, last night. Mak Saodah full strength. Until the kitchen, he had sibakkan curtains, blocking the door. His shadow looms large on the curtain.

Amina was still living with me. Apparently Madame Amina Saodah not allow foot in her kitchen. Worked alone to meet the demand of the late Pak Haji, Mak Saodah must hurry to prepare meals for hundreds of people who will bertahlil tonight.
Glass of tea in front of me was still half full so I decided to sit any longer. Besides, I do not know where to go. New funeral will be conducted after sunrise, back to my aunt's house just to contaminate the mind than to clean it. Fourteenth cousin was out of control, an argument can not be postponed again.

Aminah mood, somehow a little brighter. Thought to ask what right he worked as a cook abroad and really, as people say, that he did not want to go back to live in this village.
Cleared his throat not fit, I decided to open a conversation. "I heard you tell Makmu stopped trading, Minah?"
Amina looked at me, seemed pleased by my question, then nodded. "Yes, but Mak did not want to."
"Why?"

Aminah's smile disappeared, but his eyes were still clear round. He looked thoughtful for a moment before then said, "Mak said, trade is the reason to live."
"Trade?"

Amina was thinking about the answers anymore. A moment later he found a more appropriate word. A few words. "No, not berdagangnya. Cooking for the villagers. Yes, that's what saved him, "Amina sentence interrupted briefly. His eyes got wide open when he muttered, "it saved me."

This statement, confusing. The whole village is, if the true story of Amina yesterday, was not hell for Mak Saodah?

I sat quietly and tried to solve the confusion. Long. Ten minutes later, Amina seemed to feel sorry for my face because merot-Perot did not understand. He called me over. I came with alacrity, but he quickly put his index finger in his mouth, his eyes glaring naughty threatening. I refine my pace, without a sound approach. He bent over the kitchen curtains, I followed him. For a moment I remember, we were both as eight-year-old boy, 20 years ago, standing on tiptoe peering Saodah Mak. Once, long before reaching the kitchen curtains are snapped Madame Saodah us. Now the screaming voice that did not come. I looked down at the back of Aminah. We were very close, I could see the back of his neck under her hair curled, her smell, her hair. Neck, ready to drown me. I'm a little drunk, do not believe it. A moment of joy and even overwhelming and my heart. Aminah radius lovely kitchen curtain
.
With one eye I could see, Saodah Mak was working, chopping cooking, prepare the oven, put the spices into the pot. It took a few seconds for me to find out what strange of all this. Mak Saodah constantly spitting ingredients was doing. I could not look out for Aminah turned to me, he seemed to feel nafasku too close, warm on his cheek. I was surprised. That's when I whispered, deliverance asked. Kupendam old question and I thought it was not going to ask again.

"Minah, why do you always reject my application?"
I do not remember if Amina could answer, because maknya from the kitchen makes me dumbfounded.

Mak Saodah was lifted high the fabric, through the knee, then stood half crouched astride one pot whose contents began to boil. The look on his face, a strange combination of push and hatred, horrible. A second later, from where he stood, I heard a familiar whistling sound and sound of water falling into the pan. Mak Saodah spat again into the pot, once.

Ping and the rush was not finished when the eyes of Madame Saodah sharp, look at me.
After tahlilan disbanded, I sat next Misnah Wak. While besek helped distribute the food, I was forced to hear the old adage. This advice does not make sense to say this, but it seems my aunt was like talking karuan not mind not bother to question. Two children was just about to kill each other, this afternoon.

Although memorized by heart, I found that the two never understand as this lesson now. First, that there are 42 kinds of crazy people. "If you want to understand everything, just remember uwakmu actions, the late Haji Ismail." Second, that the human mind has long separated. Crazy man on the street, women in the kitchen. "That's why you never understood. Do not you think you are smarter than this aunt. I will make you dead later. "
Life poisoned, I think, more horror .*