Cerpen

Kayla adalahseoranganak yang mempunyaibanyakmasalah, terutamamasalahdirumahnya.Kayla danibunyaselalusajabertengkar.Kayla berpikirbahwaibunyatidaksayangkepadanya.Padasuatuhari Kayla diajakpergibersamateman- temannyake Bali, makaIa pun memberitahuibunyaterlebihdahulu, tetapisepertibiasaibunyatidakmemperbolehkan Kayla pergisendiri, Kayla pun menjadikesaldanmemintapenjelasan yang dapatIaterima. Ibunyamengatakanbahwa Kayla masihterlalukeciluntukpergisendirisepertiitu, danibunyasanatkhawatir.Tetapi Kayla pun tidakbisamenerimanya, makapadamalamharinya, Iapergidarirumah.
Keesokanharinya, ibunya Kayla mengetukpintukamarnyauntukmembangunkannya, tetapiibunyapenasarankenapatidakadajawabandari sang anaknya. Makaibunya pun membukapintukamarnyadanmelihatbahwaanaknyasudahtidakadalagididalamkamarnya.
Ibunya pun sangatkaget, danpingsan.PadasaatituadaseorangpembantumerekabernamaIyemmelihat Tuan Rumahnyapingsan, makaIyem pun berteriakmemintatolong.Sedangkan Kayla, Iasedangbersenang- senangdengantemannyadi Bali, Ia pun tidakmengetahuikabartentangibunyaitu, tiba- tibahandphonenya Kayla berbunyi.
“ Halo?” Kata Kayla
“Non, iniIyem”
“Iya, kenapaYem?”
“Ini non, itusiibu non!”
“Kenapa mama?”
“Ibupingsan non”
“Apaa? Sekarangadadimana?”
“Di rumahsakit non, emang non adadimana?”
“Enng..saya..” Kayla pun tidakbisamembalasperkataanIyemtadi, maka Kayla pun langsungmenujukebandaradanpulangke Jakarta.Sesampainyadi Jakarta Kayla langsungmenujukerumahsakit, dimanaibunyasedangdirawat.
Ketika Kayla telahsampaiditempatkamaribunya, Iapunmasukperlahan- lahanuntukmelihatibunya yang sedangsekaratitu.
“Non?” Iyem pun bertanya
“IbukenapaYem?”
“Ibutadipingsan non, tadipagi pas maungebanguninenon”
Kayla pun merasabersalahkarenaIatelahmembuatibunyasepertiini, Iamelakukanitukarena Kayla inginsekalimerasakankebebasanbersamadenganteman- temannya.Maka Kayla pun berdoauntukmemohonsupayaibunyabisasadarkembali.
Lalutiba- tibaibunyamembukamatanyadenganperlahan- lahan, Iamulaiberbicaradengansuara yang serak
“Kay..Laa” kataibunya, ketika Kayla mendengarhalituIa pun langsungmenangisdengankencangkarenaIatelahbersalah, lalutiba- tibaseorangdokter pun masukdanmemeriksakondisiibunya Kayla
“Dok, bagaimanakeadaanibusaya?”
“Hmm..keadaanibumubagus, besokbeliausudahbolehpulang”
“Terimakasihdok”
Mendengarhalitu, Kayla menangislagikarenapenyesalan yang Iatelahbuat, dankesenanganbahwaibunyamasihbisaberadadisisi Kayla.Lalu Kayla pun memelukibunyadenganseerat- eratnyadanberjanjibahwaIa pun akanselalumenurutiapakataibunya.

Liburan 2

Liburan Kelulusan
Pada 12 Juni 2009 kemarin, saya lulus di bangku SMP. Saya sangat senang sekali. Setelah 3 tahun di SMP, akhirnya saya pun lulus dan siap melanjutkan ke SMA. Tentu saya lulus dengan nilai yang memuaskan. Acara kelulusan dilaksanakan di Black Box, dengan adanya beberapa acara. Salah satunya drama musikal yang khusus dibuat oleh murid-murid. Setelah itu, acara pengambilan toga dan diploma oleh Kepala Sekolah. Dari semua acara yang saya dan teman-teman angkatan saya sukai adalah saat kami semua menyanyikan lagu "Ingatlah Hari Ini", walaupun tidak ada latihan sehingga membuat berantakan tapi kami sangat kompak saat di reff. Kemudian di akhir lagu kami melempar topi kelulusan. Saat itulah raut kebahagian sekaligus bangga kami pancarkan. Liburan pun tiba. Saya dan keluarga memutuskan untuk pergi ke London. Untuk bertemu keluarga ayah saya. Saya pergi kesana bersama, ibu ayah, tante Stanny dan adik saya, Nate. Kami menghabiskan waktu selama 2 minggu disana.Kami menaiki pesawat Emirates. Perjalanan dari Jakarta menuju London menghabisi waktu 14 jam. Tetapi, kami berhenti atau transit dulu di Abudabi ( Arab) yang menghabisi waktu 7 jam. Sesampainya di Airport untuk menunggu pesawat ke London, kami pun meluangkan waktu untuk makan, istirahat dan belanja selama 3 jam. Lalu kami pun masuk kembali ke pesawat, dan melanjutkan perjalanan 7 jam berikutnya untuk sampai ke Heathrow, London International Airport. Leganya saat sampai di London. Kami sampai waktu sore hari. Anehnya, udara disana lagi panasnya seperti Jakarta. London sangatlah kota yang sangat bagus. Beda sekali dengan Jakarta. London sangat bersih, sejuk, beratmosfer sangat bagus. Kami pun pergi untuk check-in di Hotel Novotel yang terletak dekat dengan Heathrow tapi sangat jauh dari Central London. Karena kami sangat capek dan jetlag, kami pun memutuskan untuk istirahat di hotel. Saya dan tante tidur di satu kamar, dan ibu, ayah serta nate tidur di satu kamar. Kamar kami berdua tidaklah berdekatan tetapi terletak sangat jauh. Besoknya kami jalan-jalan ke Central London dengan menaiki Tube Train. Kereta bawah tanah seperti di Singapore. Tube ini sangat terkenal karena kekunoannya juga sering dipakai sebagai tempat syuting. Sampainya kami pun mengikuti London Tour Bus, dimana kami jalan-jalan dengan bus juga adanya tour guide. Banyak sekali yang saya datangi saat di London, seperti Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Museum National Geography dll. Pengalaman tak terlupakan yaitu saat saya pertama kalinya bertemu dengan kakek dan nenek tiri saya yang selama hidup belum pernah bertemu. Juga setelah 6 tahun lamanya saya baru mempunyai kesempatan lagi untuk bertemu dan menghabisi waktu banyak dengan tante dan om saya dari ayah saya. Terakhir saya bertemu saat mereka mengunjungi kami ke Jakarta dan itu saat saya berumur 9 tahun. Dua minggu lamanya saya di London membuat saya senang sehingga membuat saya tidak mau pulang ke Jakarta. Rasanya saya ingin tinggal disini lebih lama karena saya merasa saya telah mencintai tanah air ayah saya. Akhirnya dengan berat hati saya harus pulang karena sudah saatnya untuk sekolah kembali. Apalagi saya baru masuk ke SMA. Dimana saya harus beradaptasi dengan lingkungan baru. Ini adalag liburan yang takkan terlupakan karena saya mengalami pengalaman hidup yang sangat berarti bagi saya.

Liburan

Liburan
Sewaktu saya libur lebaran dan term 1 ke term 2, saya pergi ke Cianjur untuk menengok kakek saya dan keluarga-keluarga dari ibu saya dan Lebaran disana. Ketika tiba di Cianjur saya mampir dulu beli nasi “tim” untuk berbuka puasa, setelah itu saya pergi ke rumah kakek nenek saya, disana saya mendapat sambutan hangat oleh kakek nenek dan saudara-saudara saya, setelah itu pun saya solat mandi dan berbuka puasa.
Keesokan harinya pun hari Lebaran dan saya bangun pagi-pagi dan langsung mandi, berpakaian, makan dan berangkat ke Masjid Agung, disana saya mendengarkan khotbah dan kemudian solat ID, setelah solat sayapun kembali ke rumah Kakek saya, dan setelah sampai di meja langsung disediakan berbagai makanan khas Lebaran, dan saya pun makan kemudian bermain, setelah bermain saya pergi mengunjungi makam kakek dari ayah saya, saya jalan kaki karena makamnya tidak begitu jauh, setelah sampai saya dan keluarga saya mendoakan kakek saya yang sudah tiada setelah itu pun saya kembali ke rumah kakek nenek saya.
Setelah saya tiba ternyata sudah banyak orang di rumah kakek dan nenek saya untuk bersilaturahim, saya pun ikut salam-salaman dan maaf-maafan dan kemudian saya di kasih uang THR. Tadinya kami pengen nginep 2 hari tetapi akhirnya kami memutuskan 1 hari saja dan kemudian pada hari itu pun saya pulang ke Jakarta setelah pamit dan minta doa dari kakek nenek dan saudara-saudara saya.
Diperjalanan Cianjur-Jakarta sangat macet sekali sehingga saya sempat tertidur 2 jam di mobil dari 4 jam perjalanan, setelah sampai di Jakarta saya langsung bersilaturahmi mengunjungi rumah nenek dari Ayah saya, disana saya bertemu saudara-saudara saya dan bermaaf-maafan, setelah itu pun saya kembali ke rumah saya dan langsung tidur.
Sewaktu liburan tahun lalu saya dan keluarga saya pergi ke kota Jogja, kota yg terkenal dengan berbagai Candinya. Setelah berapa jam perjalanan saya akhirnya sampai dan langung menuju hotel untuk beristirahat sebentar, di hotel saya mandi, solat dan kemudian pergi keluar untuk mencari makan. Disana makanannya lumayan enak-enak dan saya makan banyak sehingga sempat sakit perut dan kemudian kami kembali lagi ke hotel untuk tidur.
Keesokan harinya saya dan keluarga saya pergi untuk mengelilingi kota Yogyakarta, sebelum itu saya breakfast dulu di hotel dan kemudian berangkat. Tujuan pertama saya adalah melihat Candi Borobudur, disana saya melihat kemegahan dan keunikan dari bangunan yang hanya terdiri dari batu tersebut. Disana saya melihat batunya yg bukan sekedar batu biasa aja tetapi di dalam batu tersebut ada sebuah gambar ukiran yang saya lupa itu namanya apa, di batu tersebut disebutkan dan dijelaskan asal-usul sejarah dari Candi Borobudur ini, Candi Borobudur pernah terkena gempa dan sempat roboh tetapi kembali dibangun oleh orang-orang.
Berikutnya setelah saya asik memutari mengelilingi dan melihat-lihat Candi Borobudur, saya dan keluarga saya pergi makan dulu untuk mengisi perut yang lapar dan kemudian pergi menuju Candi Prambanan. Begitu sampai di Canti Prambanan saya dan keluarga saya langsung melihat satu-satu dari beberapa bangunan yang ada di Candi Prambanan tersebut, di Candi Prambanan ada beberapa dewa yang salah satunya disebut dewa Wisnu yang menyerupai seekor gajah dan masih banyak dewa-dewa lainnya, di Candi Prambanan jg ada semacam tulisan / gambar cerita di masing2 dinding bangunan tersebut, sewaktu dulu Candi Prambanan juga sempet roboh akibat efek gempa dan kemudian dibangun lagi oleh orang-orang.
Setelah asik melihat-lihat berbagai Candi di kota Yogyakarta saya kembali ke hotel untuk istirahat sejenak dan kemudian malamnya kami keluar untuk makan, dan kemudian kembali lagi ke hotel untuk tidur. Dan keesokan harinya kami pergi memutari kota Yogyakarta untuk belanja dan beli oleh-oleh khas Yogyakarta, setelah beberapa lama berbelanja baju, makanan, dll akhirnya kami kembali lagi ke hotel untuk tidur. Dan keesokan harinya pun saya dan keluarga saya kembali ke Jakarta.
Ditengah-tengah perjalanan saya kembali ke Jakarta saya berjalan dulu ke bandara kemudian menunggu beberapa jam sebelum terbang, setelah delay yang berkali-kali saya menunggu sambil makan dan bersantai-santai, dan akhirnya pesawat terbang saya pun tiba dan kemudian kami menuju ke gerbang pesawat kami memberi barang-barang kami kepada petugas yang lalu diletakan di cargo pesawatdan kemudian kami masuk ke kursi penumpang dan lalu pesawatnya berangkat kembali ke Jakarta.
Setelah beberapa jam perjalanan akhirnya saya sampai juga di Jakarta dan kemudian kami pulang ke rumah dengan menggunakan mobil, dan akhirnya kami sampai di rumah dan istirahat. Meskipun hanya 2 hari di Yogyakarta itu merupakan kenangan yang indah buat saya.

Juniarfan A.M 10-H

Lilac

LILAC

Arts, More Arts: H-7
“Adri... Jangan pulang dulu, doongg… Gue belom ke situ, tuuhh!”
“Udah ga sempat, Lila. Ntar malah kemaleman.”
“Sempat, kok! Cuma sebentar... Beneran, deh!”
“Ga ada.”
“Adriii...!”
“Naik atau gue tinggal.”
Lila cemberut, namun tidak membalas apa-apa. Lila memang tidak pernah menang bila harus berdebat dengan Adri, sahabat sejak kecilnya itu. Ia pun akhirnya mengambil helm yang diulurkan Adri dan naik ke motor. Selain karena takut ditinggal dan tidak tau jalan pulang, saat itu memang sudah mendekati pukul 6 sore. Ngeri juga keluyuran sendiri di jalan sepi begini. Lagipula, ia jadi merasa tidak enak pada Adri, yang sudah menemaninya kemana-mana sejak pagi, hanya untuk membantunya mencari inspirasi bagi otaknya yang walau sudah buntu, masih saja pemilih!
Lila, yang baru saja terpilih untuk mewakili sekolahnya dalam Arts, More Arts – perlombaan kesenian antar sekolah – harus membuat tiga karya bebas sesuai kreatifitas masing-masing. Syaratnya, karya-karya tersebut harus mengandung unsur seni dan berhubungan dengan satu hal: bunga. Walau termasuk pecinta bunga, Lila masih penasaran akan apa yang ada dipikiran para panitia lomba kesenian itu, hingga karya yang dibuat harus terfokus pada bunga. Apalagi masing-masing karya tersebut harus “mempunyai” bunga sendiri, yang artinya Lila harus mencari tiga bunga.
Jadilah Lila minta Adri untuk menemaninya (baca: mengantarnya) ke toko-toko bunga yang mereka ketahui, untuk mencari inspirasi bunga apa yang akan dipakai dan bagaimana wujud asli bunga tersebut, syukur-syukur kalau dapat inspirasi untuk karyanya juga. Sejauh ini Lila sudah memutuskan bunga-bunganya adalah mawar putih (“Harus!” kata Lila), dan mungkin juga bunga matahari, sementara satu lagi Lila belum tau sama sekali. Mungkin dikarenakan tuntunan kreatifitas Lila yang memang tinggi (menurut Lila) atau karena bawaan dirinya yang pemilih dan perfeksionis (menurut Adri) sehingga ia tidak bisa asal memilih bunga. Maka dari itu Lila belum puas. Tapi hari memang sudah menjelang malam dan Adri mungkin juga sudah lelah. Sejak pagi hanya melihat bunga dan meninggalkan gitarnya (baca: pacarnya) seharian di rumah.
“Hoi, bengong aja,” kata Adri sambil mengetuk pelan helm yang dipakai Lila dengan telunjuknya.
“Hah? Oh...” Lila mengangkat kepalanya dan menemukan dirinya sudah tiba di depan rumahnya. Malu karena tertangkap sedang bengong, Lila langsung turun dari motor dan bergegas masuk ke rumahnya.
“Lila...” panggil Adri, membuat Lila kembali membalik badannya, “...helmnya, La! Mau lo pake tidur, heh? Nggak enak, kali,” lanjut Adri, dengan senyum menahan tawa.
Lila refleks memegang kepalanya. Masih ada helm yang bertengger nyaman disana. Lila langsung melepas helmnya. Makin malu. Diulurkannya helm tersebut ke Adri yang masih menahan tawa. Lila cemberut melihatnya.
Tawa Adri akhirnya lepas juga. “Hahaha! Maaf, La. Hahaha... Gue nggak bermaksud ngetawain kok, hehe... “
“Itu ketawa namanyaaaaa!!” Lila ngambek.
“Hahahahaha... Iya, maaf deh. Gue balik, ya.”
“Hmm... Oke, oke... Satu lagi belum ketemu nih... Bunganya apa...?”
“Udah, nanti juga ketemu. Nggak apa-apa, lah.”
“Yaudah, oke oke. Daahh...”
“Daaahh...”
Motor Adri pun berlalu.

Arts, More Arts: H-5
Nala menghampiri Lila yang sedari tadi ngeyel tinggal di kelas saat jam istirahat dengan alasan ingin meneruskan karyanya untuk Arts, More Arts yang hanya tinggal beberapa hari lagi.
Nala berdiri di sebelah sofa kelas yang sedang Lila duduki. Ia menatap Lila yang masih asik dengan pekerjaannya. Tangan Lila dengan lincahnya membuat bentuk mawar putih dari clay. Sejak dulu Nala heran bagaimana sahabatnya ini bisa sangat berbakat dengan segala sesuatu yang berhubungan dengan art. Setelah beberapa saat, Lila mendongak menatapnya dan berkata, “Tutup tu mulut, awas lalat masuk.”
Nala baru tersadar bahwa sedari tadi ia membiarkan mulutnya terbuka selagi memerhatikan Lila. Ia langsung menutup mulutnya dan bertanya, “Mau nitip beli apa, lo?”
“Nggak usah, gue nggak lapar,” jawab Lila.
“Tinggalin bentar aja napa, La? Cuma berapa menit ini.”
“Nggak bisa. Tinggal lima hari. Masih ada dua karya lagi yang gue nggak tau mau bikin apa. Yang satu aja gue nggak tau mau pakai bunga apa. Kemarin Adri cuma bantu dikit banget. Mana hari ini dia ekskul basket. Karya yang ini harus selesai hari ini.”

Arts, More Arts: H-3
Lila langsung loncat dari motor Adri begitu dia sudah tiba di depan rumahnya. Sejak di sekolah dia khawatir karyanya hancur lagi. Kemarin, karya pertamanya – mawar putih kecil yang terbuat dari clay, yang dapat dibuka bagian tengahnya untuk menyimpan benda-benda kecil – hancur lagi karena claynya kurang kuat menempel dan masih belum kering benar, walau bagian-bagiannya sudah ia beri lem yang lumayan kuat.
Lila sudah memasukannya ke microwave agar lebih menempel – agar air yang terkandung dalam clay menguap dan membuatnya kering sehingga bentuknya tidak akan berubah-ubah. Tadi pagi clay itu masih baik-baik saja, namun tetap saja Lila ingin memastikannya, apakah “mawar putih”nya masih utuh hingga sekarang.
Lila bergegas ke kamarnya yang penuh dengan lukisan tangannya, tersandung sedikit di tengah jalan walau tidak ada apa-apa (entah mengapa dia selalu begitu dan tidak mengidap penyakit apa-apa, kecuali penyakit melukai diri sendiri). Begitu melihat karyanya masih utuh tanpa kurang sesuatu pun, ia langsung lega dan wajahnya berubah cerah. Lila mengangkatnya dan memerhatikannya lekat sambil tersenyum senang. “Hihihii...”
“Hoi gila, ketawa-ketawa sendiri,” sahut Adri sembari mengetuk kepala Lila agak keras.
“Sakit!!”
Adri tak menanggapi protes Lila dan langsung duduk di tepi tempat tidurnya. Adri memerhatikan Lila yang sedang sibuk sendiri memasang tali pada “mawar putih”nya agar dapat digunakan sebagai gantungan juga. “Well, that looks real.”
Lila menoleh ke arah Adri, senyumnya makin lebar. “Thanks.”
Adri menyapukan pandangannya ke meja kecil di sebelah tempat tidur Lila, dimana terdapat banyak barang yang paling sering Lila pakai. Kening Adri berkerut ketika ia mendapati beberapa barang yang biasanya tidak ada disana. “Jepit rambut?” tanya Adri, mengambil salah satunya.
“Namanya bobby pins, Dri,” jawab Lila, memandang jepit hitam yang di salah satu ujungnya terdapat bunga kecil berwarna merah muda. “Akhirnya gue bikin hydrangea. Hmmm... Gue nggak tau sih, nama umumnya. Itu scientific namenya. Nah, hydrangea kan terdiri dari banyak bunga-bunga kecil yang batangnya menyatu, terus bentuknya bulat. Nah... Maksud gue tuh, itu semuanya mau gue tancapkan di bantalan jarum ini,” Lila mengangkat bantalan jarum kecil yang berbentuk bulat, “jadi nanti bentuknya bulat juga. Tapi bobby pinsnya masih kurang banyak.”
“Gue nggak ngerti lo ngomongin bunga apaan. Iya aja deh, gue,” kata Adri asal, membuat Lila cemberut sedikit. “Satu lagi apa?”
“Naahh... Itu dia... Gue belum tau, nih...”
“Kenapa nggak lukisan aja? Lo kan masternya.”
“Gaa...! Lukisan tuh terlalu biasa...”
“Nggak juga ah. Tergantung cara buatnya aja gimana.”
“Emang cara buatnya gimana...?? Cara buat lukisan ya gitu-gitu aja! Lagian bunganya apa cobaa...??” Lila yang memang mudah panik langsung stres sendiri. Gampang banget sih, Adri!
“Sometimes you just need to see yourself, Lila C.”
“...Nggak ngebantu sama sekali, Dri.” Jawaban Lila mulai dingin. Kadang dia kesal sama Adri yang kalau bicara jarang sekali to-the-point. Juga cara bicaranya pada Lila yang entah bagaimana kadang membuat Lila merasa ia adalah anak kecil yang tidak mengerti apa-apa.
...Oke, dia memang kadang masih childish.
“Masa?” tanya Adri dengan wajah (yang seakan) tak percaya.
Lila akhirnya tak tahan juga. “Iiihh... Adrii...!! Nyolot ah, lo!! Udah ah...! Lo pulang aja sana, hus hus! Iiihh...!!” kata Lila sambil mendorong Adri keluar kamarnya.
“Lha? Kok gue diusir?” Adri bingung.
“Karena lo nyolot! Udah, sana! Hus, hus! Bweeekk...!” Lila menjulurkan lidahnya sebelum akhirnya menutup pintu kamarnya di depan wajah Adri.

Arts, More Arts: H-2
Lila stres. Tinggal dua hari lagi sebelum hari-H dan ia belum tau apa yang akan menjadi karya ketiganya. Bunganya saja belum diputuskan. Lila nggak mau asal buat. Bukan Lila namanya kalau nggak perfeksionis, yang selalu ingin bagus. Karena itu, sekarang Lila jadi stres sendiri dan mudah emosi. Apalagi Lila masih dalam rangka ngambeknya pada Adri. Beberapa temannya pun lulus audisi jadi sasaran emosinya, termasuk Nala.
Lila sedang membereskan barang-barangnya dari loker sebelum pulang ketika Adri menghampirinya. “Hoi,” sapa Adri, “pulang, yuk.”
“Hari ini gue nggak pulang bareng lo,” jawab Lila dingin tanpa memandang ke arah Adri. Lila memang selalu diantar pulang oleh Adri, kecuali bila Adri harus mengikuti ekskul basket setelah pulang sekolah. Ritual ini selalu mereka lakukan sejak Adri punya motor (sebenarnya sejak mereka SD, namun saat itu belum ada motor, sehingga tidak bisa disebut “diantar”).
“Terus pakai apa? Ikut Nala?”
“Nggak,” Lila mengunci lokernya dan bersiap pergi, “naik angkot.”
“Eiittss... Tunggu dulu. Siapa yang ngebolehin lo naik angkot?”
“Siapa yang nggak ngebolehin
“Siapa lo?”
“Cowok lo.” Adri langsung mengganti jawabannya begitu melihat wajah keruh Lila. “Bercanda, La. Ayolah, jangan naik angkot. gue naik angkot?”
“Gue.” Bahaya. Pulang sama gue aja.”
“Gue udah SMA, Dri! Bisa jaga diri.”
“Gue ragu. Apalagi dengan sifat lo yang sering tiba-tiba kesandung walau nggak ada apa-apa.”
Lila langsung cemberut. “Dih! Nggak, ya! Gue bisa jaga diri! Gue tetap mau naik angkot aja!” Lila mulai berjalan lagi.
“Lila...” Adri menarik tangan Lila. “Ampun dah, ni anak... Masih ngambek?”
Lila hanya menjulurkan lidahnya lalu langsung berjalan pulang.

Lila akhirnya sampai di rumah. Ia tadi sedikit was-was juga, mengingat perkataan Adri memang ada benarnya juga. Tapi tadi dia tidak tersandung sama sekali tuh sejak keluar dari sekolah! HA!
Ia berjalan menuju pintu rumahnya ketika ia tiba-tiba tersandung (kali ini benar-benar) batu. Mukanya memerah. Untung tidak ada Adri.
Sesampainya di kamar, ia langsung membuka laptopnya dan mencari inspirasi untuk bunga dan karyanya. Ia juga mengeluarkan seluruh koleksi majalahnya. Kamarnya penuh dengan kertas, majalah, dan buku-buku. Tempat sampahnya penuh akan sketsa karyanya yang tidak jadi ia gunakan. Belum lagi pikirannya yang harus terbagi dua antara karyanya dan tugas serta PR-nya.
Lila menaruh pensilnya dan membalikkan badannya sehingga posisinya terlentang di atas tempat tidur. “Hhh... Designer’s block.”
Kalau sudah begini, apapun mentok!

Arts, More Arts: H-1
Lila baru terbangun pukul 10 pagi. Tadi malam ia baru tidur pukul 3 pagi dan masih belum mendapatkan apa-apa. Untungnya semua tugas dan PR-nya dapat terselesaikan tadi malam, sehingga sekarang Lila dapat memfokuskan semua perhatiannya pada karyanya.
“Hhh...” Lila lelah. Dia mulai pasrah. Mentok-mentok ia akan membuat bunga dari pita, yang mana ia yakin pasti banyak yang membuatnya; pasaran.
Ia bangun, lalu mandi. Begitu ia kembali ke kamarnya, ia menyadari adanya sesuatu di atas meja tempat tidurnya yang sebelumnya tidak ada: satu toples kecil berisi cookies, sebatang bunga lilac dan memo kecil.

See yourself. Those are for snacks.
Get any inspirations, Lila C.?
P.S: Jangan ngambek lagi dong.

“Lila C.” Pasti Adri. Cuma Adri yang memanggilnya seperti itu. Entah apa alasannya Lila masih tidak mengerti sampai sekarang. Snacks? Adri top, cookies ini adalah kesukaan Lila. Ia tersenyum sambil mengambil satu cookie dan menggigitnya ketika ia menyadari ada dua kertas, bukan hanya satu. Lila melihat kertas yang kedua.
Foto lukisan Lila yang dulu sekali pernah ia berikan untuk Adri.
Ia tersenyum lagi. Ternyata Adri masih menyimpan lukisannya. Objek dalam lukisan itu hanyalah pohon yang sedang gugur; daun-daunnya berterbangan... Tapi bagus dan begitu “hidup”...
Ia mengalihkan pandangannya ke arah lilac yang datang bersama memo itu. Lalu ia memerhatikan memonya lagi. Lalu kembali pada lilac tersebut. Kenapa harus lilac...?
Kemudian Lila menyadarinya. Lilac. Lila C.
See yourself.
Ia kembali tersenyum. Berapa kali ia tersenyum dalam tenggang waktu lima menit ini?
Adri benar. Tidak perlu jauh-jauh, tidak perlu susah-susah; kadang kita hanya perlu melihat ke diri kita sendiri. Lukisan pun harusnya bisa jadi luar biasa karena Lila memang senang melakukannya.
Lila langsung mengambil kanvas, kuas, dan cat. Ia tersenyum melihat lilacnya sebelum akhirnya ia taruh di depannya sebagai objek. Ia menyelupkan kuasnya dan membiarkannya menari diatas kanvas.kegmg keng keng keng keng keng keng kung keng lagunya

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* Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi

Ghazi Laksmana's Photos - RFF!!!!!!
Photo 1 of 1|Back to Album|Ghazi's Photos|Ghazi's Profile
Click on people's faces in the photo to tag them.

From the album:
"RFF!!!!!!" by Ghazi Laksmana
IRD 80.000 (maaf yang di gambar salah)
In this photo: Rizky Kumara Achiel, Praditya Dwi Wicaksono (photos), Andika Pradana, Angga Rio Prawira (photos), Rian Pratama (photos), Rizky Prandityasa, Kelvin Deviro, Tistha Nurma (photos), Vidya Nareswari (photos), Abshar Ramadhany, Checa Shelza Vitalaya (photos), Fristine Ameylia, Michelle Raena (photos), Aji Hastomo, Prayudha Rifqi, Ucok Lubis (photos), Seno Darma Aji, Tabitha Tanamal, Michelle Nathania (photos), Ardisa Pramudita, Dias Sutarto (photos), Chandra Prabawa Bayo Angin, Gerry Corizky Ramadhan, Yudho Anggara, Angga Pradipta, Eki Harramadhan (photos), Muhammad Ammar Kanz Acid, Vicky Kirkpatrick, Ghazi Laksmana (photos), Junior Johan (photos), Gieta Nadhil Laksmana (photos), Nadia Sibuea (photos), Ara Ratnasarira (photos), Fadhil Patchi, Stella Diashinta, Dio Andro Julio, Nadia Tsabitah van Gelder (photos), Ariel Nayaka (photos), Kiky Rahmadiansyah (photos), Poetry Ken Savitri (photos), Akram Tabrani (photos), Sendy Andika Prasetya, Zee Kezia (photos), Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi (photos | remove tag)
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Added October 4 · Comment · Like / Unlike
Arfan Ahmad, Ucok Lubis, Dhitya Prasetya and 11 others like this.
50 of 178
View previous comments
Izan Nasution
Izan Nasution
kirim pke tiki
October 11 at 11:23pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
wakaakka
October 11 at 11:25pm
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
kpn jdiny ?
October 11 at 11:50pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
kurang lebih 2 minggu okeoke
October 14 at 1:56pm
Tonskeh Krogh
Tonskeh Krogh
oh jdi ini yg namanya Robotic Fun Fair?
October 15 at 6:40pm
Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi
Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi
Gila bnyk bener yg ngomeninin gmbr ini
October 15 at 7:31pm · Delete
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
ghaz tmen gue mau bli ahahaha
October 15 at 7:51pm
Michelle Raena
Michelle Raena
loh kok ada kenneth? hahaha
October 15 at 8:06pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
@maton: iya ada apa neh???
@dias: hem udh ditutup, nanti yee kloter 2 okece
October 15 at 9:39pm
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
okece
October 15 at 9:43pm
Akram Tabrani
Akram Tabrani
kloter haji 2 kpn berangkat?
October 15 at 9:45pm
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
yg 1 aja blom jadi bego lu arab
October 15 at 9:46pm
Akram Tabrani
Akram Tabrani
lah kata temen lo dah berangkat ga ada pendaftaran
October 15 at 9:46pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
besok gan
October 15 at 9:47pm
Akram Tabrani
Akram Tabrani
tuh bsk kan kat tarto blm jadi
October 15 at 9:53pm
Tonskeh Krogh
Tonskeh Krogh
kok bnyk yah? beli ah
October 15 at 10:12pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
banyak lah, udh 32 ton, tapi udh produksi jadi gk bisa nambah lagi, jadi lo kloter 2 yaa, masih banyak kok yang kloter 2
October 15 at 10:21pm
Tonskeh Krogh
Tonskeh Krogh
brp lama?

time is money boy, gw ngg bsa nunggu
October 15 at 10:25pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
ya paling bentar lagi kok, nunggu yang ini beres
October 15 at 10:26pm
Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi
Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi
ya dong rae ak jg lumayan suka ama gmbr ini kn bgs gitu rae
October 17 at 9:23am · Delete
Arfan Ahmad
Arfan Ahmad
hihi ada keneth, mau beli ya ken?? kalo mau bilang sama ghazimuts aja
October 17 at 9:25am
Vidya Nareswari
Vidya Nareswari
wakakaka, arfan2
October 17 at 3:58pm
Michelle Raena
Michelle Raena
hahahha oh gitu kenneth. okeoke deeh (apaan bgt dah -..-")

huahahahhaah ketauan mahonya arfan wkwkwk (arfan: ah rae diem! salting gw)
October 17 at 5:07pm
Arfan Ahmad
Arfan Ahmad
duh rae tau aja gw mau ngmg apa jadi salting lagi nih gw ckck
October 17 at 11:02pm
Aditya Reynaldi
Aditya Reynaldi
kenneth kalo pake baju itu jadi ganteng kali
October 17 at 11:03pm
Michelle Raena
Michelle Raena
waakkakakakk gapenting abis
October 17 at 11:39pm
Arfan Ahmad
Arfan Ahmad
yg mau beli ketik reg ghazi
October 17 at 11:47pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
kirim ke 9887
October 17 at 11:47pm
Aditya Reynaldi
Aditya Reynaldi
Reg Ghazi Rian,,, kirim ke 9877 "sms yg kamyu kiwrim langsung dari aqyyuuu,, muach"
October 17 at 11:49pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
muaaaach
October 17 at 11:49pm
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
ghaziii gueee ga jadi vakuumm !!!! RFF BACK TO STAGE !!!!!
October 17 at 11:50pm
Arfan Ahmad
Arfan Ahmad
alay lu maho
October 17 at 11:50pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
wakaka knp lo? yaudah haha
October 17 at 11:51pm
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
wah arfan nih. ayo kita selesaikan pertempuran kita
October 17 at 11:51pm
Aditya Reynaldi
Aditya Reynaldi
arfan cemburu ama rian,, cieee
October 17 at 11:51pm
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
udh wei, komen disini kalo mau beli okeoke, jangan ngobrol penuh nih notif
October 17 at 11:52pm
Arfan Ahmad
Arfan Ahmad
siapa yg ngmg ama lu ias--"
shht sori ya gw g maho
October 17 at 11:52pm
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
sapa yg ngerespon omongan lu, gue cuma mau menyelesaikan permasalahan yg waktu itu
October 17 at 11:53pm
Aditya Reynaldi
Aditya Reynaldi
hahaha,,, maho kan manusia horse,,, hahahah,,,canda2 kali fan.... eh ghaz gw remove tag yak, brizik gile pesbuk gw
October 17 at 11:53pm
Arfan Ahmad
Arfan Ahmad
shht g penting ayo kita cabut
October 17 at 11:54pm
Rian Pratama
Rian Pratama
manusia horse = MAHO wkawkakwakwka
Sun at 12:44am
Michelle Raena
Michelle Raena
WAKAKAKKAKKAKAKK ngakak gw sumpah hahahha
Sun at 1:33am
Shakina Andari
Shakina Andari
parah ga nge tag nge tag
Sun at 9:22am
Ghazi Laksmana
Ghazi Laksmana
wakakakka lupa skin, udh penuh 30 orang hahaha
Sun at 9:23am
Radityan Michaa
Radityan Michaa
RT @bayu komen: kurang robotic, harusnya yang megan otak robot, jgn kaya hantu ghostbuster

maaf ya cuma komen, walaupun gw belom tentu bisa bikin yang lebih keren wkaoaokoa, tapi kalo yang megan otak itu robot pasti gokil, terus backgroundnya jangan gedung, bikin background nya lab. saran cui, diterima ga diterima bodo amat, kalo protes ya tinggal... Read More kerumah gw. . .wkaokaokao

sebenernya itu bener juga sih brur tapi gua hargain howd sama robotic lah udah mau maju ke merchnya sukses dah.. oh iye harus ada kepastian jadi cetaknya kapan ghaz biar ga bikin org nunggu lama
Sun at 2:23pm
Arfan Ahmad
Arfan Ahmad
@ radit: udah cetak dit, 2 minggu jadi kok kokeoke
-ghazi
Sun at 2:25pm
Dias Sutarto
Dias Sutarto
arfan homooo
Sun at 2:26pm
Praditya Dwi Wicaksono
Praditya Dwi Wicaksono
Anjreeeet brisik bgt dah
Sun at 3:07pm
Poetry Ken Savitri
Poetry Ken Savitri
buset tambah penuh aja nih -_-
Sun at 4:32pm
Radityan Michaa
Radityan Michaa
remove ya
Sun at 4:45pm
· · ·
Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi
Jonathan Peter Kenneth Nangoi
Hah ketauan gimana rae?
about a minute ago · Delete
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The killers

Logo - Link to Home Page

Short Story Classics






Ernest Hemingway
1899-1961

The Killers
by Ernest Hemingway









The door of Henry’s lunchroom opened and two men came in. They sat down at the counter.

“What’s yours?” George asked them.

“I don’t know,” one of the men said. “What do you want to eat, Al?”

“I don’t know,” said Al. “I don’t know what I want to eat.”

Outside it was getting dark. The streetlight came on outside the window. The two men at the counter read the menu. From the other end of the counter Nick Adams watched them. He had been talking to George when they came in.

“I’ll have a roast pork tenderloin with apple sauce and mashed potatoes,” the first man said.

“It isn’t ready yet.”

“What the hell do you put it on the card for?”

“That’s the dinner,” George explained. “You can get that at six o’clock.”

George looked at the clock on the wall behind the counter.

“It’s five o’clock.”

“The clock says twenty minutes past five,” the second man said.

“It’s twenty minutes fast.”

“Oh, to hell with the clock,” the first man said. “What have you got to eat?”

“I can give you any kind of sandwiches,” George said. “You can have ham and eggs, bacon and eggs, liver and bacon, or a steak.”

“Give me chicken croquettes with green peas and cream sauce and mashed potatoes.”

“That’s the dinner.”

“Everything we want’s the dinner, eh? That’s the way you work it.”

“I can give you ham and eggs, bacon and eggs, liver—”

“I’ll take ham and eggs,” the man called Al said. He wore a derby hat and a black overcoat buttoned across the chest. His face was small and white and he had tight lips. He wore a silk muffler and gloves.

“Give me bacon and eggs,” said the other man. He was about the same size as Al. Their faces were different, but they were dressed like twins. Both wore overcoats too tight for them. They sat leaning forward, their elbows on the counter.

“Got anything to drink?” Al asked.

“Silver beer, bevo, ginger-ale,” George said.

“I mean you got anything to drink?”

“Just those I said.”

“This is a hot town,” said the other. “What do they call it?”

“Summit.”

“Ever hear of it?” Al asked his friend.

“No,” said the friend.

“What do they do here nights?” Al asked.

“They eat the dinner,” his friend said. “They all come here and eat the big dinner.”

“That’s right,” George said.

“So you think that’s right?” Al asked George.

“Sure.”

“You’re a pretty bright boy, aren’t you?”

“Sure,” said George.

“Well, you’re not,” said the other little man. “Is he, Al?”

“He’s dumb,” said Al. He turned to Nick. “What’s your name?”

“Adams.”

“Another bright boy,” Al said. “Ain’t he a bright boy, Max?”

“The town’s full of bright boys,” Max said.

George put the two platters, one of ham and eggs, the other of bacon and eggs, on the counter. He set down two side dishes of fried potatoes and closed the wicket into the kitchen.

“Which is yours?” he asked Al.

“Don’t you remember?”

“Ham and eggs.”

“Just a bright boy,” Max said. He leaned forward and took the ham and eggs. Both men ate with their gloves on. George watched them eat.

“What are you looking at?” Max looked at George.

“Nothing.”

“The hell you were. You were looking at me.”

“Maybe the boy meant it for a joke, Max,” Al said.

George laughed.

“You don’t have to laugh,” Max said to him. “You don’t have to laugh at all, see?’

“All right,” said George.

“So he thinks it’s all right.” Max turned to Al. “He thinks it’s all right. That’s a good one.”

“Oh, he’s a thinker,” Al said. They went on eating.

“What’s the bright boy’s name down the counter?” Al asked Max.

“Hey, bright boy,” Max said to Nick. “You go around on the other side of the counter with your boy friend.”

“What’s the idea?” Nick asked.

“There isn’t any idea.”

“You better go around, bright boy,” Al said. Nick went around behind the counter.

“What’s the idea?” George asked.

“None of your damned business,” Al said. “Who’s out in the kitchen?”

“The nigger.”

“What do you mean the nigger?”

“The nigger that cooks.”

“Tell him to come in.”

“What’s the idea?”

“Tell him to come in.”

“Where do you think you are?”

“We know damn well where we are,” the man called Max said. “Do we look silly?”

“You talk silly,” A1 said to him. “What the hell do you argue with this kid for? Listen,” he said to George, “tell the nigger to come out here.”

“What are you going to do to him?”

“Nothing. Use your head, bright boy. What would we do to a nigger?”

George opened the slit that Opened back into the kitchen. “Sam,” he called. “Come in here a minute.”

The door to the kitchen opened and the nigger came in. “What was it?” he asked. The two men at the counter took a look at him.

“All right, nigger. You stand right there,” Al said.

Sam, the nigger, standing in his apron, looked at the two men sitting at the counter. “Yes, sir,” he said. Al got down from his stool.

“I’m going back to the kitchen with the nigger and bright boy,” he said. “Go on back to the kitchen, nigger. You go with him, bright boy.” The little man walked after Nick and Sam, the cook, back into the kitchen. The door shut after them. The man called Max sat at the counter opposite George. He didn’t look at George but looked in the mirror that ran along back of the counter. Henry’s had been made over from a saloon into a lunch counter.

“Well, bright boy,” Max said, looking into the mirror, “why don’t you say something?”

“What’s it all about?”

“Hey, Al,” Max called, “bright boy wants to know what it’s all about.”

“Why don’t you tell him?” Al’s voice came from the kitchen.

“What do you think it’s all about?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you think?”

Max looked into the mirror all the time he was talking.

“I wouldn’t say.”

“Hey, Al, bright boy says he wouldn’t say what he thinks it’s all about.”

“I can hear you, all right,” Al said from the kitchen. He had propped open the slit that dishes passed through into the kitchen with a catsup bottle. “Listen, bright boy,” he said from the kitchen to George. “Stand a little further along the bar. You move a little to the left, Max.” He was like a photographer arranging for a group picture.

“Talk to me, bright boy,” Max said. “What do you think’s going to happen?”

George did not say anything.

“I’ll tell you,” Max said. “We’re going to kill a Swede. Do you know a big Swede named Ole Anderson?”

“Yes.”

“He comes here to eat every night, don’t he?”

“Sometimes he comes here.”

“He comes here at six o’clock, don’t he?”

“If he comes.”

“We know all that, bright boy,” Max said. “Talk about something else. Ever go to the movies?”

“Once in a while.”

“You ought to go to the movies more. The movies are fine for a bright boy like you.”

“What are you going to kill Ole Anderson for? What did he ever do to you?”

“He never had a chance to do anything to us. He never even seen us.”

And he’s only going to see us once,” Al said from the kitchen:

“What are you going to kill him for, then?” George asked.

“We’re killing him for a friend. Just to oblige a friend, bright boy.”

“Shut up,” said Al from the kitchen. “You talk too goddamn much.”

“Well, I got to keep bright boy amused. Don’t I, bright boy?”

“You talk too damn much,” Al said. “The nigger and my bright boy are amused by themselves. I got them tied up like a couple of girl friends in the convent.”

“I suppose you were in a convent.”

“You never know.”

“You were in a kosher convent. That’s where you were.”

George looked up at the clock.

“If anybody comes in you tell them the cook is off, and if they keep after it, you tell them you’ll go back and cook yourself. Do you get that, bright boy?”

“All right,” George said. “What you going to do with us afterward?”

“That’ll depend,” Max said. “That’s one of those things you never know at the time.”

George looked up at the dock. It was a quarter past six. The door from the street opened. A streetcar motorman came in.

“Hello, George,” he said. “Can I get supper?”

“Sam’s gone out,” George said. “He’ll be back in about half an hour.”

“I’d better go up the street,” the motorman said. George looked at the clock. It was twenty minutes, past six.

“That was nice, bright boy,” Max said. “You’re a regular little gentleman.”

“He knew I’d blow his head off,” Al said from the kitchen.

“No,” said Max. “It ain’t that. Bright boy is nice. He’s a nice boy. I like him.”

At six-fifty-five George said: “He’s not coming.”

Two other people had been in the lunchroom. Once George had gone out to the kitchen and made a ham-and-egg sandwich “to go” that a man wanted to take with him. Inside the kitchen he saw Al, his derby hat tipped back, sitting on a stool beside the wicket with the muzzle of a sawed-off shotgun resting on the ledge. Nick and the cook were back to back in the corner, a towel tied in each of their mouths. George had cooked the sandwich, wrapped it up in oiled paper, put it in a bag, brought it in, and the man had paid for it and gone out.

“Bright boy can do everything,” Max said. “He can cook and everything. You’d make some girl a nice wife, bright boy.”

“Yes?” George said, “Your friend, Ole Anderson, isn’t going to come.”

“We’ll give him ten minutes,” Max said.

Max watched the mirror and the clock. The hands of the clock marked seven o’clock, and then five minutes past seven.

“Come on, Al,” said Max. “We better go. He’s not coming.”

“Better give him five minutes,” Al said from the kitchen.

In the five minutes a man came in, and George explained that the cook was sick.

“Why the hell don’t you get another cook?” the man asked. “Aren’t you running a lunch-counter?” He went out.

“Come on, Al,” Max said.

“What about the two bright boys and the nigger?”

“They’re all right.”

“You think so?”

“Sure. We’re through with it.”

“I don’t like it,” said Al. “It’s sloppy. You talk too much.”

“Oh, what the hell,” said Max. “We got to keep amused, haven’t we?”

“You talk too much, all the same,” Al said. He came out from the kitchen. The cut-off barrels of the shotgun made a slight bulge under the waist of his too tight-fitting overcoat. He straightened his coat with his gloved hands.

“So long, bright boy,” he said to George. “You got a lot of luck.”

“That’s the truth,” Max said. “You ought to play the races, bright boy.”

The two of them went out the door. George watched them, through the window, pass under the arc-light and across the street. In their tight overcoats and derby hats they looked like a vaudeville team. George went back through the swinging door into the kitchen and untied Nick and the cook.

“I don’t want any more of that,” said Sam, the cook. “I don’t want any more of that.”

Nick stood up. He had never had a towel in his mouth before.

“Say,” he said. “What the hell?” He was trying to swagger it off.

“They were going to kill Ole Anderson,” George said. “They were going to shoot him when he came in to eat.”

“Ole Anderson?”

“Sure.”

The cook felt the corners of his mouth with his thumbs.

“They all gone?” he asked.

“Yeah,” said George. “They’re gone now.”

“I don’t like it,” said the cook. “I don’t like any of it at all”

“Listen,” George said to Nick. “You better go see Ole Anderson.”

“All right.”

“You better not have anything to do with it at all,” Sam, the cook, said. “You better stay way out of it.”

“Don’t go if you don’t want to,” George said.

“Mixing up in this ain’t going to get you anywhere,” the cook said. “You stay out of it.”

“I’ll go see him,” Nick said to George. “Where does he live?”

The cook turned away.

“Little boys always know what they want to do,” he said.

“He lives up at Hirsch’s rooming-house,” George said to Nick.

“I’ll go up there.”

Outside the arc-light shone through the bare branches of a tree. Nick walked up the street beside the car-tracks and turned at the next arc-light down a side-street. Three houses up the street was Hirsch’s rooming-house. Nick walked up the two steps and pushed the bell. A woman came to the door.

“Is Ole Anderson here?”

“Do you want to see him?”

“Yes, if he’s in.”

Nick followed the woman up a flight of stairs and back to the end of a corridor. She knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s somebody to see you, Mr. Anderson,” the woman said.

“It’s Nick Adams.”

“Come in.”

Nick opened the door and went into the room. Ole Anderson was lying on the bed with all his clothes on. He had been a heavyweight prizefighter and he was too long for the bed. He lay with his head on two pillows. He did not look at Nick.

“What was it?” he asked.

“I was up at Henry’s,” Nick said, “and two fellows came in and tied up me and the cook, and they said they were going to kill you.”

It sounded silly when he said it. Ole Anderson said nothing.

“They put us out in the kitchen,” Nick went on. “They were going to shoot you when you came in to supper.”

Ole Anderson looked at the wall and did not say anything.

“George thought I better come and tell you about it.”

“There isn’t anything I can do about it,” Ole Anderson said.

“I’ll tell you what they were like.”

“I don’t want to know what they were like,” Ole Anderson said. He looked at the wall. “Thanks for coming to tell me about it.”

“That’s all right.”

Nick looked at the big man lying on the bed.

“Don’t you want me to go and see the police?”

“No,” Ole Anderson said. “That wouldn’t do any good.”

“Isn’t there something I could do?”

“No. There ain’t anything to do.”

“Maybe it was just a bluff.”

“No. It ain’t just a bluff.”

Ole Anderson rolled over toward the wall.

“The only thing is,” he said, talking toward the wall, “I just can’t make up my mind to go out. I been here all day.”

“Couldn’t you get out of town?”

“No,” Ole Anderson said. “I’m through with all that running around.”

He looked at the wall.

“There ain’t anything to do now.”

“Couldn’t you fix it up some way?”

“No. I got in wrong.” He talked in the same flat voice. “There ain’t anything to do. After a while I’ll make up my mind to go out.”

“I better go back and see George,” Nick said.

“So long,” said Ole Anderson. He did not look toward Nick. “Thanks for coming around.”

Nick went out. As he shut the door he saw Ole Anderson with all his clothes on, lying on the bed looking at the wall.

“He’s been in his room all day,” the landlady said downstairs. “I guess he don’t feel well. I said to him: ‘Mr. Anderson, you ought to go out and take a walk on a nice fall day like this,’ but he didn’t feel like it.”

“He doesn’t want to go out.”

“I’m sorry he don’t feel well,” the woman said. “He’s an awfully nice man. He was in the ring, you know.”

“I know it.”

“You’d never know it except from the way his face is,” the woman said.

They stood talking just inside the street door. “He’s just as gentle.”

“Well, good night, Mrs. Hirsch,’ Nick said.

“I’m not Mrs. Hirsch,” the woman said. “She owns the place. I just look after it for her. I’m Mrs. Bell.”

“Well, good night, Mrs. Bell,” Nick said.

“Good night,” the woman said.

Nick walked up the dark street to the corner under the arc-light, and then along the car-tracks to Henry’s eating-house. George was inside, back of the counter.

“Did you see Ole?”

“Yes,” said Nick. “He’s in his room and he won’t go out.”

The cook opened the door from the kitchen when he heard Nick’s voice.

“I don’t even listen to it,” he said and shut the door.

“Did you tell him about it?” George asked.

“Sure. I told him but he knows what it’s all about.”

“What’s he going to do?”

“Nothing.”

“They’ll kill him.”

“I guess they will.”

“He must have got mixed up in something in Chicago.”

“I guess so,” said Nick.

“It’s a hell of a thing!”

“It’s an awful thing,” Nick said.

They did not say anything. George reached down for a towel and wiped the counter.

“I wonder what he did?” Nick said.

“Double-crossed somebody. That’s what they kill them for.”

“I’m going to get out of this town,” Nick said.

“Yes,” said George. “That’s a good thing to do.”

“I can’t stand to think about him waiting in the room and knowing he’s going to get it. It’s too damned awful.”

“Well,” said George, “you better not think about it.”



For
Educational
Purposes
Only


Last updated:
February 27, 2004

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