Refrigerator

By. Rohmat Sholihin*

Google.com

The new freezer stands hard, silent and still wrapped in the corner of the center room, it has just delivered by the shopkeeper with the fee one million and half. We have wanted it badly since few years ago. And now we just can buy it using some money from  social gathering in our village. It doesn’t enough to buy it, so we decided to sell our marriage ring to get more money.

In the afternoon when the wind blows slowly, I opened that refrigerator with my wife and children. They looked happy.  I connect the wire with the electrical contact in the kitchen. In our imagination, there was a new thing which can rise our social status - even just a little.

“At last we have a new freezer” I said.

With that new freezer, we had little confidence if our friends – especially moms at the market – talked about some things that we had at our home.

If there was a neighbour bought a new thing that looks elegant for their house, it could be sure that all of the people at  the market will know it. Because it would be a new gossip for them. It was so awfull. But, our new freezer still stood quietly in the corner of the center room and ignoring that gossip.

If it’s door opened, the steam ice would get out from the freezer and  released special foods smells. It would spread into the air. The things inside the freezer arranged  orderly. Eggs, sugar, milk, fruits, vegetables, cold drinks and some snacks. If I saw them, it seemed smile to me and asked me to eat them.

“This is me fruits, delicious and fresh….”

“This is me sugar, it matches to make coffee and tea…”

“This is me vegetables, you can eat me as dressing…”
“This is me milk, fresh and delicious…”

“This is me eggs, delicious and tasteful…”

My eyes still wathced that elegant freezer. “Calm down, you all will never expired, I make sure I will eat you all next time” I thought. Before we had freezer, all of our food would be expired soon. And we must ate them soon. If not, we would share it with others. Such as neighbours and other family. It better than the food expired and threw them into the trash can.

Everytime I went home after works, I woulkd open my freezer first and took something from inside. ,like cold drinks, fruits and foods. The I sat on the dining table and enjoyed it while releasing tired in my minds.

The children behaviour looked same with me. After they went home from school, they usually found some fresh drinks or foods to eat. To filled their hungry stomach which need some foods. It seemed that the freezer was something important to us, more thab rice and fuel. But sometimes, they didn’t realize yet. Someday, the freezer was off because of our electricity in dead all day long. It made the people at this house looked like a country which got monetary crisis. Badly, we depended to that freezer. It seemed that the freezer was our spirit in keeping the foods. It became a mini garage for foods in every family members.

Based what I heard at the market, the moms often cheated about money and daily needs to eat everyday. But there was a strange sounds inside my ears or maybe I had got earrache.

“Excuse Me, What do you buy Mrs. Rini ?” I’ve never seen you before, where are you?” said a lady to Mrs. Rini friendly.

“I’ve just come from a training in Jakarta. A duty from my office for about one week. I was glad because all of my daily needs was guaranted by my office. I just came, ate and slept in the hotel”.

“Amazing… you’ve got a bonus, right ?”

“Of course I am, we also paid by our office”

“It sounds nice, just sleep and you get the money”

“Yes you’re right, this because of an achievement Mom, the one who smart and clever will be sent to the training by our office”

“Great !”

“Oooh… Don’t say that”

“No. It’s true…”

“I forget something, last week after went back from the training in Jakarta, I Have bought a freezer. The size is big enough. As big as the cupboard in my house. I’ve bought it at Glodok market – an electronic market center in Jakarta. Maybe today it is delivered. At Glodok, you can buy anything you want”

“You look great”

“Oooh… Don’t say that”

“This morning, I;m sure you will buy many things, isn’t true?”

“Of course I am. To fill my new freezer. My jumbo freezer. I’m sure in this village, no one have it”

“Yes, you’re right. Yesterday our neighbour bought a new freezer. But it was small. Just could keep some eggs and water”

“I think it’s cheap freezer”

“I think so…”

“It’s impossible to them to buy the expensive one. Because I see them buy that freezer using money from social gathering and sold their marriage ring”

“What a pity of them. Just buy a freezer, they must sold their marriage ring. I think their salary doesn’t enough to buy it”

I’ve heard that the people in the market  was busy to talk about other people business. I just ignored them.

“It’s my business, I want to buy a small one or a big one, expensive or cheap I don’t care because I’ve bought it using my money” I said.

Beside a place for shopping, a market also a place to make some gossip. I’ve remembered a story from Mbah Ndol, A writer of a popular book. His wife always notified by him when she went to the market. He always went there alone to buy all of his daily needs. It made his wife curious and made her to go there. She then opened her bedroom’s door which face into the market.

“Come hear dear, If you want to see the market. Look !”

“For the sake of God, what kind of place is that !”

“That is a people in satanic face, they will get that face someday. Like what they have done in that place.

Always talking others, tricked other, do a magic and many more. So, I warned you to be careful if you go there, we must keep away from the people like them”

Since that time, her wife never asked again an never went to the market.

Then, I continued my way to my home. I still remembered Mbah Ndol message, even I don’t know about the truth. But at least someone ever told about that.

***

Days passed by, and I forgot something about freezer. Because the gossip itself is done. And expired. I walked around my home in a sunny morning. I passed a crowded market by an accident. I saw some people talked and made some gossips again.

“Are they talking about my small freezer ? Small and not attractive in shape” I said.

“Oh… What the hell” I said and left them behind me quietly.

On my way, I’ve heard something. I’ve heard that a freezer which bought by Mrs. Rini from Glodok market was taken by someone. Because she couldn’t pay the debt. Her car, house and her royalties were taken also.

The news about it became  a big gossip. Mrs. Rini couldn’t deny it. She went away. No one knew where she was.

“Not all people cant eat, today or tomorrow… so, It is a big sin if we don’t say thanks To the God for his kindness that given to us”

I always remember that words. Why we live in this world if we just want to get other’s praise. It wll make us weak. It’s impossible to us to depends on other’s praises. We live on our feet. All the people in this wolrd have their own ability and disability. And I know that.

And the new freezer which we’ve just bought by ourselves was a sign that we are able to buy it. And we thank to the God about it.

Rohmat Sholihin is a writer living in Bangilan-Tuban. Teacher and active in Kali Kening Community Bangilan.