Rama is a young man from a remote village who is currently studying medicine in the big city of Jakarta. Soon he will be sworn in as a doctor. The co-ass he is living at a major hospital in Jakarta will soon be finished next month. He is a candidate for a famous doctor among his friends. His broad knowledge, flexible way of dealing with him, plus his medical skills and sharp analytical skills made him loved by many people. Even so, Rama is indeed a humble young man, his childhood education in the village has succeeded in making Rama apply the Javanese philosophy ” Ojo gumunan, ojo kagetan, ojo dumeh “_ “Don’t be easily surprised by something, don’t be too easily surprised if something happens, don’t be arrogant if you succeed” in living his life. Philosophy imprinted in his subconscious, developed into a life principle which immediately became a filter for the rubbish of the development times.
One day when Rama had his day off, he returned to his hometown in a remote village in Central Java to visit his parents. Rama’s mother and father welcomed their only child with a smile of pride and affection. Rama’s mother, who was unpretentious, held Rama in her arms for a long time. She was cradling her big baby who was expected to bring light of knowledge to the village in the future.
Rama Village is not very remote. The distance from the regency city is about 30 Km. But the village doesn’t seem to get the light of knowledge from the city. Children who study at school can be counted on the fingers, especially those who study at universities, maybe there are only five people. Meanwhile, Rama’s childhood friends dropped out of junior high school. Poverty dashed the dreams of village children whose parents work as farm labourers.
Rama is one of the lucky ones. He got a scholarship because of his ingenuity and noble character. Since childhood times, Rama has been famous for participating in various competitions and entering his favorite high school. After graduating high school he got the prestigious scholarship, medical school. The thing he has dreamed of since he was little, since his grandfather, whom he calls Mbah Kakung, died due to a small wound. The calf of his leg was scratched by a rock when he was climb in the incline field.
At that time Mbah Kakung was taken to the nearest health center. However, the service that Mbah Kakung received really disappointed Rama, who accompanied him. A few days later Mbah Kakung was taken to the hospital and the doctor said he had tetanus. Instantly Rama’s heart was torn to pieces. As far as Rama’s knowledge at that time, tetanus had become a vicious killing monster in the people of his village. Many have led to death from tetanus bacterial infection. A few weeks later Mbah Kakung was hospitalized, his condition had improved but a few days later it dropped and continued to decline. Finally Mbah Kakung, who was very close to Rama, left. Rama regretted many things, felt a sharp thud hit his solar plexus. If at that time he had taken Mbah Kakung to a more suitable place, or had gone straight to see a practicing doctor, maybe the story would have been different. Rama continues to wish in regret. The torch bearer in the darkness of that night has left Rama. Mbah Kakung who’s a role model for Rama is very close to him. Since he was little, Rama has accompanied his grandfather to the mosque, been the imam of the mosque and taught the Koran. Rama also learned to read hijaiyah letters from Mbah Kakung. Her most memorable memories are during the month of Ramadan, when Mbah Kakung and his wife, Mbah Putri used to cook compote in a large cauldron and then take it to the mosque for the jama’ah tadarus- many people who read Koran together at the mosque.
On returning to his village and when he was about to go to the maqbarah- grave pilgrimage of his grandfather, Rama met Yu Pah. Rama’s neighbor who is well-known as a source of information among young mother in the village. Yu Pah, who was shopping for vegetables at the crossroad every morning, met Rama by accident. “Is Rama, son of Mr. Jum?” she called to make sure who was walking in front of him.
“Yes Yu Pah, excuse me…”
“Wow, it’s been a long time since you haven’t come home, you must be really busy so you never call your mother”
Rama just smiled at Yu Pah and left her. Yu Pah used to be Rama’s senior in elementary school. Yu Pah is known for bullying the children like Rama and her classmates. Since childhood Yu Pah is known to have no fear. She really likes to see other people being lower than him, so Yu Pah has always sneered at people and looked for their ugliness just to cover up her own ugliness so that it would not be seen in front of other humans.
The next day Rama represented his mother at the village hall because Rama’s mother was a little unwell. When it was noon everyone who had gathered and waited in front of the building started to feel tired. One by one leave the place because the queue is still long. Right when the sun was very hot a girl fell unconscious. The people immediately flocked and Rama also approached. The child named Yuni was finally taken to the UKS – medical room in front of the Village Hall. Including those who brought hers also Yu Pah.
After being taken to the medical room, the child’s condition continued to worry. She’s breath started to hitch in her unconsciousness. Yu Pah, who was indeed an agile person, immediately looked for eucalyptus oil in the windows. She put that and give to Yuni. Likewise Rama also approached. His medical science began to diagnose, his mind was guessing and analyzing from the incident that afternoon. That he thought this child might indeed have a disease. Yuni’s skin was white but very dry, there were several burn marks on her hands, and her face was as pale as the symptoms of lupus. When Yu Pah was about to put eucalyptus oil around Yuni’s nose, Rama did not let Yu Pah’s hand do it.
“Don’t give her the oil”
“What the heck… this is so that you can breathe easier, just like that I don’t know, this oil has many benefits”
Rama couldn’t stop Yu Pah’s fast hand. The child coughed instantly, Yu Pah looked happy that there was a reaction coming from Yuni. Degg… she fell asleep again, this time her breath was not heard. Rama immediately checked the heartbeat.. still beating, weak.
“Let’s take her to the hospital”
Some people started looking busy for vehicles. Almost half an hour later, a car was found and Yuni was immediately rushed to the hospital. An anxious Rama joins the group to accompany Yuni. At the hospital, Rama received a statement from the doctor who treated Yuni, “There was a smell of eucalyptus oil in her nose, it seemed the oil had expired long ago. But fortunately it had not reached the vital parts of the lungs.”
Yuni’s life was saved, Rama was very grateful. While Yu Pah did not accompany Yuni. At the Village Hall, Yu Pah talked about her skills, which almost helped Yuni but was stopped by Rama, “If I give Yuni for more eucalyptus oil, it won’t come to this, instead Rama, son Mrs. Jum forbids me. How’s that kid?”
Whatever happened that afternoon, Yuni’s safety was a gift from God for Yuni herself, Rama and all the villagers who were lining up at the village hall that afternoon. Perhaps Yuni’s condition had indeed been weak since the moment she faced the scorching sun in the sea of people in the village hall yard.
At that critical moment, when Yuni was unconscious, it seemed that Yuni was not only struggling to survive from her coma but also from the pounding of people who were impoverished, who thought they knew everything, who wanted to save her immediately when they were actually endangering Yuni because of their ignorance .
In front of people who are more capable, Yu Pah does want to see the knowledge that has surrounded Rama. That’s because Yu Pah still sees Rama as her junior school student who’s always the victim of bullying, the child in front of Yu Pah is stupid and cowardly. Yu Pah was reluctant to acknowledge Rama’s great growth because for Yu Pah he was the most prominent and far from lacking. Yu Pah covers herself and her poverty of mind, while still seeing Rama as the same person in the past who became her target who was unable to fight back and weak. Her eyes were covered with a heavy fog so that she couldn’t see the light of knowledge. In her eyes, Rama is still the old Rama when they were in elementary school.
That’s how Yu Pah looked at the other friends who had not seen each other for a long time. Yu Pah’s views like that did not appear without cause, she was the result of the acute poverty she was suffering from. Poverty which is also followed by poverty of mind. When poverty attacked hers, she was angry, blamed the condition and instead went to dark places hoping to end her suffering. She also closed herself off from her neighbors, embarrassed to be seen as poor. So that in front of her neighbors she always dresses up, boasts about what she has while looking down on others so that her superiority can be seen. Without Yu Pah herself realizing it, her behavior had opened up her own disgrace, because everyone knows that smart people never claim to be smart and crazy people don’t even admit to being crazy. The fog of arrogance and stupidity that darkened Yu Pah’s eyes so that her heart couldn’t see the light in anyone else. Without realizing it, that’s what really endangers herself.
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