Twilight in Djakarta Read Online Free PDF Page B

steer,’ said Saimun. ‘Driver Miun, he drives a taxi after hours too. An oplet, he says, brings in a lot of money, y’ can take home up to twenty, or fifty, a day. Just think!’
    Itam joined in day-dreaming of how Saimun would be an autolette driver – a vivid, resplendent vision, which filled him with gladness. Thus they dreamed on together, sitting on the garbage truck, its stench gone, all the rubbish gone, only the dream filling them with joy.
     
    Hasnah was busy sewing a dress for the baby she carried when Dahlia knocked at the door and immediately entered, withoutawaiting a response.
    ‘Idris is off on an inspection tour again, this time to Kalimantan, for ten days.’
    Hasnah smiled and invited her to sit down.
    ‘You’re only one year in Djakarta, and fed up already?’ Hasnah asked her.
    ‘What do you think – staying in a house like this, who can stand it? It’s almost the same as before, when we stayed in the hotel. And my husband constantly going off, too. How can you stand it? The more so with a child. I don’t have a child but I’m almost losing my mind staying here.’
    Hasnah smiled and said,
    ‘Soon we’ll move to another house. Sugeng promised that before our baby is born we’ll move to a house of our own.’
    ‘Ah, lucky you. I don’t know when we will get a house to ourselves. My husband is too obedient a government official. He doesn’t want to keep on begging for a house. If there’s no chance yet, that’s that, he always says. What’s the use of having a husband like that!’
    Dahlia stood up to look at her face in the mirror near the window, stroked it in several places and said,
    ‘It’s time to go to the beauty shop again. Make-up and a permanent wave.’
    She turned around and said to Hasnah,
    ‘Don’t you ever get a permanent for your hair? Why? Your husband doesn’t like it?’
    ‘Not at all,’ said Hasnah. ‘It’s too expensive, no money.’
    ‘Nonsense. You’re just lazy. Don’t be like that, Has. Just try and see how it’ll change you. Your face will be prettier when your hair is all done up.’
    Dahlia took hold of Hasnah’s hair, got out a comb and went to work with zest. At first Hasnah protested, but she did not interfere. When Hasnah’s hair was done, Dahlia got out a lipstick from herhandbag and painted Hasnah’s lips. Then she got the mirror off the wall, held it up to Hasnah and said,
    ‘Nah, look, isn’t it pretty?’
    Hasnah looked into the mirror, looked at her face. Very embarrassed, but inwardly pleased, she asked,
    ‘Is it really proper for me to be made up like this?’
    ‘Of course. Don’t let yourself go ungroomed. All men, including your husband, like to see you pretty like this.’
    ‘Ah, but my belly, it’s quite some weeks already, what’s the use of prettying up?’
    ‘It’s needed all the more, so that your husband forgets your big belly and keeps looking only at your face.’
    They both laughed.
    ‘I am so pleased that you live next to us,’ said Hasnah. ‘The family before you had too many children, there was constant uproar and Maryam got into fights with their children. How long have you been married?’  
    ‘Three years!’  
    ‘You don’t want to have children?’  
    ‘In the beginning I did too. But it seems it’s not our fate. And now, with housing conditions as they are, I’m not eager to have a child.’  
    ‘Don’t think that way! Every child brings its own luck. Our second baby here will bring us a house.’  
    ‘How come you’re so sure that you’ll get a house?’  
    ‘Sugeng has promised it.’  
    ‘And if he said so does it mean that you’re sure to get it?’  
    ‘Yes.’  
    ‘You have no doubts whatsoever?’  
    ‘No. Why should I doubt if Sugeng has promised it?’ asked Hasnah, astonished.  
    Dahlia shrugged her shoulders, and said,  
    ‘Who knows, maybe your Sugeng is an exceptional person. ButI never believe people’s promises. The more so, promises made by men. Even