'It's nothing' said a man tossing the coin away. The old lady directed her eyes to the coin, walked closer and picked it up. She darted toward the man and handed the thrown coin. 'Just go, I don't want it' said the man 'I prefer get nothing than taking it.' The old lady insisted. She even put it on the man's right shoulder; it rested perfectly. She smiled satisfactorily and stood still. The man looked back at her challenging. 'I don't want it, you hear me?' said he rising from his seat. The coin fell down and rolled over the dusty ground and bounced against a log on the side walk. 'Kakaktua Raja' said the old lady pointing at the side of the coin. She giggled, took the coin and gave it back to the man. 'Take it, I insist' said she 'That's all I have' The man turned his stare and shook his head.
He returned to his seat. He felt the unease had grown since their encounter. In his lifetime career, if taking money from passersby could be called a career, he never met someone that annoying. He rubbed his tattooed right arm, two fighting serpents. They brought masculine sense in him and he believed people feared his fake snakes. Though his friends told him to have a scarier design like skull or lion, he preferred the snakes. Some even laughed over his choice. 'You won't scare Borneans with snakes, they eat them' said his friends. But he had his very own reason preserving the tattoo. He feared snakes. 'Face your fear' that was his father advised. So he decided to have the snakes on his right arm. But still he did make any difference.
Many times he wanted to quit the job, the unholy chore. He was a man of religion in his childhood till he lost everything he had and also his faith in God. He never felt proud of what he did. What pride a man could have from taking money from others which he did, most of the time with force and intimidation? He ever considered begging on the street, but he had no 'face'. People would simply ignore him for his appearance. Who would give a stare at a beggar with tattooed body and healthy posture? He hated the idea. He knew to become a beggar he need to have a pitiful face, thin body, or if possible with deformed body parts. People feared him, young and old, male and female. They paid tribute, he called it 'security money' as if he was the watch dog of that gangway. But some people feared him not they simply did not want trouble. He knew it. This old lady even had been playing with him. He often saw her; she was a beggar, another unholy worker. Most of the time, he ignored her, but not that day. He felt that he needed to be just to every passerby, though his work was far from the idea of justice. He decided to stop the lady that day. So he took an intimidating posture blocking the gangway. 'Gimme money!' said he. The lady stopped and stared directly into his eyes. People tended to avoid his eyes, but she was exceptional. He started to fear the old woman as if he was staring at his mother. His mother used to stare sharply at him every time she got angry. He retreated, and walked to the side walk, head down. Suddenly the old lady handed him a coin, Rp. 100,00.
He was still rubbing his tattoos; the old lady was still looking at him. She came close; the least thing he wanted. 'Take this' said she 'I mean it' He could not control his irritation anymore. He yelled at the old lady and cursed her. At once some doors and windows opened, people peeked out. He raised his fist, then the watchers closed their windows, silence refilled the narrow street. He returned to his seat with heavy steps. Minutes passed, but the old lady stood still by the narrow road. 'Take this' said she 'I'll go' He shook his head. 'I'd told you, I won't' said he. Suddenly the coin slipped into his shirt pocket. 'It's a gift' said she walking away. She looked back few times, and then disappeared by a turn.
He felt defeated. Lost to an old lady; what a shame! He knocked his head with his fist, feeling stupid. Then he reached his pocket and took the coin. He had many similar coins in his hut. It was priceless, he could not use it. So he threw it to his feet, then something caught his eyes. There was something written on another side of the coin. It said 'Last coin I’ve ever earned' The inscription struck him like a lightning. His body froze and his breaths were short. The words mocked him, at the moment he felt so embarrassed of what he had been doing. He, too had some coins at home that he earned by working before taking money on the street; he keep them as treasure for he was proud of earning them. He looked at the coin many times and found courage to leave the place. He pleaded not to take money from passerby anymore at that very moment. 'Thanks' he cried and left the place with light heart.
The End
Cerpen Karangan: Tiopanus
Facebook: Tyo Pan Val
I’m a new writer, yet motivated. You could see my short stories on my facebook.
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