War of Words: Agustus 2016

Chocochips Bread Pudding

“Itu apa?” tanya Arman saat melihat pacarnya, Rara menyantap semangkuk makanan yang dipesannya di restoran pizza. Hari ini mereka makan siang bersama di sela-sela jam kantor yang sedang senggang. “Ini? Puding roti coklat. Enak deh.” Jawab Rara sembari menyendokkan puding roti dan menyodorkannya ke mulut Arman, “Coba dulu nih.”

Arman membuka mulutnya dan melahap suapan puding roti coklat. Kunyahan demi kunyahan ia nikmati, tanpa sepatah kata. Rara menatap wajah Arman yang masih terdiam. “Sampe diem gitu sih, Man? Gimana rasanya?” tanya Rara yang hanya dijawab dengan senyuman dari Arman.

“Enak banget. Sumpah.” Akhirnya Arman buka suara setelah menghabiskan satu suapan. Ia bahkan membuka mulutnya, meminta Rara kembali menyuapkan puding roti untuknya. “Dulu Mama sering buatin ini. Aku jadi pengen coba bikin deh, Man.” Ujar Rara sambil menyuapkan satu sendok penuh untuk Arman. “Mau dong, Ra. Sekali-kali nyobain makanan buatan kamu.” Rara nyaris tersedak mendengar permintaan Arman. Dari semua hal yang ada di dunia ini, salah satu yang membuat Rara ketakutan setengah mati oleh permintaan Arman adalah minta dibuatkan makanan.

Rara bisa dibilang sangat gemar memasak, namun tidak sebanding dengan hasilnya. Terkadang tampilannya yang menggoda tidak sebanding dengan rasanya yang terkadang kurang enak atau justru sebaliknya. Rasanya enak namun bentuknya tidak karuan. Terakhir kali Rara membuatkan puding karamel untuk Arman hasilnya malah hancur dan jadi seperti bubur bayi. Rara bahkan tidak sampai hati untuk memakannya sendiri, apalagi memberikannya pada Arman. Akhirnya Rara terpaksa membuang puding karamel itu dan hanya bisa meminta maaf sambil menahan malu ketika Arman menanyakan.

***

Sabtu, 16.48 WIB. Rara meletakkan kantong belanjanya di meja dapur dan mengeluarkan hasil perburuannya siang tadi. Roti tawar, susu, telur, bubuk kayu manis, mentega, dan chocochips serta mangkuk aluminium. Hari ini ulang tahun Arman dan mereka akan merayakan kecil-kecilan berdua di rumah Rara. Sebagai kado, Rara ingin membuatkan puding roti seperti yang diminta Arman. Selama seminggu terakhir Rara berkali-kali mencoba membuat puding roti yang sempurna namun hasilnya kurang memuaskan. Kurang manis lah, kurang kering lah, kurang macam-macam pokoknya menurut lidah Rara.

Ia memanaskan oven dan mulai membuat bahan campurannya. Pertama, rara mencampurkan susu, gula, bubuk kayu manis, mentega yang sudah dicairkan dan telur, lalu mengocoknya dengan whisk hingga tercampur rata. Lalu ia memotong dadu roti tawar, kemudian memasukkannya ke dalam campuran susu dan telur dan diaduk hingga rotinya terendam. Sementara ia menunggu campuran susu terserap dalam roti, Rara menyiapkan mangkuk aluminium untuk wadahnya. Selanjutnya Rara mulai menuangkan campuran susu dan roti ke dalam mangkuk-mangkuk aluminium dan menaburkan chocochips di atasnya. Setelah semua siap, Rara mulai memanggang puding rotinya dengan teknik au bain marie.

Tak sampai 15 menit, puding roti coklat ala Rara sudah jadi. Rara mengeluarkannya dari oven dan menatanya di meja makan bersama dengan pizza dan pasta yang dipesan Rara sebelumnya. “This is for you, Man.” Ucap Rara dalam hati sambil tersenyum. Namun senyum itu sirna dan tergantikan oleh rasa gugup yang menghampiri. “Kok jadi deg-degan ya ngasih ke Arman? Enak ga ya? Kalo ga enak juga kan malu banget sama Arman.” Tanyanya dalam hati. “Cobain dulu deh satu kali ya.” Rara mengambil sendok dan mulai melahap puding roti buatannya.

Satu kunyahan, dua kunyahan, tiga kunyahan… “Kok rasanya gini sih? Ga seenak yang waktu itu beli sama Arman. Atasnya agak kekeringan. Coklatnya juga kurang berasa. Ah, gila makin deg-degan.” Rara mengeluh dalam hati, setengah mati gugup karena sebentar lagi Arman tiba dan tidak ada waktu lagi untuk membuat yang baru.

17.37 WIB. Tiga ketukan di pintu rumahnya membuat Rara melompat dari kursinya karena jantungnya berdebar kencang. Bahkan jauh lebih kencang dari saat Arman pertama kali mendaratkan ciuman hangat di bibirnya. Tangan Rara gemetar saat membuka pintu dan melihat Arman berdiri di depan pintunya, mengenakan jins hitam dan kemeja coklat favorit Rara. Sorot mata coklat gelapnya yang tajam namun ramah membuat lutut Rara semakin lemas dan ingin pingsan saja.

“Happy birthday, baby!” Rara akhirnya berhasil mengumpulkan segenap tenaganya kembali dan memeluk Arman erat. Wangi white musk khas parfum Arman membuat rasa gugup Rara sirna. “Just don’t let me go yet, Man. Please.”

Arman tersenyum mendengar ucapan Rara dan mempererat pelukannya. “I won’t unless you ask. Thank you ya, Sayang.” Rara akhirnya melepas pelukannya dan mempersilahkan Arman masuk. “Man, I made something for you. Tapi… Aku takut mau ngasihnya. Takut ga enak.” Ujar Rara gugup sambil membuka tutup saji dan mengambil satu mangkuk puding roti untuk Arman. “Ini puding roti coklat yang waktu itu kamu minta aku buatin.”

“Aku bahkan udah lupa aku minta dibuatin, Ra. Just relax, I’m not Gordon Ramsey.” Canda Arman, membuat Rara kembali tersenyum. Arman mulai menyendok penuh dan melahap puding roti itu. Seperti adegan film yang dibuat slow motion, setiap kunyahan membuat jantung Rara berdegup kencang sampai rasanya hampir copot. Rara menyilangkan jarinya, memohon keajaiban yang dapat membuat puding roti buatannya tiba-tiba terasa enak bagi Arman.

Suapan kedua, suapan ketiga, Arman masih diam. “Man, say something. Kamu bikin aku deg-degan. Gimana rasanya?” tanya Rara. Arman hanya melirik Rara dan melanjutkan suapannya hingga habis satu mangkuk. “Ini enak, Ra. And you’re insecure that I won’t like it? Gosh, this is awesome.” Akhirnya Arman buka suara setelah menghabiskan satu mangkuk dan mengambil mangkuk kedua, yang langsung habis dalam 5 menit. Rara bahkan sampai bengong mendengar komentar Arman. “Serius?” tanya Rara tidak percaya. “Kalo kamu ga percaya, cobain deh.” Arman menyuapkan satu sendok penuh untuk Rara. “Iya. Kok enakan sekarang rasanya dibanding aku cobain tadi?” Serius, Rara sampai heran karena rasanya enak.

“Mungkin kamu nyobainnya karena ga ada aku. Kan ada akunya yang bikin enak. Ganteng gini kok.” Canda Arman yang disambut dengan cubitan dari Rara yang gemas dengan rasa pede Arman yang memang kelebihan satu panci dari sang Pencipta. “Ga semua orang masak bisa langsung enak, Ra. Jangan capek belajar masak ya. Practice makes perfect, Ra. Aku tau kamu latian bikin ini berkali-kali. Dan aku bisa ngerasain kamu bikin ini pake perasaan. Buatku, itu yang bikin enak.”

Rara terdiam mendengar Arman. Mamanya pernah bilang hal yang sama padanya saat Rara menanyakan rahasia masakan Mama yang selalu enak. Mama Rara selalu masak dengan sepenuh hatinya, dan Rara selalu merasakan cinta Mamanya yang meluap-luap dalam setiap sendok masakan Mamanya.

“Iya juga, ya. Pake cinta masaknya.” Ucap Rara pada dirinya sendiri. “Berarti…. Tiap aku abis masak kamu harus jadi orang pertama yang cobain ya, Man. Nanti kamu kasih komentar apa yang kurang. Oke? Ya ya ya?”

“HAH??”

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Menulis. Sebuah kegiatan yang dipelajari semenjak masih TK dulu. Eh kali jaman sekarang mau masuk TK kudu udah bisa nulis ya? Saya dulu belajar menulis ketika udah di TK nol besar (yang sampe sekarang saya ga tau kenapa penamaan kelasnya nol kecil dan nol besar sih?). Tapi saya inget banget dulu saya bisa baca dulu baru bisa nulis.

Mungkin memang itu tahapnya. Membaca dan menjadi pembaca dulu, baru menulis dan menjadi penulis. Sama ketika di TK, belajar baca dulu baru belajar nulis. Sama ketika kuliah, membaca puisi dulu baru menulis puisi.

Hal itu juga yang membuat saya mencoba mengaktifkan lagi (salah satu dari banyak) blog saya (yang udah ga aktif karena ga inget apa passwordnya). Saya coba baca-baca dulu tulisan bloggers lain, salah satunya atasan saya di kantor tempat saya magang sampai akhir bulan ini. Hehehe ijin nyomot inspirasi ya Mba.

Saya juga ga tau sih apa yang sebenernya mau saya tulis di blog ini. Tapi saya coba tulis apa saja dulu deh. Saya coba meyakinkan diri saya sendiri kalau nantinya blog ini akan bisa lebih terfokus dan terkonsep isinya. Sama seperti ketika TK dulu sewaktu baru bisa menulis dengan font ceker ayam, saya selalu tulis apa saja walaupun sekarang saya yakin saya juga ga bisa baca tulisan saya.

Rasanya seperti siklus, hanya saja sudah naik ‘level’. Di kelas Poetry semester 3 dulu, saya baru belajar membaca puisi dan menganalisanya. Iya, analisa. Meletup kepala ini rasanya kalau inget disuruh baca “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” karya William Shakespeare dan coba membuat analisanya. Kenapa harus “summer’s day”? Siapa “thee” yang dimaksud di dalam puisi itu? Dsb dsb dsb. Sekarang saya baru menyelesaikan kelas Creative Writing yang ‘memaksa’ saya untuk menulis puisi, cerpen, dan feature dengan berbagai macam teknik penulisan. See? Dari belajar jadi mempraktekkan.

Ah, makin ngelantur aja tulisan saya. Sembari mendengarkan lagu-lagu hasil cover Postmodern Jukebox di Youtube (nanti saya mau tulis tentang mereka di blog ini. Sumpah recommended banget hasil cover mereka!) saya coba repost beberapa hasil tulisan saya di kelas Creative Writing.

Happy reading!

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SCENE 1

Three brothers were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. The oldest brother was a combative man, the second brother was an arrogant, and youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers. In time, the brothers reached a river.

[the three brothers stand on the river bank]

The Second : Well, it’s too dangerous to swim. I don’t think we can swim across to the other side.

The Youngest : And it’s too deep to wade through. I’ve heard so many people died in this river. Especially Muggles.

The Eldest : Are you both idiots? We’re wizards. We just have to wave our wands and made a bridge. Don’t be such a fool like Muggles.

[The three brothers waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water]

[enters the Death, blocking the three brothers’ path on the bridge]

Death : [smirks] Congratulations the three of you! No one ever made it to cross the river. You have used your magic well, my friends. Each of you had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade me. You can ask for anything.

The Eldest : [answers with raised chin] I want a wand more powerful than any in existence. A wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death!

[Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river and fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there]

Death : [handing the wand] This wand is the most powerful in the world. No witch or wizard can beat you with this wand. With this wand, you’ll become the greatest wizard ever exist! [to the second brother] what do you want for your prize?

The second : [answers in arrogant voice] What I want is the power to recall others from Death!

Death : [picks up a stone from the riverbank and give it to the second brother] this stone would have the power to bring back the dead. With this stone, you can even resurrect yourself and you’ll become immortal. [to the third brother] and how about you? What do you want for your prize?

The youngest : [answers wisely] I want for something that would enable me to go forth from that place without being followed by you.

Death : [unwillingly handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility] I give you The Cloak of Invisibility. With this cloak, nobody will be able to see you. Not even myself.

[the Death stood aside]

[the three brothers exit]

[light slowly goes off]

SCENE 2

[light slowly goes on]

[the Eldest Brother enters an inn in a village, looking for his opponent wizard] [spotlight on both the opponent and the Eldest Brother]

The Eldest : You! [pointing at his opponent wizard] you may had defeated me that day, but now I will defeat you with this wand. Come! Take your wand and fight me! [his wand already in his hand, ready for a duel]

The opponent : As you wish then! [takes his wand out]

The Eldest and

the opponent : [both shouting] EXPELLIARMUS!

[the opponent’s wand falls]

The Eldest : AVADA KEDAVRA!

[the opponent wizard falls hardly to the floor, does not move] [spotlight focuses on the Eldest]

The Eldest : [boasting loudly to the audience as the crowd] You see? You see how powerful my wand is? This Elder Wand is the most powerful wand that ever exists! I snatched it from the Death himself. With this wand, I am the greatest wizard. No one can and no one will defeat me! I am the most invincible wizard! Hah! Anyone wants to try fighting me? Anyone? Well, that’s a good choice because no one will have a chance to defeat me.

[the Eldest Brother goes to his room and goes to sleep]

[another wizard enters his room and creeps upon the oldest brother as he sleep] [The thief took the wand and slit the oldest brother’s throat.]

[enters the Death and takes the Eldest Brother]

[exits all and light slowly goes off]

SCENE 3

[light slowly goes on]

[The second brother enters his own home, takes out the stone and turned it thrice in his hand] [spotlight on the Second Brother]

[enters the Woman, spotlight on both the Second Brother and the Woman]

The second : [amazed and delighted] oh, my beautiful lady! You’re alive! Oh, how I missed you, my dear… finally we can be together again. I can have you again, my love. [tries to reach and hold his lover’s hand] my dear, why I can’t hold your hand?

The woman : [standing out of the Second Brother’s reach] I’m dead, my dear. I don’t truly belong in the mortal world anymore. We can’t be together. We’re in different worlds…[crying]

The second : no… please don’t leave me again, my love. Please… [crying in agony]

[the spotlight slowly leaves the Woman, focuses on the Second Brother] [the Woman exits]

The second : no… I can’t live without you… [kneeling and crying in agony] no… I have to be with her. I have no reason to live in this world anymore

[the second brother gets on a chair and hangs himself]

[enters the Death and takes the Eldest Brother]

[exits all and light slowly goes off]

SCENE 4

[light slowly goes on] [enters the Death, spotlight on him]

Death : [wandering around the stage] where is he? Where is the Youngest? He must be hiding under the Cloak. Oh, I can’t find him for years. How can I take him as mine? He seems impossible to find.

[enters the Youngest Brother, spotlight on him too as he takes off the Cloak]

The Youngest : [smiling] hello, my dear old friend. Finally we meet again. I am now old and have done so many things as long as I live. This is the time for me to join you. But I have to say something to my son before I leave. May I?

Death : Of course.

The Youngest : [to his son] my dear son, I give to you this Cloak of Invisibility. Please use it wisely.

The son : [accepts the Cloak, looks up to his father’s eyes] where are you going, dad? What is this Cloak for?

The Youngest : I’m going to a better place, son. I’m going with my dear old friend. This Cloak of Invisibility will help you to finish your business, like I did all this time. Promise me you’ll use it wisely, only for good things. Not for doing any crime.

The son : I promise, dad. [holds his father’s hand] but why you have to leave? Don’t you still have any things to do? Can’t you stay longer with me?

The Youngest : [smiling, strokes his son’s head] I have no more reason to stay, dear son. I have finished all of my business in this world, including accompanying you to grow up. And you’ve grown up well. Don’t worry. We’ll meet again in time. We’ll be together again in a better place, son. [to the Death] shall we?

Death : Come, my friend.

[the Youngest Brother smiles and waves his hand to his son and the audience]

[both of the Youngest Brother and the Death exit, spotlight on them and slowly goes off]

Adapted from “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” by J.K. Rowling

Vidiarsi

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By Metrida Vidiarsi

The coldness of mountain air in Cemoro Sewu base camp stabbed to my bones even though I wore a wind-breaker jacket. The wind slowly breezed to my ears. The sun shone brightly as I walked with the feeling of excitement filled my heart. Right above my head, a high gate welcomed me and other mountain climbers. It was crowded since it was a day before the Independence Day and a lot of climbers wanted to do ceremony at the top.

Mount Lawu, a mount with 3265 meters above the sea level located at the border between East Java and Central Java. It is one of the favourite mountain to climb for climbers, especially who come from Java Island. It is famous of its beautiful sceneries view and edelweiss at the top. There are two climbing tracks to reach the top, Cemoro Sewu and Cemoro Kandang.

The track to the top wasn’t easy, even though other climbers said it was quite easy. The track to the 5^th post is stairs of big rocks. After the 5^th post to Argo Dalem and the top, the track is sands, pebbles and some grass. I climbed step by step, slowly tried to cope with my friends’ steps as the sun went higher and brighter. Sweats dripped down my face and body. Even so, the coldness of the air still absorbed through my jacket and shivered me.

The amazing sceneries and the beautiful yellow edelweiss on the sides of the track to the 5^th post mesmerized me. I sat at the side of the track and turned my back while slowly control my breathing tempo. There were beautiful scenery of green landscape and ocean of clouds right upon my eyes. The houses at the villages seemed so small from up there. The wind breezed the smell of fresh green leaves calmed me and relieved my energy and mind.

The sun slowly set at the west when I stepped my feet to the 5^th post. As the sunlight faded, the cold wind blew wildly when I finally stepped my feet on a sandy large field. I camped right in front of Mbok Yem’s food stall at Argo Dalem, a very famous among climbers and the one and only food stall at the top of Mount Lawu. It is a quite large hut consists of a traditional kitchen with a fireplace, a simple dining room, and a wide room for climbers to sleep.

The smell of hot tea filled the tent. The warmth from the tea slowly faded the coldness I felt. Later, the delicious smell of boiled Indomie filled the tent and made me drooled. The delicious taste and the heat of the Indomie totally relieved me. I clearly heard the wind howled between the loud chatters of other campers outside the tent. I was afraid the tent wouldn’t be able to stand still through the windy night. The thickness of sleeping bags almost couldn’t fight the coldness, so I slept with my jacket on and covered my body with a thick sleeping bag.

Climbing to the top, Argo Dumilah, wasn’t easy too. Even though the track is not as long as the previous track, it is steeper and sandier than before. I climbed two steps but I slipped off one step. When I finally reached the top, a 360° beautiful sceneries awaited me. The sky seemed never been brighter than that day. All I could see was a clear, beautiful blue sky. Thousands of white clouds made a beautiful ocean in the sky. The sun shone brightly while slowly fell in the west and turned the sky into gold. The wind blew harder, making the temperature colder than before. The sceneries made me never want to leave the top as I never see that kind of sceneries in any mountain I’ve ever climbed.

Every journey of mountain climbing is not and will never be easy. The tracks can be tricky and the weather can’t be predicted. Yet, the sceneries and the atmosphere are the remedy of my tiresome. Every step I take brings me closer to the top, and the sceneries of the lower landscapes around the mountain are the gift of my struggle at the track. They are the answer of the question, “why do you want to climb a mountain?”

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Metrida Vidiarsi

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