A Short Story for Children

 I AM SORRY, BIK NARTI

 

THURSDAY AFTERNOON   

            “Bik Narti!! Where are you? Where are the mangoes and lemons? “ Bayu yelled loudly. Bayu was in the kitchen looking for Bik Narti, the household assistant in his house. 

            “Bik Narti … you don’t have ears, do you?” Bayu continued calling harshly because Bik Narti did not answer him.

Bik Narti hurriedly entered the kitchen. 

            “The fruit is in the basket, Mas Bayu, I am sorry, I am in the washing room,” explained Bik Narti.

            Meanwhile, Bu Ratih, Bayu’s mother, also entered the kitchen. She looked at Bayu seriously.

            ‘Kak Bayu, what is the matter?” Bu Ratih asked.

            Bayu was taken aback to see his mother. He thought his mother was busy working with her laptop.

“I am sorry, Bu,“ Bik Narti said to bu Ratih and quietly left the kitchen.

“I want to prepare for my class tomorrow, Mom,“ Bayu said.

            “I think, you can find Bik Narti by looking for her first instead of yelling from here” said bu Ratih.

            “I know, Mom, I am sorry, “ replied Bayu. 

            “Bik Narti is older than all of us.  She is a helper but I want you to be more polite to her. Will you do that Kak Bayu?” asked bu Ratih.

            “I will Mom, “ Bayu answered.

            “Okay, the fruits are here. What will you do then?” asked bu Ratih.

            “I will peel and keep the rinds, “ Bayu replied.  Actually, he wanted to ask Bik Narti to do it, but he knew his mother would not allow it.

 

07.00 FRIDAY MORNING

“Mom, where is my blue plastic box?” asked Bayu.  

            “Look for it again, will you?” Bu Ratih answered. 

“I have checked twice Mom, it is not here,” Bayu replied desperately.

At 08.00 Bayu would have a class on eco enzyme topic and his teacher had asked all students to prepare fruit rind, water, and brown sugar for making eco enzyme.  

            “Kak Bayu, call your father for breakfast, “ said Bu Ratih. 

            “But, I haven’t found the box yet, Mom,” Bayu replied. 

            “I will help you later,“ said Bu Ratih. 

Bu Ratih was preparing fried rice with sausage and sunny-side-up egg.  It’s the favorite breakfast of the family.

            “Kak Bayu, take more, “ Father said to Bayu.

            “I am full, Dad. “ Bayu replied. He was still thinking about the box.

            “Mom, why do you put trash in our refrigerator?” asked Father. “Last night I found a box with mangoes rind in it. “

            Bu Ratih was looking at Bayu. 

“That is my box for the class. Where is it now, Dad?” Bayu asked quickly.

            “Oooh… I am sorry. I thought it was trash, so I threw it in the garbage bin,” Father replied.

            Without listening further, Bayu was running to the back yard and checking the bin. There were the rinds. Bayu was very upset. He just kept silent there.

            “Mas. Bayu., here is  your plastic box. I put some mangoes rinds and lemons in here “ Bik Narti was suddenly standing beside Bayu with the blue plastic box. Bayu was surprised to see Bik Narti.

            “Oooh … Thank you Bik Narti. I am sorry I was impolite to you yesterday,” Bayu said to Bik Narti. Bik Narti was just smiling to Bayu.

Published in an antology in 2021