CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Encounter

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I WALKED in the opposite direction as the older man told me from the vulcanizing shop.

I didn’t know how far I had come from walking when I saw what the older man was saying to me. A small cafeteria store in town greeted me. It feels like it’s the only store that exists in that town where I got lost.

From the shoulder bag I was carrying, I pulled out my wallet and went closer as I saw the woman. “Do you have any soda?”

The woman nodded. “Plastic or bottle?”

Confused, I looked at the woman. I don’t know what she means.

She immediately got what I was asking for. She opened it like a white box which I supposed to be a fridge but it doesn’t look like that. It looks more like a styrofoam crate.

“This Mss, bottle.” She even showed me what the bottle is and took some plastic and then translated it into the plastic with the straw inside of it. “This is plastic. It’s in a bottle when you drink it here, and plastic when you take it home.”

She handed to me the soda. “This is it.”

“How much?”

“It’s only eight.”

I started checking my wallet if I have coins. Luckily, I have two pieces of five coins. “This is my payment. Keep the change,” I said, then turned my back on the woman.

I was so thirsty that I finished what I drunk and then I just threw it in the trash I passed when I walk.

It’s just nice that it is tidy here. Being provincial, I rarely see clutter or garbage. It is also rare for vehicles to pass by. If not buses, I notice sometimes private vehicles.

I no longer know how long I have been walking through. Gradually, it was getting warmer as the sun was rising. When I checked the wristwatch I was wearing, it’s almost eleven in the morning. Before noon, the sun was already hot-hitting my exposed skin.

Soon I felt someone stick to me, closer. I just feel and look stunted. For a moment, I felt something pierce my side.

“Hold it! Give me your bag, if you don’t want me to hit your side.” The person told me bravely.

That person did not know that I was a bit taller and I could even reach him. From my peripheral vision, I saw he wears a cap. In the heat of the day, I could feel the cold object stabbing my side, which slightly startled me.

I was even more shocked, not because of his intimidation but because of the caress of his voice and the kind of smell his body made that was sticking to my nose as well. Cologne scent. I’m sure that’s the smell, but it’s just not clear what kind of cologne it is. Not familiar to me, but I’m sure I won’t find in branded perfumeries the kind of perfume he was wearing.

“What? Did you hear me? I told you about your bag!” he shouted impatiently as he tried to look up.

I lowered my head slightly as our eyes met.

At that height, his head was only up to my shoulders and if I used my strength, I could knock him down. Even though I don’t know what Taek won do is.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked calmly.

“Are you stupid! Naturally, I need money,” he answered me annoyingly and keep pointing me the sharp object in my side.

I tried to calm him down the most. “Just because you need money, will you steal?” I ask again.

“Why are you asking so many questions? Just give me what I’m asking for,” he said, more irritably behind me.

It further emphasized what was cold on my side.

“I don’t want to hurt you. But I’ll be forced to do that, miss, if you don’t give me what I’m asking for.”

“All right, I’ll give it to you. I’ll take out the wallet,” I said and slowly stretched so I could open the bag.

I bent down carefully and for a few moments; I face the person who holds me caused me to be surprised. It’s just an excused to pick up the wallet because I wanted to know who the poly was brave enough to hold up on even taller than him.

My reflexes were quick when I held the hand of the one who was still holding the sharp knife. He quickly lost his balance and then I hit him with the flow of my knee as he stumbled on the paved road. The cap he was wearing fell off and his hair was exposed to me. Now I finally confirmed what he was.

I have no intention of hurting. I just don’t want him to do anything bad. I can give him what he wants but in the right way, just don’t go through violence.

“I am a Black belter Taek wondo and I also studied judo and karate. Do you think you can handle me?” I reason out even if it’s not true.

“O-Ouch! That’s enough! I won’t do it again,” he said, looking like he was squirming in pain and avoiding his face on the hot road.

“Tell me, why are you making money?”

“Because my mother just needs medicine. I can’t provide. I have no other source,” he replied, not knowing if I should be trusted.

“I guess you are not a professional hold-up-er.” If he was professional, it would have been quick here to get rid of what I did.

WHEN I got the shape knife in his hand, I took it away from him without him getting it back from me. I slowly released him.

I let him get up and sit down while I also sat on the hot road with my foot-supporting on the ground. I pulled out a wallet and took a thousand pieces of paper. “How many does your mother need?”

He turned to me, and even slowly rubs his injured arm.

I took his hand to lie down the money. “Here are three thousand. Right now, that’s all I have because my car is in the vulcanizing shop.”

Astonished, he stared at me as if I was going crazy because of what I did.

I got up and shook myself. I even held out my hand to help him stand up as well. He accepted my hand and gave me a bad look, as if he was not yet convinced of what I had done.

“From now on, you will no longer steal or do evil. You are still a woman,” I said with my arms crossed.

This is what I figured out. At first, I thought it was indeed a man with a short height but it confirms to me that he; I mean she, is a woman. Although, I am always saying he or him, because she acts like a man—a brave man, to be exact.

If she hadn’t dropped her cap that moment, I wouldn’t have confirmed she was a woman.

As soon as I heard her voice, I got confused if she was a woman. Not it made me confident when she dropped her bull cap and her curly hair roll down.

I pulled out the wallet again and picked up the calling card that Brent had made for me before. “This is my calling card. You want a job. I will give you. Just one call. And I will help you change. ”

Not because I feel sorry for her, but I just really want to help her change and not do anything bad.

She accepted the calling card full of astonishment until I walked away from her.

But I came back in an instant when I remembered I was lost and I didn’t know the way back to where I came from. Since I’m not familiar, I can’t remember much where I went. For as consistent as the roads.

“By the way, where is the way back to the vulcanizing shop?”

She pointed the shop at me in the other direction. See. I am indeed lost. I don’t know what demon joined me to smile and reach for her forehead and mess up her hair even though we weren’t close. “Thank you,” I said before turning my back and walk heading where I need to be.

Before I could turn around, I noticed his amazement at me when she saw my face.

Her skin color is tan, she’s wearing a long sleeve blouse hanging unbutton, exposing her shirt underneath. Her pants were faded while she was wearing black rubber shoes that were somewhat damaged.

I don’t know what went through my mind to discuss her look and appearance. All I can say is she has a good face—cute indeed. I know she only did that because her mother was sick. Although, I’m still not sure I know I can find the truth of what she said.

I don’t know what kind of lightning strikes me, to even think of her as I continue to walk towards the vulcanizing shop. I want to help him change his life. I want to show him that life should enjoy like the way I am doing now.

I caught in my chest when I got back to the vulcanizing shop. I came back even though I was still wandering around.

I hope they will not take advantage of the money I gave them, an advance payment. But it didn’t go that way. They even gave me back a two thousand paper bill. A teenage girl returned my change. She said it was his uncle’s order. Since there was nothing left in my wallet, I accepted what the girl gave me.

According to them, there is no need to change anything. He said the engine just heated up, so it emitted smoke. I just need to prepare water. Because there is a bit of a problem inside when it lasts, I have to put water regularly so that I don’t get stuck in the car.

I didn’t think they were in a good mood and could pay back my overpayment, repair my car and even help me with what I need.

The older man looks nice. He even said I should be careful when coming home. But before leaving, I first asked him the name of the place where I got lost and the store I went to that I hadn’t even looked at the name of the cafeteria store.