Man In the Twighlight City

A phenomenon that never ends

Derryamt opened his eyes to the sound of a cell phone alarm vibrating on the table. Signifies the time to return to his routine activities for work. When he saw it was one in the morning.

Amanda, who was getting used to her husband's work cycle, also got up and immediately prepared a coffee drink to warm him up before he left or tidied himself up to get dressed.

When Derryant was wearing his clothes

“This is what note you have made Amanda?” while his hands were buttoning the shirt he put the paper on the nightstand in front of the glass. But Derryant didn't seem too serious to pay attention because his mind was still not optimal.

"That is a record of all the expenses I made earlier since you left me to sleep" Amanda said.

“Ooh...!” that was the only reaction Derryant gave then without re-reading what was written in it. Just folded the thing then put it into one of the pockets of the clothes he was wearing.

“Why did you have that paper bag?” Amanda asked about the reaction given by her husband.

Derryant didn't have time to answer. An incoming message notification from his cellphone made the man switch and then smiled.

"What is it?" Amanda looked a little curious.

"There isn't anything. Only a message from Kusnadi informing him that someone from the area is now accompanying him," Derryant replied.

His movement was getting hasty, for a moment he received several follow-up messages from a friend of his.

"Derry, what about the list I made?" Amanda started to ask her husband's response.

"We'll discuss Amanda later. It's time for me to go to work now." Derryant said while taking the two-wheeled vehicle out of the garage.

Amanda, who was seen accompanying him, was preparing to accompany her husband until the vehicle could no longer be heard.

***

Ferdi is the name of the young man who is a colleague or new employee who has now joined Kusnadi to help him. In carrying out daily tasks in his work environment. Currently engrossed in a light conversation with Derryant. Apparently the man who is still very regional in nature has the same hobby as Derryant.

" I am a 21 year old man who currently works at a private company in South Jakarta, specifically in Cipete, a subsidiary that is still affiliated with Kusnadi," the smile was directed at the person he was referring to.

I originally came from a small town in Sumatra, namely Bengkulu. Even so, I also have Minang blood from my mother and Javanese from my father.

When talking about culture shock, as a Minang person, I immediately think about food. For your information, for those who don't know, Warung Tegal doesn't exist at all in Sumatra (as far as I know, because in Bengkulu and at Rumah Masakan Minang there are no Warung Tegal. So, for example, if I'm not eating at home, I usually eat Nasi Padang, Geprek chicken, or chicken pecel. Oh yes, I am an alumni of one of the universities in Padang, and Nasi Padang has become my daily food there, for only 10 thousand, we can eat Nasi Padang with side dishes of rendang chicken, vegetables and curry. jackfruit.

Back to the topic, I migrated to Jakarta in April last year, because I was used to eating Nasi Padang, so I also wanted to eat Nasi Padang in Jakarta, so I stopped by a Nasi Padang cooking house near my boarding house.

"There's something funny, I have the mindset that if I speak Minang language, the waiter will think 'wow he's a Minang person too' and I hope I'll get the price of fellow Minang people HA...,HA...,HA! It turns out not, I usually buy Padang rice for 11 thousand, now the cheapest Padang rice I can buy here is around 17-18 thousand. hahaha

And this is where the culture shock occurred when I tried to buy a Tegal Warung. I actually did not understand from the start how they calculated.

For example, today I bought rice with a side dish of scrambled eggs and potato sauce for 12 thousand.

The next day I order again with the same side dish, but sometimes the price is a thousand more expensive and it can even be a thousand cheaper. Even now, I'm also confused about how they calculate it hahaha. Oh yes, there is one thing that I find disgusting when buying warteg.

At that time I bought a warteg with a side dish of chicken opor, and I packed it to eat at the boarding house.

After I arrived at the boarding house, I opened it and….. Allahu akabar, I've only ever gotten something like this in my entire life. His mother gave him a chicken complete with the chicken's head and even the beak was still there!

As far as I know, even if you want to eat the head, it's only limited to the neck. It's not, it's complete with the chicken head!

Ferdi said while showing the food with his index finger, suddenly this made Kusnadi and Derryant smile a little.

They both understood what was going on in the young man's mind, especially for immigrants who had just set foot in a big city who previously came from a place that could be said to be a complete opposite.

Either directly or indirectly, it influences aspects of socio-economic life, peaceful and orderly life, city development, transportation and traffic.

The problems that grow and develop in urban areas are one of the most problematic issues today.

Governments in urban areas, especially big cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar and other big cities, have to deal with various kinds of problems that continue to become increasingly complex and pile up while their capabilities and resources are relatively limited.

Likewise with the limited absorption capacity and capacity of the city. Increasing unemployment rates, increasingly widespread crime, inadequate public service facilities in the fields of health, education, transportation and so on are some of the dull portraits that reflect the unfriendliness of urban areas.

Cities also become areas of social struggle as ethical, moral, and legal boundaries become increasingly blurred. Developments from year to year are very rapid in various fields, both economics, education, as well as information and technology. The development of business and trade still dominates in this city.

Observing the two people relaxing amidst the hustle and bustle of the warehouse area where Derryant did his daily work made him a little aware of the existence and social conditions of each of these people.

The three of them are not actually manual skilled workers or only work using skilled physical abilities alone, the type of work they do is only as a supervisory function as an extension or representative of the respective companies where they are employed.

More precisely, the three of them only take care of activities that are administrative in nature or completeness of documents. Meanwhile, all activities that use semi-skilled or non-skilled physical workers are the main area of this warehouse manager, namely staffed by outsourced workers or outsourcing foundations in the environment around the warehouse.

Literally Derryant and his two colleagues have more free time at work so they occasionally use it to just discuss or have fun while waiting for their turn in the transport queue according to their work order.

Emphasizing the words of this young man who just joined Ferdi, if he is also a descendant of Central Java,

**

"By the way - what are you paying attention to on the paper that you are holding? seems so serious that your eyes that look small are getting invisible?' An old man named Kusnadi, who became his best friend, again harassed him.

“Hey, eh! This…, an endless list of expenses from a far-away country ruled by an empress who doesn't understand anything.” Derryant answered Kusnadi's jokes casually.

For him, things that seem serious will become lighter if he takes them in a relaxed manner, thereby reducing the effects of stress a little. A method that is quite effective according to Kusnadi.

"Let me see the notes, they seem to be very neat and thorough, it's no use if your wife is a former accountant if the way it works is this good!" Kusnadi exclaimed jokingly and grabbed the object from Derryant's hand.

“Wow! fifteen million?!

Kusnadi was half shocked and exclaimed when he saw the amount listed in the small note, his eyes turned to look at Derryant who slightly lowered his head but still smiled, even though he looked a little sour.

"Yes, that's it..., his name is also the candidate for the first child. It has become a common thing and don't you think that's the case too? Derryant tried to divert this statement to Kusnadi.

"That's true Derryant, where I come from in Minang it can even be three or four times as much, because it could be that the celebration takes a longer local traditional procession"

Ferdi continued that Derryant's words were getting lost in the conversation even though they knew that the man was still single.

"Oh..., from which region are you actually from, Ferdi? They said they were from Central Java, but now you say Minang people?!

Still in a joking tone, Kusnadi cut off the words of his new co-worker which started to spark a long debate between the two of them.

While Derryant, who at first frowned slightly to think about where to find income to cover up the problem, became a little delayed and felt amused by their behavior.

"Don't worry Derryant . I'm sure you're still capable, I know your capacity from the beginning, just relax and everything will flow. Regarding your wife's culture, I've told you about it long ago and that's how it is,...ha...ha. ..Ha!"

"Well...you are indeed elderly and don't know yourself, you already know the problems of friends, they are not helped but instead laughed at, can you at least help?! Derryant responded back.

“Hey half-crumpled kid!

"I know better which people need help more and which people don't need help, so don't teach me about that," with his hands on his waist, Kusnadi returned to his characteristic way of joking.

However, before the working hours ended and shifts began, this old man named Kusnadi had left something for him.

A congratulatory gift for Derryan and Amanda for her future child or the old man calls his future niece.