From his yard, Pian watched kites in air. They have varied shapes and colors.
Ah, if I had a kite, Pian thought. Unfortunately, he could not afford it. He didn’t
have much money. Since his father got unemployed he had to save money.
Pian
was surprised. Someone touched his shoulder.
"You
want to play a kite, don’t you?" His father was standing by his side.
"Ah,
I am happy just looking at those kites ...." Pian did not want to be
honest. He did not want to make his father sad. However,
"If
you want a kite, I can make it. Now I have plenty of time. Not as busy as I used to be. Do you want it?"
Pian
nodded quickly.
"There
is a bamboo in our backyard. Oh yeah, we still have kite thread from the last
season, right? So we just need oil paper. I have money to buy the paper."
The
next day, Dad made two kites. Pian was very excited. It looked exactly like factory-made,
he praised inwardly. Pian took the kites to a field. He actually felt dear for
the kites, if he must pit them. But if he didn’t pit them, where was the fun? he
thought.
Once,
twice, Pian's kite won. But in the ensuing battle, Pian's kite was cut off.
Pian was disappointed. But not for long. Was not that a risk of playing kite?
After all, he still had another kite.
A
few days later, a guest returned Pian’s
kite that had been cut off. Pian remembered that he wrote his home address on
the kite. However, it was strange that someone would be willing to return the kite.
Dad and
the guest were talking in living room. Pian eavesdropped their conversation.
According to the guest, the kite fell in his yard. Its good shape made him interested.
He went to the address written on the kite.
"So,
you made it? Fortunately. I came here to order kites like this. This kind of
kite is worth selling in big stores. For the first order, I want you to make
fifty kites. Are you willing?"
After
thinking, Dad nodded. It was an opportunity to earn money, Dad thought. As a
down payment, the guest gave him thirty thousand rupiah. The man would be
coming another week.
Since
the arrival of the guest, Dad had been busy. He did not want to disappoint that
person. Pian also helped. In fact, Mom who used to be allergic to kite this
time got involved.
By
making kites, Pian's family was not worried about money. To commemorate the
event, Pian hung his first kite on his wall. It was also a fortune kite.***
This story is translated from "Layang-layang Keberuntungan" in Bobo number 50 year XXVII , March 16th, 2000.