MY ONE HOPE FOR YOU
Chapter 006's

I will not know who will buy my merchandise, nor how much of my trading is sold today.

What is clear is that the power of dhikr will never forget the person who practices it.

On the sidelines I waited for the buyer, Ms. Suryo called me.

“Nduk, have you seen the news this morning?” ask Ms. Suryo to me.

A home television that relies solely on outdated antennas can only display three channels. 

There are only the midnight news channels and the third morning music and sports channels, which is what keeps me from getting information as quickly as anyone else.

My old cell phone that Mom bought me now gives to Roni and Jaka, they need more to help with PR and communicate with their friends at school.

“No ma'am, last night did not stay up because the eyes already felt heavy. Instead of being late to the market.” I replied politely.

“That's noduk, the trade minister said that tomorrow the price of rice rose.”

I who heard Bu Suryo's words immediately let out a long sigh. My face showed the image of an additional burden again.

But anyway, I can't do anything. Protests and demos are not my forte.

Resolve debates and defuse conflicts of interest. I don't dare to interfere in such things.

I realized that I was a sitting rice seller, who every day tried to cook and provide good food to help fill the stomach of all my buyers.

“Why go up again huh, ma'am? Yesterday onion, oil, tomorrow rice, surely next week the price of chili also rose.” I complain to Bu Suryo.

“Betul is also ma'am, we are just small traders who are similar to large traders.” 

“How are you doing, nduk? Do you know how to let me profit yet? ask Mrs Suryo.

“Not yet ma'am, think later. From now on the dizziness will even mess up his trading.”

Usually, if what goes up is the price of oil or the price of spices, I can outsmart it by adding a ready-made flavoring in order to still be able to replace the taste of ingredients whose prices soar.

This time it was rice. The main pawn in my trade, nothing can replace rice other than the lowered quality.

If there is still a mother, he would be angry if I replace the quality of rice commonly sold today with lower quality and cheaper.

Mother once told me, selling merchandise must be from the heart. As a trader, I also have to be able to feel what the buyer feels.

Even according to the mother, it is better to raise the price that is understandable than to decrease the quality of the rice.

While this time alone, the price in two months has been raised twice. Maybe the buyers will be able to compensate for that second hike, but how for the third time.

“Ah. I thought about just going home.” my inner self in heart.

I also continued trading today, a lot of people who do not usually stop by my lap. 

I looked in all directions, whether there was a new shophouse or a new manager who hired a lot of people.

Usually, it is like that. If there is a store or manager who has just joined in this market, there will be many people who help him so that there will be so many people who “asing” milling around everywhere.