Family Breakdown
Chapter 2 - Shadows Behind Childhood Laughter
The 1970s was an era filled with simple joys and unforgettable memories times when children in the village found happiness in the smallest of things. Rina and her cousins grew up surrounded by colors of life, though the world around them was not without hardship. Their days were spent on open fields, under green trees, and beneath the wide blue sky.
It was a time no one would ever forget a time before technology, when imagination was all they had.
Rina: "Let's play galah panjang, Anita! I want to be the leader this time!"
Anita: "No way, Rina! This round I'm the leader!"
They both ran into the wide yard, where lines drawn with stones marked their playing field. Along with their cousins, Rina and Anita played galah panjang a game that required running, dodging, and quick reflexes.
Rina (cheerfully): "Watch out! I'm coming to tag you!"
Anita (laughing): "Catch me if you can!"
Their laughter echoed through the air. For those moments, nothing else mattered not the tension at home, not the arguments
they just wanted to play and be free.
A few days later, they played baling selipar, a favorite among village children. Using their old worn out slippers, they took turns throwing them as far as they could.
Mikol (holding the slipper): "Whoever throws it the farthest wins!"
Ibrahim, the mischievous and energetic one, grinned eagerly.
Ibrahim: "I'll throw farther than all of you!"
Rina (giggling): "We'll see about that!"
Mikol took a deep breath and flung the slipper as far as he could. The children cheered wildly, waiting for their turn. When Rina's turn came, she threw hers with all her might.
Rina (excitedly): "Look! I won!"
The children clapped and laughed. The game didn't matter it was the joy of being together that made them feel victorious.
Back then, children were free ! free to run, play, and dream without worries about time or the weight of the world. They played from sunrise to sunset, from bright skies to the orange glow of dusk.
A few weeks later, they played catch the ball in the yard. Each child tried to catch the ball tossed high into the air, laughing whenever someone missed.
Rina (smiling): "Ah, almost got it!"
Anita (energetically): "I'll get it next!"
Then came Mikel and Mikol, the two cousins who always loved to tease.
Mikel: "You girls always play catch! Let's play football instead wanna be famous players?"
Mikol: "Yeah! Like the ones we hear about on the radio!"
Anita (laughing): "Oh, so now you're coaches, huh? Fine! Let's play football and see who wins!"
Though they sometimes argued, every game they played together brought happiness no one could ever replace. The childhood memories of the 1970s became golden treasures in their hearts memories of laughter that would never fade.
As time passed, they grew older. Their games became fewer, but the spirit of childhood their bond remained eternal.
Rina (thinking to herself): "There was nothing more beautiful than laughter and play with friends. All worries felt so far away then."
Shadows Behind the Games
In the 1970s, children like Rina and her cousins didn't understand the word stress. Their lives were simple, their joy pure. Every afternoon was filled with laughter as they forgot the troubles of home.
Yet behind those joyful games, shadows of reality lingered things too heavy for their young hearts to understand.
One afternoon, after playing ball in the field, Rina and Anita rested under the big guava tree behind the house. The evening breeze brushed softly against their faces.
Rina: "Anita, why must we always play far from home? Mama said not to disturb the adults."
Anita adjusted her sitting position, thoughtful.
Anita: "Maybe they have important matters to discuss, Rina. We're just kids. Let them be."
Rina nodded, though uneasily. She could sense the tension at home, even if she didn't fully understand it.
After a long silence, she spoke softly.
Rina: "I heard Mama and Papa fighting again."
Anita frowned slightly.
Anita: "They always fight, don't they? But we can't do anything. We can only pray everything gets better."
Rina fell silent again, staring at the ground. Leaves scattered around them, whispering the quiet truth that nothing stayed the same forever.
Then Mikol came running toward them, carrying news that changed the mood entirely.
Mikol: "Hey! Did you hear? They're making a big decision. Some say we'll move to another village. Others say we'll stay. There might be a split in the family!"
Rina (shocked): "Move? Why?"
Mikol: "I don't know. Mama said if things don't change, we'll all fall apart. The adults are still discussing it."
Just then, Ibrahim joined them, curious.
Ibrahim: "What are they talking about? Can't we just play instead?"
Mikol: "It's not that simple, Ibrahim. There are things we kids don't understand. Our family… it's not always peaceful."
Rina felt her chest tighten. The carefree world of her childhood suddenly seemed fragile. Why did everything have to change?
Ibrahim tried to lift the mood.
Ibrahim: "Come on! Let's play ball again! Forget the adults for now!"
But Mikol shook his head.
Mikol: "You don't get it. If things keep going like this, our family might break apart. Playing won't fix that."
Rina said nothing. She didn't fully understand, but deep down, she felt that something was indeed breaking.
Her mother's words often echoed in her mind telling her not to interfere with adult matters but the more she tried to ignore it, the heavier it became.
At home, the tension grew worse. The arguments between her parents became louder, the anger sharper. Rina often hid in her room, tears in her eyes as she listened to voices of rage seeping through the wooden walls.
One night, after dinner, Rina sat beside her mother, who was quietly wiping her tears.
Rina: "Mama, why do we always fight? Why can't we be happy?"
Her mother's voice trembled softly.
Mother: "Sometimes, Rina, life doesn't go the way we want. Problems come and go. But don't worry, my dear it will pass. Our family will be okay."
Rina: "But why are there so many problems, Mama?"
Her mother paused, her eyes filled with love and exhaustion.
Mother: "Because sometimes we lose our way. But we must never give up. Don't let problems destroy us, Rina. No matter what happens we must stay together."
Rina didn't know how to respond. She only knew one thing her family was standing at the edge of breaking apart. Yet, even as a child, she silently promised herself one thing: she would never let love fade.
A Coin Beneath the Soil
Day by day, things began to change. Grandfather and Grandmother divorced, and Grandfather remarried…
It was a bright morning in the village, filled with the familiar sounds that had long become tradition. The air was filled with the calls of a man riding an old bicycle, selling fresh fish and vegetables from house to house. The soft ringing of the small bell on his bicycle broke the stillness of dawn.
Fish Vendor (Pak Kadir): "Fresh fish! Fresh fish! Who wants to buy fish?"
Children who heard the voice immediately rushed out of their homes, running to their parents to ask for a few coins. At one house, Anita and Mikol ran excitedly toward their mother.
Anita (cheerfully): "Mama, Mama! Can I buy that fish? I want to make it for lunch!"
Anita's Mother: "Aih, silly girl! You don't even eat fish, what do you want it for?"
Anita: "Maa, I actually want to buy that cotton candy and King Kong biscuits!"
Her mother sighed and handed her a 20 cent coin.
Anita's Mother: "Here, take this. But don't go too far there's a spirit catcher down the road."
Anita: "Okay, Mama! Yay! I have money!"
Meanwhile, Mikol, smiling brightly, also asked his mother for some coins.
Mikol (with hope): "Mama, can I buy some candy too?"
His mother, Rosmah, shook her head with a gentle smile.
Rosmah: "Spend it wisely, alright? Don't buy anything too expensive. We're not rich."
Even so, she still gave him a few coins. Life in the village was simple and filled with warmth everyone helped each other and shared what they had to survive.
Rina, who also heard Pak Kadir's call, sat quietly by the doorway, watching everything with great interest. She felt a little envious seeing her friends get money from their parents, while she had to ask first.
Rina (softly): "Mother… can I buy cotton candy too?"
Rina's Mother (tiredly): "What for, my dear? We already have cotton drying at home. No need to buy more."
Rina fell silent, disappointed. She watched her friends giggling happily as they bought their treats. The difference between her life and theirs often felt so painfully real.
In her heart, she muttered,
Rina (to herself): "I want sweet cotton candy, not the kind that ruins things."
Her eyes wandered to the old wooden walls full of holes. She often found lizard eggs hidden between them tiny treasures that made her smile every time she discovered one.
An Afternoon of Hope
That afternoon, after lunch, it was the time of day when the children received their allowance. Every kid in the village was given a few coins a small gesture of love and care from their parents.
Anita and Mikol waited eagerly with their little bags in hand, hoping for some coins. Their parents were busy in the fields or around the house, but still made time for their children.
Anita (hopefully): "Mama, can I have fifty cents?"
Her mother smiled gently and handed her some coins.
Anita's Mother: "Use it wisely, okay? Don't buy useless things."
Anita nodded happily and skipped away to buy candy at the small village stall. Mikol, grinning from ear to ear, received thirty cents and ran off to buy a new toy.
But Rina, once again, only watched from afar with envy.
Rina (quietly): "Mother… can I have some money too?"
Her mother sighed deeply, looking at her daughter with love and sadness.
Rina's Mother (softly): "Rina, it's not a good time for spending. When there's more blessing, I'll give you some, alright?"
Rina nodded slowly, her heart heavy. She had never really experienced the joy of having her own pocket money. Everything she had was through her mother's care even if it was never enough.
She walked out to the yard, watching the other children run and laugh with their coins. Their world seemed so different from hers.
Yet despite everything, Rina smiled. Deep down, she knew there were more important things in life than a few coins. No matter how little she had, she remained thankful.
As she sat alone, quietly poking at the soil with a stick, something caught her eye a shiny coin half buried in the dirt.
Rina (excitedly): "What's this? Oh! A coin! I found money!"
She spat on the ground and rubbed the coin under her heel, twisting it until the number became clear.
Her eyes sparkled with joy for a moment, the world felt kind again.