Emen, The Positive and Kind Seller

Emen, The Positive and Kind Seller

by Faris Hardiyan

Emen, it was the nickname he got when he decided to start selling fried rice in a no longer used public telephone area near the security post at a crowded housing complex called Jatiagung. He forgot why the resident started to call him “emen”, but he is okay with that. 

Emen was selling fried rice to the resident since 1996. At first he was moving around the complex offering his cuisine. Until 2000 he finally can opened his own food stall. He did everything for his food stall by his own. He prepared everything, and also cooked the cuisine by his own. 

Eventhough he sell his cuisine in a housing complex, he lives on a house with only two rooms and a lavatory at the outter area of the complex. He live with his wife, his children already got married and move to another place. For about one kilo meter from his house, live his brother that also sell fried rice for living. 

He is happy with his life. “I love my life. Living in a poor area doesn’t mean that I have to feel sad and regret my own life.” He said. 

The complex resident was happy with him. He is a nice person, and he likes to help other when there is some trouble with them. The funny and also a ironic part is he knows the resident better than the resident itself. He open his food stall from six pm to one or two am in the midnight, then about 8 to 9 pm, some elder men start to hanging out and gossiping on his stall or playing card on the security post. He said, “I even know this complex resident even better than the resident itself from the talk of those elder men. They like to gossiping other resident, just like elder woman.” That is why he likes to help others when they have some trouble. 

“I always try to see the good in everything. Because life isn’t that hard when I always see the good in everything and I never forget to always feel blessed and thank to God about what I have now.”

fhardiyan