The First Customer

“From the bakery,” Ana says. “From the back step. In the morning, the bread isn’t there. Only the bag. Like this.”

“Dari bakery,” kata Ana. “Dari tangga belakang. Waktu pagi, roti tidak ada. Hanya ada kantong itu. Seperti ini.”

Priya picks up the paper square. She looks at it. Then she puts it in Ana’s hand and closes Ana’s fingers on it.

Priya mengambil kertas persegi itu. Dia melihat kertas itu. Lalu dia menaruh kertas itu di tangan Ana dan menutup jari-jari Ana di atas kertas itu.

“Keep it in your pocket, my dear,” she says. “And don’t show it to Walter. Please.”

“Simpan ini di saku kamu, Sayang,” kata Priya. “Dan tolong jangan perlihatkan ini ke Walter.”

“Why? Who takes the bread? Do you know?”

“Kenapa? Siapa yang mengambil roti itu? Kamu tahu?”

Priya smiles again, but it is not a real smile. “Your cake, Ana. Don’t forget your cake.” And she starts to talk about the weather.

Priya tersenyum lagi, tetapi itu bukan senyum sungguhan. “Kue kamu, Ana. Jangan lupa kue kamu.” Dan dia mulai berbicara tentang cuaca.

That night, at three o’clock, Ana is in the bakery again. The bag is on the back step again. Walter doesn’t talk about it. Ana doesn’t ask.

Malam itu, pukul tiga, Ana ada di bakery lagi. Kantong itu ada di tangga belakang lagi. Walter tidak berbicara tentang kantong itu. Ana tidak bertanya.

At twenty to five, Walter says, “Today you sell. I’m busy with the oven. Rolls are one pound fifty. Coffee is one pound eighty. Tea is one pound twenty. The prices are on the wall.”

Pukul lima kurang dua puluh menit, Walter berkata, “Hari ini kamu menjual. Aku sibuk di oven. Roti gulung harganya satu pound lima puluh. Kopi harganya satu pound delapan puluh. Teh harganya satu pound dua puluh. Harga-harga ada di dinding.”

“I sell? Alone?”

“Aku menjual? Sendiri?”

“Alone. You can count, can’t you?”

“Sendiri. Kamu bisa menghitung, kan?”

At ten to five, a big green bus stops outside. On the front of the bus, there is a number: N7. The driver gets off. He comes into the shop. The bell over the door rings.

Pukul lima kurang sepuluh menit, satu bus hijau yang besar berhenti di luar. Di depan bus itu, ada nomor: N7. Sopir bus turun. Dia masuk ke dalam toko. Bell di atas pintu berbunyi.

He is tall, with a short beard and a woolly hat. He has a yellow jacket. “Good morning!” he says. Then he stops. “You’re not Walter.”

Dia tinggi, dengan janggut pendek dan topi wol. Dia memakai jaket kuning. “Selamat pagi!” kata dia. Lalu dia berhenti. “Kamu bukan Walter.”

“No. I’m Ana. I’m the new night baker.”

“Bukan. Aku Ana. Aku tukang roti malam yang baru.”

“Good! Walter isn’t nice at five in the morning,” he says, and he laughs. “I’m Daniel. I drive the night bus. Every morning, I want two cheese rolls and a coffee. Every morning, the same.”

“Bagus! Walter tidak ramah waktu pukul lima pagi,” kata dia, dan dia tertawa. “Aku Daniel. Aku menyopir bus malam. Setiap pagi, aku mau dua roti gulung keju dan satu kopi. Setiap pagi sama saja.”

Ana puts two cheese rolls in a bag. She makes the coffee. Her hands are slow. She looks at the prices on the wall.

Ana menaruh dua roti gulung keju ke dalam kantong. Dia membuat kopi. Tangan dia lambat. Dia melihat harga-harga di dinding.