A Voice for the Lock

Otto keeps the lock at Willow Bend. He opens the gates and turns the handles. He lets the boats go up and down. He loves his work. He does not love the megaphone.

Otto menjaga pintu air di Willow Bend. Ia membuka gerbang-gerbangnya dan memutar tuasnya. Ia membiarkan perahu-perahu naik dan turun. Ia mencintai pekerjaannya. Ia tidak menyukai megafon.

The megaphone hangs on a hook by his door. It is old and white, with a long black handle. Otto uses it only when he must. Boats cannot hear him over the noise of the waterfall. So he lifts the megaphone and says three words. "Gate is open." Then he puts it back.

Megafon itu tergantung pada sebuah pengait di dekat pintunya. Tua dan putih, dengan gagang hitam yang panjang. Otto hanya memakainya kalau terpaksa. Perahu-perahu tidak bisa mendengarnya di atas bisingnya air terjun. Maka ia mengangkat megafon itu dan mengucapkan tiga kata. "Gerbang sudah terbuka." Lalu ia menggantungnya kembali.

Otto is a quiet man. He talks to ducks and to his own boots. He does not talk to people. When a boat comes, he nods. When a boat leaves, he waves. That is enough for him.

Otto pria pendiam. Ia berbicara kepada bebek dan kepada sepatu botnya sendiri. Ia tidak berbicara kepada orang. Saat sebuah perahu datang, ia mengangguk. Saat perahu pergi, ia melambai. Itu sudah cukup baginya.

Every Saturday, one boat comes through the lock. It is long and narrow and painted plum purple. Its name is Pickle. A man named Gideon steers it.

Setiap hari Sabtu, ada satu perahu yang melewati pintu air itu. Panjang, sempit, dan dicat ungu plum. Namanya Pickle. Seorang pria bernama Gideon yang mengemudikannya.

Gideon is the opposite of Otto. He talks to everyone. He talks to the ducks, too. He tells Otto about his week while the water rises. He tells him about his job, his sister and his bad knee.

Gideon kebalikan Otto. Ia berbicara kepada semua orang. Ia berbicara kepada bebek juga. Ia menceritakan minggunya kepada Otto selagi air naik. Ia bercerita tentang pekerjaannya, kakak perempuannya, dan lututnya yang sakit.

Otto listens. He nods. Sometimes he says "Mm." Once he said "Ha." Gideon still talks about that day.

Otto mendengarkan. Ia mengangguk. Kadang ia berkata "Mm." Sekali ia pernah berkata "Ha." Gideon masih membicarakan hari itu.

This Saturday, the lock is busy. Six boats wait in a line on the canal. Their owners stand on the decks and drink from big mugs. Pickle is the last in line.

Sabtu ini, pintu air itu ramai. Enam perahu menunggu berderet di kanal. Para pemiliknya berdiri di geladak dan minum dari cangkir-cangkir besar. Pickle yang paling belakang dalam barisan.

Otto opens the first gate. The boats float in, one by one. The green boat comes first. Pickle comes last. Otto closes the gate behind them. He turns the handle at the other end. The water pours in with a rush. The boats begin to rise.

Otto membuka gerbang pertama. Perahu-perahu itu mengapung masuk satu per satu. Perahu hijau datang pertama. Pickle datang terakhir. Otto menutup gerbang di belakang mereka. Ia memutar tuas di ujung yang lain. Air mengalir masuk dengan deras. Perahu-perahu mulai naik.

His hands know the work. His mind is on Pickle at the end of the line.

Tangannya hafal pekerjaan itu. Pikirannya tertuju pada Pickle di ujung barisan.

Gideon waves at him from the back of the boat. Otto waves back. His chest feels tight. He turns away and looks at the water.

Gideon melambai kepadanya dari belakang perahu. Otto balas melambai. Dadanya terasa sesak. Ia berbalik dan menatap air.

Gideon ties the rope to a post. The water keeps rising.

Gideon mengikat tali ke sebuah tiang. Air terus naik.

"Good morning, Otto," says Gideon.

"Selamat pagi, Otto," kata Gideon.

"Mm," says Otto.

"Mm," kata Otto.

"Lovely day for a lock," says Gideon. "I have a story. Do you want to hear it?"

"Hari yang indah untuk lewat pintu air," kata Gideon. "Aku punya cerita. Mau dengar?"

Otto nods.

Otto mengangguk.

"I met a goose on the bridge," says Gideon. "It looked at me like a judge. I said sorry, and I went around."

"Aku bertemu seekor angsa di jembatan," kata Gideon. "Ia menatapku seperti hakim. Aku bilang maaf, lalu aku memutar lewat jalan lain."

Otto smiles. He cannot help it. Gideon sees the smile and smiles back. For a moment, neither man says anything.

Otto tersenyum. Ia tidak bisa menahannya. Gideon melihat senyum itu dan balas tersenyum. Sejenak tak seorang pun berkata apa-apa.

Then Gideon sighs. He looks up at the wall of the lock.

Lalu Gideon menghela napas. Ia menengadah menatap dinding pintu air.

"This is the last trip of the year," he says. "Pickle goes to the winter harbour on Monday. I will not come this way again until spring."

"Ini perjalanan terakhir tahun ini," katanya. "Hari Senin Pickle pergi ke pelabuhan musim dingin. Aku tidak akan lewat sini lagi sampai musim semi."

Otto's hand stops on the handle.

Tangan Otto berhenti di tuas.

"I want to ask you something," says Gideon. "May I?"

"Aku ingin bertanya sesuatu," kata Gideon. "Boleh?"

Otto nods again.

Otto mengangguk lagi.

"All year I make wishes in this lock," says Gideon. "They are small wishes. I wish for good water. I hope the goose is nice. This week I wish for one more thing."

"Sepanjang tahun aku membuat permohonan di pintu air ini," kata Gideon. "Permohonan kecil. Aku berharap airnya bagus. Aku berharap angsa itu baik. Minggu ini aku berharap satu hal lagi."

"What is it?" says Otto. The words come out small, but they come out.

"Apa itu?" kata Otto. Kata-katanya keluar pelan, tetapi keluar.

"I want you to talk for one whole lock," says Gideon. "Not a nod. Not 'mm.' Real words. I only want to hear how your voice sounds."

"Aku ingin kamu bicara selama satu pintu air penuh," kata Gideon. "Bukan anggukan. Bukan 'mm.' Kata-kata sungguhan. Aku hanya ingin tahu seperti apa suaramu."

The water is nearly at the top now. The other boats wait. Somebody coughs.

Air hampir sampai di puncak sekarang. Perahu-perahu lain menunggu. Seseorang terbatuk.

Otto's mouth is dry. He opens it, and nothing comes out. He tries again. Still nothing.

Mulut Otto kering. Ia membukanya, dan tak ada yang keluar. Ia mencoba lagi. Tetap tak ada.

He wants to say so many things. He wants to say that he waits for the purple boat. He wants to say that winter is too quiet. He cannot find a single word that fits.

Ia ingin mengatakan begitu banyak hal. Ia ingin mengatakan bahwa ia menunggu perahu ungu itu. Ia ingin mengatakan bahwa musim dingin terlalu sepi. Ia tidak bisa menemukan satu kata pun yang cocok.

Then he looks at the hook by the door.

Lalu ia memandang pengait di dekat pintu.

He walks to it. He takes down the megaphone. His hand shakes, but he holds on tight.

Ia berjalan ke sana. Ia menurunkan megafon itu. Tangannya gemetar, tetapi ia memegangnya erat-erat.

"What are you doing?" says Gideon.

"Kamu mau apa?" kata Gideon.

Otto does not answer. He steps onto the wall. He lifts the megaphone to his mouth. He closes his eyes.

Otto tidak menjawab. Ia melangkah ke atas tembok. Ia mengangkat megafon itu ke mulutnya. Ia memejamkan mata.

"Gideon," he says.

"Gideon," katanya.

The word booms over the canal. Ducks fly up from the plants. Five owners turn to look. Gideon's hand stops halfway to his hair.

Kata itu menggelegar di atas kanal. Bebek-bebek terbang dari antara tanaman. Lima pemilik perahu menoleh. Tangan Gideon berhenti di tengah jalan menuju rambutnya.

"I look for your boat every Saturday," says Otto. His voice is loud and steady. It is easier than he thought. "I count the days from Monday. I have a chair by the gate for you. I never use it."

"Setiap Sabtu aku mencari perahumu," kata Otto. Suaranya keras dan mantap. Ternyata lebih mudah daripada yang ia kira. "Aku menghitung hari sejak Senin. Aku menyiapkan sebuah kursi di dekat gerbang untukmu. Aku tidak pernah memakainya."

A woman on the green boat puts down her mug. A man on the second boat takes off his hat.

Seorang wanita di perahu hijau meletakkan cangkirnya. Seorang pria di perahu kedua melepas topinya.

"I do not talk because I am afraid," says Otto. "I think you will go away when I say something silly. But I want you to come in spring. I want you to come in winter, too."

"Aku tidak berbicara karena aku takut," kata Otto. "Kupikir kamu akan pergi kalau aku mengatakan sesuatu yang konyol. Tapi aku ingin kamu datang di musim semi. Aku ingin kamu datang di musim dingin juga."

He opens his eyes. The line of boats is silent. Even the water sounds quiet.

Ia membuka matanya. Barisan perahu itu hening. Bahkan air pun terdengar tenang.

Then the woman on the green boat starts to clap. The man with the hat shouts "Well said!" Someone blows a horn. A dog barks. The noise rolls along the canal, and Otto's ears fill with it.

Lalu wanita di perahu hijau mulai bertepuk tangan. Pria bertopi itu berseru, "Bagus sekali!" Seseorang membunyikan klakson. Seekor anjing menggonggong. Keributan itu bergulir di sepanjang kanal, dan telinga Otto dipenuhi olehnya.

Gideon stands very still on the deck of Pickle. His eyes are wet. He laughs, and then he stops, and then he laughs again.

Gideon berdiri diam di geladak Pickle. Matanya basah. Ia tertawa, lalu berhenti, lalu tertawa lagi.

"I asked for one whole lock," he says. "I did not ask for the whole canal."

"Aku minta satu pintu air penuh," katanya. "Aku tidak minta seluruh kanal."

"You said real words," says Otto. "I used the loudest ones I had."

"Kamu minta kata-kata sungguhan," kata Otto. "Aku memakai yang paling keras yang kupunya."

Gideon climbs onto the wall. He walks up to Otto. He is still laughing. Up close, he smells of soap and engine oil.

Gideon naik ke atas tembok. Ia berjalan menghampiri Otto. Ia masih tertawa. Dari dekat, ia berbau sabun dan oli mesin.

"May I sit on that chair by the gate?" he asks.

"Boleh aku duduk di kursi dekat gerbang itu?" tanyanya.

"It is yours," says Otto.

"Itu milikmu," kata Otto.

They sit side by side in the sun. The water in the lock is still. The boats wait, and nobody minds. After a while, Gideon takes Otto's hand. Otto does not look away.

Mereka duduk berdampingan di bawah matahari. Air di pintu air itu tenang. Perahu-perahu menunggu, dan tak seorang pun keberatan. Setelah beberapa saat, Gideon menggenggam tangan Otto. Otto tidak memalingkan wajah.

At last, a man on the third boat shouts.

Akhirnya, seorang pria di perahu ketiga berteriak.

"Who opens this gate?"

"Siapa yang membuka gerbang ini?"

Otto stands up. He lifts the megaphone one more time.

Otto berdiri. Ia mengangkat megafon itu sekali lagi.

"Gate is open," he says to the whole canal. "Also, I am in love."

"Gerbang sudah terbuka," katanya kepada seluruh kanal. "Dan, aku sedang jatuh cinta."

"We heard!" shouts the whole line of boats at once.

"Kami dengar!" teriak seluruh barisan perahu serempak.

"Next time," says Gideon, "just send me a letter."

"Lain kali," kata Gideon, "kirim saja surat padaku."

Otto lifts the megaphone again. "Dear Gideon," he booms.

Otto mengangkat megafon itu lagi. "Gideon yang terkasih," suaranya menggelegar.

The whole canal laughs.

Seluruh kanal tertawa.