Egg Rice for Dora

Takeshi came home at four o'clock. His parents worked late that day.

Takeshi pulang pukul empat. Orang tuanya bekerja sampai larut hari itu.

His little sister Dora sat at the kitchen table. She was eight years old. She held a big wooden spoon.

Adik perempuannya, Dora, duduk di meja dapur. Umurnya delapan tahun. Dia memegang sendok kayu yang besar.

"I want to make dinner," Dora said.

"Aku mau masak makan malam," kata Dora.

"You cannot cook," Takeshi said.

"Kamu tidak bisa masak," kata Takeshi.

"Then teach me," she said. "Teach me one dish."

"Kalau begitu, ajari aku," katanya. "Ajari aku satu masakan."

Takeshi looked at the clock. He was tired. He also had a lot of homework.

Takeshi melihat jam. Dia lelah. Dia juga punya banyak pekerjaan rumah.

Dora looked at him with big eyes. "Please," she said.

Dora menatapnya dengan mata lebar. "Tolong," katanya.

"Okay," he said. "We make egg rice."

"Baiklah," kata Takeshi. "Kita buat nasi telur."

"Why egg rice?"

"Kenapa nasi telur?"

"It is easy. You need rice, eggs, and salt."

"Gampang. Kamu butuh nasi, telur, dan garam."

Dora took the cold rice from the fridge. Takeshi put a pan on the stove.

Dora mengambil nasi dingin dari kulkas. Takeshi menaruh wajan di atas kompor.

"Wash your hands first," he said.

"Cuci tangan dulu," katanya.

Dora washed her hands for a long time. Then she held them up. "Clean," she said.

Dora mencuci tangannya lama sekali. Lalu dia mengangkat kedua tangannya. "Bersih," katanya.

"Good. Now break an egg."

"Bagus. Sekarang pecahkan telurnya."

Dora hit the egg on the side of the bowl. The egg broke, and small bits of shell fell inside.

Dora mengetukkan telur ke pinggir mangkuk. Telurnya pecah, dan serpihan kulit kecil-kecil jatuh ke dalamnya.

"Oh no," she said.

"Aduh," katanya.

Takeshi reached for the bowl. "I can fix it," he said.

Takeshi meraih mangkuk itu. "Biar kuperbaiki," katanya.

"No!" Dora pulled the bowl back. "It is my egg."

"Jangan!" Dora menarik mangkuk itu kembali. "Ini telurku."

Takeshi stopped. He put his hands in his pockets. Dora took a spoon and picked out the shell. It took a very long time.

Takeshi berhenti. Dia memasukkan tangannya ke saku. Dora mengambil sendok dan memungut kulit telurnya. Itu memakan waktu yang sangat lama.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Lalu apa?" tanyanya.

"Put oil in the pan. Then wait a little."

"Tuang minyak ke wajan. Lalu tunggu sebentar."

Dora poured the oil. She turned the fire up high. Takeshi opened his mouth, but he said nothing.

Dora menuang minyak. Dia membesarkan api. Takeshi membuka mulut, tetapi dia tidak berkata apa-apa.

She poured in the egg and the rice. The pan made a loud noise. Smoke came up fast.

Dora menuang telur dan nasi. Wajan itu berbunyi nyaring. Asap naik dengan cepat.

"Stir it!" Takeshi said.

"Aduk!" kata Takeshi.

Dora stirred, but it was too late. The rice was black at the bottom. The kitchen smelled bad.

Dora mengaduk, tetapi sudah terlambat. Nasi di bagian bawah menjadi hitam. Dapur berbau tidak enak.

Dora put down the spoon. Her face went red. "I am bad at this," she said.

Dora meletakkan sendok. Wajahnya memerah. "Aku payah dalam hal ini," katanya.

Takeshi looked at the black rice. He felt sorry for her. He wanted to take the pan and cook it himself. It was faster. It was also easier.

Takeshi memandang nasi yang hitam itu. Dia merasa kasihan padanya. Dia ingin mengambil wajan itu dan memasaknya sendiri. Itu lebih cepat. Itu juga lebih mudah.

"Move over," he almost said.

"Minggir," hampir saja dia berkata.

Then he thought about his own first time. His mother stood next to him and watched. She never took the spoon.

Lalu dia teringat pengalaman pertamanya sendiri. Ibunya berdiri di sampingnya dan mengamati. Ibunya tidak pernah mengambil sendok itu.

"It is okay," Takeshi said. "The fire was too hot."

"Tidak apa-apa," kata Takeshi. "Apinya terlalu besar."

"Really?"

"Sungguh?"

"Really. Now clean the pan, and we try again."

"Sungguh. Sekarang bersihkan wajannya, lalu kita coba lagi."

"You do it," Dora said quietly.

"Kakak saja yang melakukannya," kata Dora pelan.

"No. This is your dish," he said. "I only talk."

"Tidak. Ini masakanmu," katanya. "Aku hanya bicara."

Dora wiped her eyes. She washed the pan. She broke a new egg. This time the shell stayed out. She turned the fire down low.

Dora mengusap matanya. Dia mencuci wajan. Dia memecahkan telur yang baru. Kali ini kulitnya tidak ikut masuk. Dia mengecilkan api.

"Now?" she asked.

"Sekarang?" tanyanya.

"Now," Takeshi said. "Slowly."

"Sekarang," kata Takeshi. "Pelan-pelan."

Dora poured in the egg and the rice. She stirred and stirred. The smell was warm and sweet. The rice turned soft and yellow.

Dora menuang telur dan nasi. Dia mengaduk dan mengaduk. Baunya hangat dan manis. Nasinya menjadi lembut dan kuning.

"Add a little salt," Takeshi said.

"Tambahkan sedikit garam," kata Takeshi.

Dora added the salt. She tasted one small bite. Her eyes opened wide.

Dora menambahkan garam. Dia mencicipi satu suapan kecil. Matanya terbelalak.

"It is good!" she said.

"Enak!" katanya.

Takeshi smiled. His hands were still in his pockets.

Takeshi tersenyum. Tangannya masih ada di dalam saku.

The front door opened at seven. Their father came into the kitchen first.

Pintu depan terbuka pukul tujuh. Ayah mereka masuk ke dapur lebih dulu.

"What is that smell?" he asked.

"Bau apa ini?" tanyanya.

"Dinner," Dora said. "I made it."

"Makan malam," kata Dora. "Aku yang membuatnya."

Their mother looked at the bowls on the table. Then she looked at Takeshi. "Did you help?"

Ibu mereka memandang mangkuk-mangkuk di atas meja. Lalu dia menatap Takeshi. "Kamu membantu?"

"He did not touch the pan," Dora said. "He only talked."

"Kakak tidak menyentuh wajan," kata Dora. "Dia hanya bicara."

Their father sat down and took a big spoonful. He said nothing for a moment. Then he took another.

Ayah mereka duduk dan mengambil satu sendok penuh. Dia tidak berkata apa-apa sejenak. Lalu dia mengambil lagi.

Dora filled a bowl to the top. She put it in front of Takeshi.

Dora mengisi sebuah mangkuk sampai penuh. Dia meletakkannya di depan Takeshi.

He picked up his spoon and began to eat.

Takeshi mengambil sendoknya dan mulai makan.