The Golden Brush and the Double Claim

The small shipyard at the end of the harbour has three slipways, one crane and a tradition that is older than the crane. On the day a new boat is launched, someone is given the Golden Brush. It is an ordinary paintbrush that was dipped in brass a long time ago. It sits on a velvet cushion in a glass case like a crown jewel.

Galangan kapal kecil di ujung pelabuhan itu punya tiga landasan peluncuran, satu derek, dan sebuah tradisi yang lebih tua daripada derek itu. Pada hari sebuah perahu baru diluncurkan, seseorang diberi Kuas Emas. Kuas itu kuas cat biasa yang dicelup kuningan dahulu kala. Kuas itu terletak di atas bantal beludru dalam kotak kaca seperti permata mahkota.

This year the launch boat is a blue-and-white fishing cutter, and it looks beautiful. Every plank gleams. The name on the bow was painted with such care that visitors lean over to touch the letters to check they are real. The whole yard stands on the concrete with their arms folded, waiting for the manager to announce who painted it.

Tahun ini perahu yang diluncurkan adalah kapal nelayan biru-putih, dan tampilannya indah. Setiap papannya berkilau. Nama di haluannya dicat dengan begitu cermat sehingga para pengunjung membungkuk untuk menyentuh hurufnya, memastikan huruf itu asli. Seluruh galangan berdiri di atas beton dengan tangan bersedekap, menunggu manajer mengumumkan siapa yang mengecatnya.

There is only one problem. Two people step forward at the same moment.

Hanya ada satu masalah. Dua orang melangkah maju pada saat yang sama.

"It was me," says Gabi.

"Itu aku," kata Gabi.

"It was me," says Adel.

"Itu aku," kata Adel.

They are seventeen, they are the yard's only apprentices, and they are identical twins. They have the same dark curls and the same chipped front tooth. They even wipe their hands on the left leg of their overalls. For two years the manager has been calling them "you" when he needs them, because it saves him a lot of mistakes.

Mereka berusia tujuh belas tahun, satu-satunya murid magang di galangan itu, dan kembar identik. Mereka punya rambut ikal gelap yang sama dan gigi depan yang sama-sama gompal. Mereka bahkan mengelap tangan di kaki kiri baju kerja mereka. Selama dua tahun manajer memanggil mereka "kamu" saat membutuhkan mereka, karena itu menyelamatkannya dari banyak kesalahan.

"That is impossible," the manager says, rubbing his forehead. "Only one of you painted it."

"Itu mustahil," kata manajer sambil menggosok dahinya. "Hanya satu dari kalian yang mengecatnya."

"Exactly," says Gabi. "And it was me."

"Betul," kata Gabi. "Dan itu aku."

"Exactly," says Adel. "And I am the one who did it."

"Betul," kata Adel. "Dan akulah yang melakukannya."

The manager looks at the harbourmaster, who has come to hand over the prize. The harbourmaster looks at the cutter. Nobody looks at the twins' faces for long, because it is a little like looking into a mirror that has learned to argue.

Manajer memandang kepala pelabuhan, yang datang untuk menyerahkan hadiah. Kepala pelabuhan memandang kapal nelayan itu. Tidak ada yang menatap wajah si kembar terlalu lama, karena rasanya sedikit seperti menatap cermin yang sudah belajar berdebat.

"Let us settle this fairly," says the harbourmaster. "Each of you will explain exactly what you did."

"Mari kita selesaikan ini dengan adil," kata kepala pelabuhan. "Kalian masing-masing akan menjelaskan persis apa yang kalian lakukan."

Gabi goes first. He says he was up at five every morning for two weeks. He says he sanded the hull three times, mixed the paint himself and painted the lettering with a brush as thin as an eyelash. He says his shoulders still ache from the work, and he demonstrates, with a long groan.

Gabi mulai lebih dulu. Ia bilang ia bangun pukul lima setiap pagi selama dua minggu. Ia bilang ia mengamplas lambung kapal tiga kali, mencampur catnya sendiri, dan mengecat tulisannya dengan kuas setipis bulu mata. Ia bilang bahunya masih pegal karena pekerjaan itu, dan ia memperagakannya dengan erangan panjang.

Adel waits politely. Then he says he was up at five every morning for two weeks. He sanded the hull three times, mixed the paint himself and painted the lettering with a brush as thin as an eyelash. His shoulders ache as well. He groans for slightly longer than Gabi, to be safe.

Adel menunggu dengan sopan. Lalu ia bilang ia bangun pukul lima setiap pagi selama dua minggu. Ia mengamplas lambung kapal tiga kali, mencampur catnya sendiri, dan mengecat tulisannya dengan kuas setipis bulu mata. Bahunya juga pegal. Ia mengerang sedikit lebih lama daripada Gabi, untuk berjaga-jaga.

"This is exactly what I said," says Gabi.

"Ini persis yang kubilang," kata Gabi.

"I am afraid I said it first," says Adel.

"Sayangnya aku yang bilang lebih dulu," kata Adel.

"You said it second."

"Kamu bilang belakangan."

"I said it at the same time, which means first."

"Aku bilang pada waktu yang sama, artinya lebih dulu."

The harbourmaster takes a notebook out of his pocket and writes something, and then he crosses it out.

Kepala pelabuhan mengeluarkan buku catatan dari sakunya dan menulis sesuatu, lalu mencoretnya.

The investigation grows. The manager examines the lettering for a signature and finds none. The crane driver is called as a witness, but he admits he never looks at anything lower than his own cabin window. A retired shipwright suggests a test: each twin must paint the letter G on a spare board, and the judges will compare the handwriting. Both twins paint a perfect G. They look so similar that the shipwright leans back and says a word the harbourmaster pretends not to hear.

Penyelidikan semakin melebar. Manajer memeriksa tulisan itu untuk mencari tanda tangan dan tidak menemukannya. Operator derek dipanggil sebagai saksi, tetapi ia mengaku tidak pernah melihat apa pun yang lebih rendah daripada jendela kabinnya sendiri. Seorang tukang kapal pensiunan mengusulkan ujian: masing-masing anak kembar harus melukis huruf G pada papan cadangan, dan para juri akan membandingkan tulisan tangannya. Kedua anak kembar melukis huruf G yang sempurna. Keduanya begitu mirip sehingga si tukang kapal bersandar ke belakang dan mengucapkan sebuah kata yang pura-pura tidak didengar kepala pelabuhan.

By midday a small crowd has gathered. Someone brings out folding chairs. A child sells lemonade from a wheelbarrow. The twins stand side by side in front of the cutter, still insisting, still identical, and still absolutely certain.

Menjelang tengah hari, kerumunan kecil telah berkumpul. Seseorang membawa keluar kursi lipat. Seorang anak menjual limun dari gerobak dorong. Si kembar berdiri berdampingan di depan kapal nelayan itu, masih bersikeras, masih identik, dan masih sangat yakin.

"If you had painted it," Gabi says to Adel, "you would know that the name on the bow is slightly crooked."

"Kalau kamu yang mengecatnya," kata Gabi kepada Adel, "kamu pasti tahu bahwa nama di haluan itu sedikit miring."

"It is not crooked," says Adel. "It is italic. And I know that, because I made it italic."

"Itu tidak miring," kata Adel. "Itu huruf italik. Dan aku tahu itu, karena aku yang membuatnya italik."

"You see? He admits it was done on purpose. That means he is the clever one, and I did all the hard work."

"Lihat? Dia mengaku itu disengaja. Artinya dia yang pintar, dan akulah yang mengerjakan semua pekerjaan berat."

"That is not what I meant."

"Bukan itu maksudku."

"It is what you said."

"Itu yang kamu katakan."

The argument is going to last until dinner, and everyone knows it. The harbourmaster has checked his watch twice. The manager has gone pale. Even the seagulls on the roof of the shed seem bored.

Pertengkaran itu akan berlangsung sampai makan malam, dan semua orang tahu itu. Kepala pelabuhan sudah dua kali melihat jam tangannya. Manajer sudah pucat. Bahkan burung-burung camar di atap gudang tampak bosan.

Then a small voice speaks from the back of the crowd.

Lalu sebuah suara kecil terdengar dari belakang kerumunan.

"Excuse me," says the boy who sells the lemonade. "What does the winner actually get?"

"Permisi," kata anak laki-laki penjual limun. "Sebenarnya pemenangnya dapat apa?"

The yard goes quiet.

Galangan itu menjadi sunyi.

It is a strange kind of quiet. It falls when a roomful of people all realise they should have asked something an hour ago. The twins turn around slowly. The manager opens his mouth and closes it again. The harbourmaster looks at the velvet cushion and then at the notebook in his hand.

Itu keheningan yang aneh. Keheningan yang jatuh ketika sekumpulan orang di satu ruangan sama-sama menyadari mereka seharusnya menanyakan sesuatu satu jam yang lalu. Si kembar berbalik perlahan. Manajer membuka mulut lalu menutupnya lagi. Kepala pelabuhan memandang bantal beludru, lalu buku catatan di tangannya.

"Well," he says, "the Golden Brush, of course."

"Yah," katanya, "tentu saja Kuas Emas."

"Sure, but what does that mean?" the boy asks. "Does the winner get money? A holiday? A medal?"

"Iya, tapi artinya apa?" tanya anak itu. "Apa pemenangnya dapat uang? Liburan? Medali?"

"Nobody has ever asked me that," the harbourmaster says honestly. He turns the page of his notebook, then another, then a third. His eyebrows slowly rise. "Ah."

"Belum pernah ada yang menanyakan itu kepada saya," kata kepala pelabuhan dengan jujur. Ia membalik halaman buku catatannya, lalu satu lagi, lalu yang ketiga. Alisnya perlahan naik. "Ah."

"What is it?" says the manager.

"Apa itu?" tanya manajer.

"It says here that the holder of the Golden Brush is responsible for the yard's winter job." He reads the line again, as if hoping it will change. "Every year, from the first frost until the thaw, the holder must scrape and repaint the hull of the old harbour ferry. By hand. Alone. All forty metres of it."

"Di sini tertulis bahwa pemegang Kuas Emas bertanggung jawab atas pekerjaan musim dingin galangan." Ia membaca baris itu lagi, seolah berharap isinya berubah. "Setiap tahun, dari embun beku pertama sampai salju mencair, pemegangnya harus mengerok dan mengecat ulang lambung kapal feri pelabuhan yang tua. Dengan tangan. Sendirian. Seluruh empat puluh meternya."

Nobody says a word. A gull lands on the crane and then thinks better of it.

Tidak ada yang berkata apa-apa. Seekor camar hinggap di derek lalu berpikir ulang.

Gabi is the first to move. He takes one careful step backwards, away from the glass case, away from the cushion, and away from the cutter.

Gabi yang pertama bergerak. Ia mengambil satu langkah hati-hati ke belakang, menjauh dari kotak kaca, menjauh dari bantal, dan menjauh dari kapal nelayan itu.

"Of course," he says, in a voice full of sudden generosity. "If it is going to make Adel so happy, I suppose I could let him have it."

"Tentu saja," katanya, dengan suara penuh kemurahan hati mendadak. "Kalau itu akan membuat Adel begitu bahagia, kurasa aku bisa membiarkan dia memilikinya."

"No, no, no," Adel says, holding up both hands. "You worked so hard. I could never take something that belongs to you."

"Tidak, tidak, tidak," kata Adel sambil mengangkat kedua tangan. "Kamu sudah bekerja begitu keras. Aku tidak akan pernah mengambil sesuatu yang menjadi milikmu."

"I insist."

"Aku memaksa."

"I insist more."

"Aku memaksa lebih keras."

"You painted the lettering."

"Kamu yang mengecat tulisannya."

"I only painted the lettering because you told me to!"

"Aku hanya mengecat tulisannya karena kamu yang menyuruh!"

"So you admit it!" says Gabi.

"Nah, kamu mengaku!" kata Gabi.

"I admit nothing!" says Adel.

"Aku tidak mengaku apa-apa!" kata Adel.

The manager takes the Golden Brush from the cushion, walks across the concrete, and presses it gently into the hands of the nearest twin. Then he steps back and points a finger at the other one.

Manajer mengambil Kuas Emas dari bantal, berjalan melintasi beton, dan menekankannya perlahan ke tangan si kembar yang terdekat. Lalu ia melangkah mundur dan menunjuk yang satunya dengan jari.

"Since you both painted it, and neither of you wants the prize, you will both scrape the ferry. Starting at six tomorrow. And please try to be different, just once, so that I can tell who is late."

"Karena kalian berdua mengecatnya, dan tak seorang pun dari kalian menginginkan hadiahnya, kalian berdua akan mengerok feri itu. Mulai pukul enam besok. Dan tolong cobalah menjadi berbeda, sekali saja, supaya aku bisa tahu siapa yang terlambat."