The Popcorn Smell on the Stairs

I live on the first floor of an old building. Every evening at seven, a smell comes into my flat.

Aku tinggal di lantai satu sebuah gedung tua. Setiap sore pukul tujuh, sebuah aroma masuk ke apartemenku.

It is the smell of popcorn. It is warm and sweet. It makes me very hungry.

Itu aroma popcorn. Hangat dan manis. Aroma itu membuatku sangat lapar.

On Monday, I make my own dinner. I do not want popcorn for dinner. But the smell stays in my room for an hour.

Pada hari Senin, aku memasak makan malamku sendiri. Aku tidak mau popcorn untuk makan malam. Tetapi aroma itu bertahan di kamarku selama satu jam.

On Tuesday, the smell comes again. I look at the clock. It is seven exactly.

Pada hari Selasa, aroma itu datang lagi. Aku melihat jam. Tepat pukul tujuh.

"Who makes popcorn every night?" I say to the empty room.

"Siapa yang membuat popcorn setiap malam?" kataku kepada ruangan yang kosong.

On Wednesday, I leave my flat at seven. I stand in the hall. The smell is strong here. It is stronger by the stairs.

Pada hari Rabu, aku keluar dari apartemenku pukul tujuh. Aku berdiri di lorong. Aromanya kuat di sini. Di dekat tangga lebih kuat lagi.

I walk up to the second floor. A young woman opens her door. Her name is Nadine.

Aku berjalan naik ke lantai dua. Seorang perempuan muda membuka pintunya. Namanya Nadine.

"Hello," I say. "Do you smell popcorn?"

"Halo," kataku. "Apakah kamu mencium bau popcorn?"

"Yes!" Nadine says. "It comes every night. It is not from my kitchen."

"Ya!" kata Nadine. "Datang setiap malam. Bukan dari dapurku."

"Then I go up," I say.

"Kalau begitu, aku naik," kataku.

"I come with you," she says.

"Aku ikut denganmu," katanya.

We walk up to the third floor. The smell is stronger now. A man stands in the hall with a book. His name is Orson.

Kami naik ke lantai tiga. Aromanya makin kuat. Seorang pria berdiri di lorong sambil memegang buku. Namanya Orson.

"Is it your popcorn?" Nadine asks him.

"Apakah itu popcornmu?" tanya Nadine kepadanya.

"No," Orson says. "I only smell it. I think it comes from above."

"Bukan," kata Orson. "Aku hanya menciumnya. Kurasa datangnya dari atas."

"Come with us," I say.

"Ikut kami," kataku.

Orson puts his book under his arm. He follows us up the stairs. Now we are three people on a hunt.

Orson menyelipkan bukunya di bawah lengan. Dia mengikuti kami menaiki tangga. Sekarang kami bertiga sedang berburu.

On the fourth floor, a woman sits on a step. She holds an empty bowl. She looks sad.

Di lantai empat, seorang perempuan duduk di anak tangga. Dia memegang mangkuk kosong. Wajahnya sedih.

"Is it yours?" Nadine asks.

"Apakah ini milikmu?" tanya Nadine.

"No," she says. "I wish it was. I smell it every night, and I get hungry. I wait here for the smell."

"Bukan," katanya. "Andai saja iya. Aku mencium aromanya setiap malam, dan aku jadi lapar. Aku menunggu aroma itu di sini."

"Then who makes it?" Orson asks.

"Lalu siapa yang membuatnya?" tanya Orson.

The woman points up. "The last floor," she says. "Only one man lives there."

Perempuan itu menunjuk ke atas. "Lantai paling atas," katanya. "Hanya ada satu pria yang tinggal di sana."

We climb the last stairs. Everyone is quiet. The smell is so strong now. Our noses lead the way.

Kami mendaki tangga terakhir. Semua orang diam. Aromanya sangat kuat sekarang. Hidung kami menunjukkan jalan.

At the end of the hall, there is one door. It is open a little. We hear a loud movie. We hear a big explosion and a happy song.

Di ujung lorong, ada satu pintu. Sedikit terbuka. Kami mendengar film yang keras. Kami mendengar ledakan besar dan lagu yang riang.

I knock on the door. A man opens it. He wears soft shoes and a funny hat. He holds a huge bowl of popcorn.

Aku mengetuk pintu. Seorang pria membukanya. Dia memakai sepatu empuk dan topi yang lucu. Dia memegang semangkuk besar popcorn.

"Hello," he says. "Is the movie too loud?"

"Halo," katanya. "Apakah suara filmnya terlalu keras?"

"No," I say. "It is the popcorn. The smell goes down to every floor."

"Tidak," kataku. "Ini popcornnya. Aromanya turun ke setiap lantai."

The man looks at his kitchen. A small window is open. Under it, there is a wall vent. The smell goes out and down the building.

Pria itu menoleh ke dapurnya. Sebuah jendela kecil terbuka. Di bawahnya ada lubang ventilasi di dinding. Aromanya keluar dan turun ke seluruh gedung.

"Oh no," he says. "My name is Quentin. I make popcorn every night at seven. I watch one movie and eat one big bowl."

"Oh tidak," katanya. "Namaku Quentin. Aku membuat popcorn setiap malam pukul tujuh. Aku menonton satu film dan makan satu mangkuk besar."

"Every night?" Nadine asks.

"Setiap malam?" tanya Nadine.

"Every night," Quentin says. "It is my small rule."

"Setiap malam," kata Quentin. "Itu aturan kecilku."

Orson laughs. The woman with the empty bowl laughs too. I laugh so hard that I sit down.

Orson tertawa. Perempuan dengan mangkuk kosong itu juga tertawa. Aku tertawa begitu keras sampai harus duduk.

"I am sorry," Quentin says. "I close the vent now."

"Maaf ya," kata Quentin. "Sekarang aku tutup ventilasinya."

"Please do not," the woman says fast. "I like the smell."

"Jangan, tolong," kata perempuan itu cepat-cepat. "Aku suka aromanya."

"I like it too," Nadine says. "But I want to eat it, not smell it."

"Aku juga suka," kata Nadine. "Tapi aku ingin memakannya, bukan hanya menciumnya."

Quentin looks at his bowl. Then he looks at all of us. We stand at his door like a small, hungry crowd.

Quentin melihat mangkuknya. Lalu dia memandang kami semua. Kami berdiri di depan pintunya seperti kerumunan kecil yang lapar.

"Come in," he says. "I have a very big pot. Who wants to see the movie?"

"Masuklah," katanya. "Aku punya panci yang sangat besar. Siapa yang mau nonton filmnya?"

We all raise our hands. Quentin opens his door wide.

Kami semua mengangkat tangan. Quentin membuka pintunya lebar-lebar.

"Bring some chairs," he says. "And bring a bowl."

"Bawa beberapa kursi," katanya. "Dan bawa mangkuk."