Welcome to Saltmere Bay

Eira works in Booth Two at the Long Bridge. The bridge is three kilometres long. It crosses a wide, grey river, and every car must pay. Eira takes the coins, gives back change and says good morning. She does this again and again all day.

Eira bekerja di Bilik Dua di Long Bridge. Jembatan itu panjangnya tiga kilometer. Jembatan itu melintasi sungai lebar yang kelabu, dan setiap mobil harus membayar. Eira menerima koin, memberi kembalian, dan mengucapkan selamat pagi. Ia melakukannya berulang-ulang sepanjang hari.

She likes the job. The booth is small and warm. She has a radio, a cup holder and a good view. Most people say thank you. Some people sing. Once, a driver gave her a whole cake.

Ia menyukai pekerjaannya. Biliknya kecil dan hangat. Ia punya radio, tempat gelas, dan pemandangan yang bagus. Kebanyakan orang mengucapkan terima kasih. Sebagian orang bernyanyi. Pernah, seorang pengemudi memberinya sebuah kue utuh.

But nobody ever gave her a postcard. Until today.

Tetapi belum pernah ada yang memberinya kartu pos. Sampai hari ini.

A white delivery truck stops at her window. The driver is a big man with a kind face. His name tag says Florin. He holds out one coin. In his other hand, he has a small square of card.

Sebuah truk pengantar putih berhenti di jendelanya. Pengemudinya lelaki bertubuh besar dengan wajah ramah. Tanda namanya bertuliskan Florin. Ia mengulurkan satu koin. Di tangannya yang lain, ia memegang selembar kartu persegi kecil.

"Before I forget," he says. "This was in my mailbox yesterday. It has no stamp. Look at the address."

"Sebelum aku lupa," katanya. "Ini ada di kotak suratku kemarin. Tidak ada perangkonya. Lihat alamatnya."

Eira reads it. It says, "To the Keeper of Booth Two, Long Bridge."

Eira membacanya. Bunyinya, "Kepada Penjaga Bilik Dua, Long Bridge."

"That is me," she says.

"Itu saya," katanya.

"I thought so."

"Kuduga begitu."

She turns the card over. The picture shows a small bay with pale sand. Three striped umbrellas stand in a row. A white lamp hangs above a rock. There are four words above the picture, in curly letters. "Greetings from Saltmere Bay."

Ia membalik kartu itu. Gambarnya menampilkan teluk kecil dengan pasir pucat. Tiga payung bergaris berdiri berjajar. Sebuah lampu putih tergantung di atas batu karang. Ada empat kata di atas gambar, dengan huruf melengkung. "Salam dari Saltmere Bay."

On the back, someone wrote in blue ink. "Dear Keeper, the water is warm and the umbrellas are free. Come and see. Bring one coin for the gate."

Di baliknya, seseorang menulis dengan tinta biru. "Penjaga yang terhormat, airnya hangat dan payungnya gratis. Datang dan lihatlah. Bawa satu koin untuk gerbang."

There is no name and no date.

Tak ada nama dan tak ada tanggal.

"Where is Saltmere Bay?" Eira asks.

"Di mana Saltmere Bay?" tanya Eira.

"I don't know," Florin says. "I drive all over the country. I do not know it."

"Aku tidak tahu," kata Florin. "Aku menyetir ke seluruh negeri. Aku tidak mengenalnya."

Eira laughs. "Maybe it is a joke."

Eira tertawa. "Mungkin ini lelucon."

"Maybe." Florin looks at her. "But I want to know. Will you find it? I come across this bridge every week. I will ask you each time."

"Mungkin." Florin memandangnya. "Tapi aku ingin tahu. Maukah kamu mencarinya? Aku menyeberangi jembatan ini setiap minggu. Aku akan menanyakannya setiap kali."

It is a silly thing to promise. Eira knows this. But Florin's face is so hopeful, and the picture is so pretty.

Itu janji yang konyol. Eira tahu itu. Tetapi wajah Florin begitu penuh harap, dan gambarnya begitu cantik.

"All right," she says. "I promise. I will find Saltmere Bay."

"Baiklah," katanya. "Aku berjanji. Aku akan menemukan Saltmere Bay."

"Good." Florin smiles and drives away.

"Bagus." Florin tersenyum dan pergi dengan truknya.

That night, Eira looks at the map on her phone. She types the name. Nothing. She tries different spellings. Salt Mere. Saltmeer. Salt Mirror. Nothing.

Malam itu, Eira melihat peta di ponselnya. Ia mengetikkan nama itu. Tidak ada. Ia mencoba ejaan yang berbeda. Salt Mere. Saltmeer. Salt Mirror. Tidak ada.

The next day, she calls the tourist office. A bored voice says, "We have no bay with that name, madam."

Keesokan harinya, ia menelepon kantor pariwisata. Sebuah suara yang bosan berkata, "Kami tidak punya teluk dengan nama itu, Bu."

On the third day, she asks every driver in her line. A bus driver shakes his head. A woman on a motorbike thinks it sounds like a nice place. A young man in a sports car laughs. "On the moon," he says.

Pada hari ketiga, ia bertanya kepada setiap pengemudi di antreannya. Seorang sopir bus menggeleng. Seorang perempuan di sepeda motor mengira itu terdengar seperti tempat yang bagus. Seorang pemuda di mobil sport tertawa. "Di bulan," katanya.

Her boss walks past and sees her with the postcard. "A place that does not exist," he says.

Bosnya lewat dan melihatnya memegang kartu pos itu. "Tempat yang tidak ada," katanya.

"It is only a hobby," Eira says.

"Ini hanya hobi," kata Eira.

But it is not only a hobby. A promise is a promise. Each time Florin comes, he lowers his window and asks, "Any news?" And each time, she has to say no.

Tetapi ini bukan sekadar hobi. Janji adalah janji. Setiap kali Florin datang, ia menurunkan kaca jendelanya dan bertanya, "Ada kabar?" Dan setiap kali, Eira harus menjawab tidak.

After two weeks, Florin only smiles. "Don't worry," he says. "It is a mystery."

Setelah dua minggu, Florin hanya tersenyum. "Jangan khawatir," katanya. "Ini sebuah misteri."

After three weeks, Eira is tired of the question. She puts the postcard on the shelf and looks at it. The three umbrellas. The little lamp. The pale sand.

Setelah tiga minggu, Eira lelah dengan pertanyaan itu. Ia menaruh kartu pos itu di rak dan memandanginya. Tiga payung itu. Lampu kecil itu. Pasir yang pucat itu.

Then she sees something new.

Lalu ia melihat sesuatu yang baru.

The lamp in the picture is round at the top. It has a thin iron arm. She knows this lamp. It hangs on the south side of the bridge. It is near the old stairs. And the rock under it is the big stone. It is at the bottom of the stairs. Nobody ever goes there.

Lampu dalam gambar itu bulat di bagian atas. Lampu itu punya lengan besi yang tipis. Ia mengenal lampu ini. Lampu itu tergantung di sisi selatan jembatan. Dekat tangga tua. Dan batu karang di bawahnya adalah batu besar itu. Letaknya di dasar tangga. Tak seorang pun pernah ke sana.

She looks at the card for a long time. Then she looks at the clock. Her shift ends in ten minutes.

Ia memandang kartu itu lama sekali. Lalu ia melihat jam. Giliran kerjanya berakhir sepuluh menit lagi.

At six o'clock, she takes the key from her booth. It opens the door to the service stairs. She goes down 112 steps. The stairs are narrow and cold. At the bottom, she steps onto a small stretch of grey stones.

Pukul enam, ia mengambil kunci dari biliknya. Kunci itu membuka pintu ke tangga layanan. Ia menuruni 112 anak tangga. Tangganya sempit dan dingin. Di dasarnya, ia melangkah ke sepetak kecil batu kelabu.

There are no umbrellas. There is no sand. There is only a rusty post and a pile of old rope. The view of the river is good.

Tak ada payung. Tak ada pasir. Hanya ada sebuah tiang berkarat dan tumpukan tali tua. Pemandangan sungainya bagus.

But the rock is the same. The lamp is the same. Even the shape of the water is the same.

Tetapi batu karangnya sama. Lampunya sama. Bahkan bentuk airnya pun sama.

Eira sits down on the cold stones. She says it out loud. "I found it, and it is a mess."

Eira duduk di atas batu yang dingin. Ia mengatakannya keras-keras. "Aku menemukannya, dan tempatnya berantakan."

She sits there for a long time. Then she has a very strange idea.

Ia duduk di sana lama sekali. Lalu ia mendapat gagasan yang sangat aneh.

The next morning, Florin comes through. Before he speaks, she holds up her hand.

Keesokan paginya, Florin lewat. Sebelum ia bicara, Eira mengangkat tangan.

"I found Saltmere Bay," she says. "But it needs some things. Do you have a spare umbrella?"

"Aku menemukan Saltmere Bay," katanya. "Tapi tempat itu butuh beberapa barang. Apakah kamu punya payung cadangan?"

Florin stares. "You must be joking."

Florin menatapnya. "Kamu pasti bercanda."

"I never joke about a promise."

"Aku tidak pernah bercanda soal janji."

He thinks. Then he laughs. "I know a garden shop. The owner is my friend. Three striped umbrellas? I can find those."

Ia berpikir. Lalu ia tertawa. "Aku kenal toko tanaman. Pemiliknya temanku. Tiga payung bergaris? Itu bisa kucarikan."

That is how it begins.

Begitulah semuanya bermula.

Over the next month, every driver who knows Eira hears the story. A man with a truck of sand brings six sacks. He leaves them at the stairs. A bus driver gives her an old deckchair. A young man from the sports car gives her a plastic crab. A man who sells tools gives her an old tin. A woman who paints signs makes a wooden board in blue letters. The board says, "Saltmere Bay. Entry: one coin."

Selama sebulan berikutnya, setiap pengemudi yang mengenal Eira mendengar ceritanya. Seorang lelaki dengan truk pasir membawa enam karung. Ia meninggalkannya di tangga. Seorang sopir bus memberinya kursi pantai tua. Seorang pemuda dari mobil sport memberinya kepiting plastik. Seorang penjual perkakas memberinya kaleng tua. Seorang perempuan pelukis papan nama membuat papan kayu dengan huruf biru. Papan itu bertuliskan, "Saltmere Bay. Masuk: satu koin."

One afternoon, the boss walks past. He sees a driver pass a sack through the window.

Suatu sore, bosnya lewat. Ia melihat seorang pengemudi mengulurkan sekarung pasir lewat jendela.

"What is happening here?" he asks.

"Ada apa ini?" tanyanya.

"A small project," Eira says.

"Proyek kecil," kata Eira.

He looks at her, then at the line of cars. He shrugs. "As long as the booth is clean."

Ia memandang Eira, lalu barisan mobil. Ia mengangkat bahu. "Asal biliknya bersih."

On the last day, Florin arrives with the three umbrellas. They are bright blue and white. They look just like the picture.

Pada hari terakhir, Florin tiba dengan tiga payung itu. Warnanya biru dan putih yang cerah. Persis seperti di gambar.

Eira closes her booth early. They carry the umbrellas down the stairs together. They open them one by one on the new sand. The white lamp shines above their heads.

Eira menutup biliknya lebih awal. Mereka membawa payung-payung itu menuruni tangga bersama-sama. Mereka membukanya satu per satu di atas pasir baru. Lampu putih menyinari kepala mereka.

Florin stands very still. He takes out a coin. He drops it into a tin on the rusty post. It makes a happy sound.

Florin berdiri diam sekali. Ia mengeluarkan sebuah koin. Ia menjatuhkannya ke dalam kaleng di tiang berkarat. Bunyinya terdengar riang.

"It's perfect," he says. "It really is Saltmere Bay."

"Sempurna," katanya. "Ini benar-benar Saltmere Bay."

He looks to the left and to the right. Then he looks at the river. It is grey and wide and not very warm.

Ia menoleh ke kiri dan ke kanan. Lalu ia memandang sungai. Sungai itu kelabu, lebar, dan tidak terlalu hangat.

"One question, though," he says. "Where is the sea?"

"Tapi satu pertanyaan," katanya. "Di mana lautnya?"

Eira smiles and opens a deckchair. "I found the bay, Florin," she says. "I never promised you a sea."

Eira tersenyum dan membuka sebuah kursi pantai. "Aku menemukan teluknya, Florin," katanya. "Aku tidak pernah berjanji memberimu laut."