The Return of My Bonnie

Nandira Dyah Dewanti

180410140062

Summary: A 15-year-old girl, Leona Ashab lost her most loved dog named Bonnie. Trying
to let him go, she found him unexpectedly on her grandmas birthday present.

I opened my eyes and looked at the ceiling. Two days after that day were my Grandmas
birthday. Two years ago I baked her chocolate cake, and last year I gave her pink and white
roses. She was always thankful for whatever I gave her. I knew the chocolate cake wasnt
good enough, but she said it was the tastiest chocolate cake she ever had in her life. Ive been
very close to Grandma since I was five when shed moved to a house that was only five
houses from mine. Ummi said it was the perfect timing for her and grandpa to move because
a year after, grandpa died. Grandma had a helper named mbak Jum but she has been in her
hometown for like a month now. She said her parents were sick and when she wanted to go
back to Jakarta, her father died. Grandmas hair was all white and she wore glasses each time
she needed to read the newspaper, sometimes to watch the TV, and see anything close. Ummi
said that Grandma needed someone to help her clean the house, especially her collection of
porcelains, and did other daily chores. I needed to get up and took a shower then, or Id miss
the garage sale.

I wanted to get a vase there as I had known that Grandma loved porcelain, but she only had 3
vases, so I thought a new vase could be a great present for her birthday this year. I saw a
porcelain shop near my school two weeks ago and stopped by to see if there any kind of vases
that Grandma would love. Id been checking the shop for two months each time I passed by.
Once, I see Mrs. Mar entered the shop, holding a big cardboard. I heard Mrs. Mar is a
perfectionist and pretty fussy about anything, so I think if she said something good about
things, or visit a shop, then the things or whatever the shop sold must be a great one.

Judging from the shop place and the vases displayed, I thought the price range would not be
more than a million rupiah. Why would a vase cost much, anyway? All itd do is just sitting
prettily on Grandmas shelf. Nevertheless, I had saved money and joint with my brother to
buy one, just in case I thought. When I entered the shop confidently, I saw a written sign
SELL, BUY, AND REPAIR any PORCELAINS, and then the owner greeted me, Hello!
What can I do for you, miss?

Hello, sir! I am looking for a floral-vintage-looking kind of vase for my Grandma. Do you
have any? I said.

Oh Im sorry, dear, but we are running out of that kind. Does your Grandma like other
kinds? I have the catalogue here. He said, walking behind a desk and took out a big brown
photo album with many vase pictures inside. While I was flipping out the pages one by one,
my eyes caught a beautiful vase with blue and yellow flowers around it, but I quickly
changed my mind when I saw Rp2,500,000.00 beneath the picture. I asked the owner, Do
you have anything below 750,000, sir?

Ah, this must have been your first time in buying vase, right? This shop doesnt sell vintage
vase below 1,000,000, but if you wanna see you can come to my garage sale next week.
Perhaps you can get what you want with a fair price. Itll be right in front of the shop.

Sounds good to me! Thank you, sir. Ill see you next week then! I said goodbye and left the
shop.

After I had taken a shower I went to the dining room and I sensed the typical fried rice smell
from the kitchen. Koko Ren was sitting with his eyes glued to his phone in the right hand.
What are you doing, Ko? I asked him.

Just shush, Yon! he said with eyes still on the phones screen. Hed always been like that,
even though he knew I always hated it when people call me Yon in short for Leona, but I
tried to stay calm as I needed his help this morning. Ummi, out from the kitchen, was
bringing a big bowl full of fried rice, Reno, be good to your sister. You know she doesnt
like that nickname. Why are you dressed up, Len? Its still too early to go out with your
friends.

No, Ummi. Ill only go for a walk. Therell be a garage sale today near the school. Maybe I
can get some good stuff there. Yea, Len was way better than Yon, especially when Ummi
said it.

Well then, have breakfast first, dear. Oh, let me get the omelet. Then Ummi went back to
the kitchen.
Ko, Im going to garage sale to get the vase. The prices in the shop I told you were insane. I
think we need more cash. Can you give out two hundred thousand more? I tried not to speak
too loud so that Ummi wouldnt hear our conversation.

WHAT? Whats the price, though? It would be too much for a vase, Yon! he finally looked
up, but with an annoyed face. I told him to lower down his voice and explained the day I
went to the shop, about the prices, and the garage sale today. Ill take you there then. I
wanna see it too. Two hundred thousand more top, or well find another present for
Grandma.

Soon, Ummi came back from the kitchen and we had breakfast together. Abi usually joined
us, but that morning Ummi said Abi had an unexpected business from work. While I was
waiting for Koko to dress up, I fed my hamsters and played with them. They were really cute,
their colors and behavior were very contrasted which was why I chose them to be together.
The first one was Cimut, she had white fur and a cute face. She really liked to run on the
wheel, more than Gembul. He was my other hamster; the lazy one with a sad face. He liked
to stay in the shed of their cage and showed his sad face even when hes eating and running
on the wheel. His dark brown fur shone every time he got the sunlight, just like Bonnies. Ah,
I missed Bonnie so much, my late dog. I really loved him as Id had him since I was 6 and we
grew up together until the worst day came. Hes been lost for two months, a week, and three
days now, plus sixteen hours if I might add. Im still really sad about his loss, I cried almost
every day until Abi and Ummi took me to pet shop to get new pets, and thats why Cimut and
Gembul here then. Bonnie used to walk by himself in the evening and came back before
dusk, or he liked to bring pebbles to Mrs. Mars house and barked in front of the fence. No
one knows why he did it almost at the exact same time every day, but all we knew that Mrs.
Mar had never liked it. She had always needed to clean up her front house and shooed him so
that hed stop and went home.

Mrs. Mar is our neighbor whose house is in block I, but shes really close to Grandma and
comes to Grandmas nearly every day, especially after mbak Jum left. Abi said its because
Grandma and Mrs. Mar are both widows and their age gap is pretty close. Mrs. Mar is
actually a very good woman, she is friendly, gregarious, and very nice to Grandma, but her
perfectionist trait sometimes annoyed me, even bang Oni agrees with me. Bang Oni is a
security guard in jalan Duren Sawit Barat block F to block I, but his post is in front of
Grandmas at block F. He has a colleague called mang Atek on block I which is near Mrs.
Mars house. Mrs. Mar is also close with bang Oni as she likes to chat with him until late
night, sometimes sends him food, and even plays cards together in front of the post. Bang Oni
can do that because many houses in our neighborhood are empty and there are many empty
lots with thatches around. We all know whose car is passing by the street and whose fence is
opening or closing. In spite of that, bang Oni is often patrolling at night and lights bonfire
near the post. Each time he lights the bonfire therell always a combination of myrrh and
burned woods smell. He said, the smell of myrrh was relaxing, it also made mosquitoes
stayed away.

Yon! For Gods sake! Ive called you for four times! shouted ko Ren. I turned my head and
saw him in his jeans and T-shirt with car key and phone on his hand.

Oh, sorry. Youre good to go? I asked.

I should be the one asking you, dear. Come quick! I put the hamster food back and walked
toward Ummi to tell that Koko and I were going to the garage sale, and then were off.

In the car Koko and I talked about how we shouldve presented the vase to Grandma. He
insisted on putting it in a box and wrapped it in wrapping papers, but I thought it would be
ineffective. I said we better just put a pretty red ribbon on its middle, or depend on the vases
shape, and he agreed. Ah, red ribbon! Thats what Bonnie wore when hes lost, red collar dog
with gold color pendant, graven LAs for Leona Ashabs. I had searched him for a week with
Ummi and Abi, with my best friends plus best detectives Id met the other days, even
with bang Oni to look round and round the blocks. Also once around all over the
neighborhood with ko Ren. Mang Atek was the last person I knew who saw him I guess. He
said Bonnie was doing his usual ritual,then mang Atek tried to shoo him before Mrs. Mar
noticed. After a while mang Atek got a phone call, he walked away to receive it without the
barking noise, and when he got back Bonnie was not there anymore. I was
suspecting mang Atek, but Ummi said we shouldnt prejudge other people and better just let
go of Bonnie. Koko said Ummi was right, perhaps Bonnie got poisoned and crying over him
was only a spent of time and tears. I cried even way harder.

Ten minutes later we arrived at the shop. We looked around while the owner was still
cleaning up some vases. Theres this mossy green vase with lid that had been catching my
eyes but it looked too old and plain, so I didnt touch it. After several minutes, Kokocalled me
asking about the mossy green vase, Yon, look at this one. Isnt this good enough? And look
at the price is fair. Apparently it had bulging little flowers around the body and it made some
good feelings when I touched it. It was a bit short and looked like it fitted best to keep
colorful little flowers or just candies.

Yea, its pretty, but isnt it looking a bit too plain and dull? I scrunched my forehead when
I said dull, didnt want the owner to hear me.

Well, isnt that how Grandma like things? Plain and a bit dull? he said.

I thought the shop owner heard him, so he came close, Morning, dear. You really come, eh?
Are you considering buying this olive green vase?

Morning, sir. Yes, we are. Does this vase have any interesting background? I tried to sound
expert, but ko Ren gave me his deadly stare and I suddenly felt the question was really
doltish.

Ahahaha... I wish I could answer it, miss, but this vase was sold by a middle-aged woman
few weeks ago. She said she needed something new, if Im not mistaken. I reanalyzed the
vase. The price suited our cash very well; its shape was unique and had peculiar yet familiar
smell.

Okay, well take it, sir, I said.

My brother only shook his head and paid for it, and then we got back to the car. While he was
starting the engine, he asked me, Girls, girls, I can never understand girls. You changed your
mind pretty quickly, didnt you? I didnt say anything and stayed calm.

Know somewhere to get red r

No need, I got it at home, said I, staring out the window. The peculiar smell was still filling
up my nose.

Grandmas birthday is today, lucky its Saturday. This morning Ummi has prepared some
special dishes to be brought to Grandmas house and well have lunch there together, usually
with Ummi, Abi, Koko Ren, Mrs. Mar, mbak Jum, and bang Oni if he can join, ormbak Jum
would deliver some to bang Oni and mang Atek. I have tied the red ribbon as nicely as I
could on the middle of the vase and put a wishing card tangled on its side. I put it on the
dining table before I get my shoes. Leona, is this what you and ko Ren got for Grandma?
asked Ummi.

Yes, Ummi. Isnt it pretty?

It is, dear, but it looks, Ummi said, scrunching cannot finish her line and was cut by Abi.

Everyones ready yet?

Since an hour ago. You got the vase right already, Yon? said Koko, sitting on the nearest
sofa wearily.

Oh is that the vase you want to give to grandma? Hmm... I think it looks a bit like Let me
see it, Len. Abi opened up the lid and examined the inside part for a while, and then put the
lid back again. He turned it up carefully. Leona honey, next time you better know the things
well first if you want to buy something. Look at this. I hope grandma wont realize this. Abi
showed me the bottom part of the vase and its written, Rest in Peace. Wish You Were
Here, then I opened up the lid. I see someones ash inside, or somethings ash? I was
speechless and could think of nothing, but we had to walk to grandmas house. We always
walk to grandmas house, on the way I took a small branch and staring at it while kept
thinking, still curious about the ash.

When we got there Abi greeted bang Oni and asked him to join us, but he said he was going
to patrol the blocks and would catch up later. Then we got into Grandmas house and I saw
Mrs. Mar there, having a cup of coffee and chatting with Grandma. I remember when
Grandma asked me to accompany her to get some special ground coffee beans for Mrs. Mars
birthday present months ago. She quoted Mrs. Mar, Theres nothing better than a cup of
freshly brewed coffee in a clean house in the afternoon. I can even smell coffee when I pass
by her house sometimes.

I then realized that Mrs. Mars eyes were scanning me, lower her stare a bit, right to the shiny
lime green urn Id been holding with both of my hands. She looked a bit tensed and said she
needed to go home now, she forgot that she was baking cookies. I shook her hand before she
left and saw some scratches on her wrist. Perhaps shes not that perfectionist I thought since I
could remember she had never forgotten about things and always took care of her body very
well.
I gave the vase to grandma and wished her a very happy birthday. She looked very happy and
took it from my hand. She said, Ah thank you, Leona dear. Its very pretty! And then she
kissed my cheeks. She asked me to put it on the end table near the TV, so I put it there, yet I
was still very curious. So I opened up the lid and scrape the ash with the little branch I got.
Now I think I know this peculiar smell I see something red but it is unclear. I go to the terrace
to get better lighting and continue scraping the ash. The smell is like myrrh bang Oni uses,
also with a bit of coffee smell. I see some little pieces of unburned coffee beans inside. I take
out the red thing I saw earlier and watch it closer, look a bit like what Bonnie wore.

Bang Oni has come back from patrolling, so I came to him and invite him to Grandmas
house before the candles are blown up. I feel something beneath my left foot; I think Im
stepping on something. I asked him, Bang, you made bonfire again last night?

Yeah course! What else that could make me up all night, though? Ha-ha... My usual habit,
yea? answer him playfully, then walking past me. When he is walking to Grandmas house,
I move my foot and see it right there: a burned gold pendant, withLAs graven upon.

Reference(s):

-My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean childhood song

-Royal Alberts tea sets

-My past grandfathers neighborhood

-My past hamsters

-My Chinese-Arabian friend

Word Count: 2,910