A commotion could be heard coming from Suliah’s house as she scolded Meriam, her one and only daughter. How could she help being angry – Meriam, who had now turned 16, was often the butt of gossip of the villagers of Madurasa. From a young age Meriam, an only child, had been the delight of her parents Abas and Suliah. The small girl was extremely beautiful, but it was her beauty that made her the object of teasing by the boys she was friends with. When Meriam was only 6, Abas had set out for Jakarta to try to strike it lucky in the capital. The responsibility of bringing up Meriam now rested squarely on Suliah’s shoulders.

“How many times have I told you not to play around with boys while you’re not married. Do you want to become a prostitute?” screamed Suliah, slapping her daughter’s face. “Even though we’re not rich, I’m still looked up to by the people in this village. Don’t you realise that your behaviour is dragging the good name of our family through the mud?”

The cause of all this was that, returning home after doing the laundry in the river, Suliah had discovered her daughter giggling and kissing Didi, Gadé’s oldest son, in the bushes near the school. After bawling out Didi, Suliah had dragged her own child back home to be taught a lesson. Although it was with a heavy heart because she could hardly bear to hurt her beloved child, to her unsophisticated way of thinking there was only one way to teach her a lesson and that was by beating her.

That night Meriam sat brooding on her bed with eyes swollen from crying, mulling over what her mother had said. Her teenage blood boiled in rebellion at the harsh treatment meted out to her. It just wasn’t fair, she felt. Was this the way a parent expressed the love she deserved? Was it her fault that her schoolfriends, especially the boys, liked her? If my mother doesn’t love me any more what’s the point of my staying in the village any longer? But even if I went where would I go? Jakarta! Yes, I’ll head for JAKARTA to look for father. A thousand questions swirled in her head but her mind was made up. She was leaving for Jakarta!

The moon had crept high into the sky when the door to Suliah’s house slowly opened and the slim figure of a girl slipped outside carrying a bundle for the journey containing two changes of clothes and a pair of her favourite shoes.

A noise was heard from Suliah’s house when she was scolding Meriam, her only daughter. How could she not be furious? Meriam, now 16, oftentimes becomes the slanderous talk of Madurasa villagers. Since she was a little girl, Meriam had always been the darling of Abas and Suliah, a married couple blessed with this only child. This little girl was extremely pretty, but this prettiness made her teased by her male friends. When Meriam was only 6 years old, Abas left for Jakarta to try his luck there. Now, Suliah must fully shoulder the responsibility to raise Meriam.

“How many times have I warned you; don’t play around with men before you marry. Do you wanna be a whore?” Suliah screamed, slapping her daughter’s face. “Even if we’re not rich, people still esteem me here. Don’t you know that your behaviour gives our family a bad name?”

Here’s the why and wherefore: when going home from washing clothes in the river, Suliah caught her daughter red-handed giggling and flirting with Didi, the eldest son of Mr. Gadé, in bushes near the school. After cursing Didi, Suliah dragged her daughter home to teach her some lesson. Though sad, as she did not have the heart to hurt her beloved daughter, she, in her simple head, only knew one way to teach her daughter: beat her.

On that night, Meriam, with puffy eyes from crying, sat pensively on her bed mulling over her mom’s words. Her pubertal blood rebelled against the abusive treatment which she thought unfair. Is this the embodied love she deserves from her parent? Is it her fault if her schoolmates, especially males, like her? If my mom doesn’t love me anymore, why would I stay in this village any longer? If I leave this village, where will I go? Jakarta! Yeah, JAKARTA will be my destination to find dad. Thousands of questions raged in her mind, but she was determined. She would go to Jakarta!

The moon was creeping up high in the sky when Suliah’s door was slowly opened and a shadow of a slim girl sneaked out, carrying a bundle of two sets of clothes and a pair of her favorite shoes.

A noise heard from Suliah’s house when she is scolding Meriam, her only teenage girl. Her anxiety is reasonable, Meriam who is now almost 16 years old has been a common gossip to Madurasa villagers. Ever since she was a kid, Meriam is indeed a darling to Abas and Suliah who have only one single child. This young girl has a very pretty face but such beauty that makes her a flirt target to her male friends. When she was just 6 years old, Abas wandered toward Jakarta in search for a fortune in capital city. The responsibility of raising Meriam is now fully on Suliah’s shoulders.

“How many times have I warned you, don’t you fool around with a man before getting married. Being a whore is what you want?” Suliah shouted while slapping her child’s face. “Though we aren’t rich, your mother still earns some respect from the people of this village. Don’t you know that your behaviour defiles our family’s good reputation?”

This is all because Suliah caught her daughter, on her way home after washing clothes in the stream, giggling while making out in the bushes in the vicinity of school with Didi, Pak Gade’s eldest son. After swearing at Didi, Suliah dragged her daughter home for a lesson. Despite the agony in her heart for she actually cannot let herself hurt her precious child, in her modest thought, she knows only one way to teach her child a lesson which is to beat her.

That night, Meriam with her swollen eyes after crying, sits wistfully on the bed while pondering on her mother’s words. Pubescent blood in her body rebels against harsh treatment towards her which she thinks unfair. Is this the kind of love she deserves to get from her parent? Is it her mistake that her schoolmates, particularly the boys have a crush on her? If my mother loves me no more, what is the point in remaining in this village? If I must go, where should I go to? Jakarta! Yes, JAKARTA will be my destination to look for dad. Thousands of questions are raging in her mind but she is fully determined. She is going to Jakarta!

The moon has crawled high in the sky when Suliah’s house door is slowly opened and a silhouette of a slim girl is sneaking out while carrying a bundle of supply consisting of two pairs of clothing and a pair of her favourite shoes.

Noises were heard from Suliah’s home when she was swearing at Mariam, her only daughter. How could she not be furious, Mariam, whose now on her sixteen, frequently gossiped by Madurasa Villagers. Mariam has been Suliah and her husband, Abas, favourite daughter, as Mariam is their only child. Little Mariam had a very beautiful face, although her beauty was a temptation to most of her boyfriends. When Mariam was only six years old, Abas travelled to Jakarta in his search of fortune in the Capital City.

“How many times I have warned you not to fool around with men before you get married? Do you want to be a whore?” Suliah shouted as she slaps her daughter's face.” We are not wealthy, yes, but your mother, me, is still regarded by the villagers. Do you know that your behavior have desecrated our family reputation?”

It's all started when Mariam was on her way home from washing clothes in the river, she caught her daughter were giggling and making out in a bush near Didi’s school. Didi is Mr. Gade’s eldest son. After cursing Didi, she dragged her own daughter home to give her a lesson. Deep down in her poignant heart she cannot bear to hurt her own daughter, but on her simple mind there is only one way to teach her daughter, by beating her.

In that very night, Mariam, with her pounding eyes she got from crying, was sitting on her bed preoccupied by her Mother words. Her pubescent blood was rebelled upon her mother harsh treatment, which she deemed unfair. Is it a proper form of caring she should have got from her parent? Was she wrong because her friends, mostly men, like her? If my Mom does not love me anymore so why should I stay any longer in this village? But where should I go? Jakarta! Yes, Jakarta will become my destination to look for dad. A thousand of questions raged in her mind, but her decision was unanimous. She was going to Jakarta.

The moon was crawling high in the sky, when Suliah’s door opened, and a shape of svelte girl body slipped away, together with a bundle consisted of two pairs of clothes and her favorite shoe.

Uproar was heard from Suliah's house when she was raging at Meriam, her only daughter. How could she not be furious, Meriam which is going to be 16, has often become the gossip of the Madurasa village people. Indeed, ever since a little girl, Meriam is the beloved child of Abas and Suliah who had bestowed an only child. The little girl has a very beautiful face, yet this beauty has become a lure among her male friends. While Meriam was 6 years old, Abas went to Jakarta to find his fortune in the capital city. The responsibility to raise Meriam is now fully on Suliah's shoulder.

"I have warned you several times;don't play around with men before you are married. You want to be a whore?" Suliah shouted while slapping her daughter's face. "Although we are not rich, we are respected in this village. Don't you know that with your behavior you smear our family's name?"

The cause of the tumult was when Suliah came back from washing clothes in the stream;she caught her daughter was gigling while caressing with Didi, the eldest son of pak Gede in the bushes near the school. After expressing her anger to Didi, Suliah dragged her own daughter home to be given a lesson.
She is actually incapable of hurting her beloved daughter, although with sorrowful heart as yet she knows only one means in giving her daughter a lesson, that of by hitting her.

That night, with swollen eyes from crying Meriam sit on the bed pondering what her mother had said. Her young blood rebel to the harsh and unfair action done to her; is it the form of love she deserved from her parents? Is she wrong that her friends, especially the boys like her?
If my mother doesn't love me anymore, what's the use of staying any longer in the village? If I had to go, where do I go? Jakarta! Yes, JAKARTA will be my intention to find father. Thousands of questions run through her head but she is determined. She is leaving for Jakarta!

The moon is crawling high in the sky while the door of Suliah's house is slowly opened and a figure of a slim girl sneaks out, taking a bundle of two pair clothes and a pair of shoes she loves.

A loud voice could be heard coming from Suliah’ house. Suliah was chewing Meriam out like a rag doll. How couldn’t she be irate, when in the entire village of Madurasa tongues were wagging about Meriam, who had barely turned 16 years old. Since she was a little girl Meriam was Abas and Suliah’s darling, as she was the couple’s sole offspring. The little girl had a gorgeous face, but this very beauty made her a temptation to the young boys around her. Just when she turned 6 years old, Abas went on a journey to Jakarta to try to make his own way in life in the capital. The entire burden of raising Meriam rested on Suliah’s shoulders.

“I have already warned you several times not to fool around with boys before getting married. A hooker! Is that what you want to become?” yelled Suliah as she slapped the girl across the face. “Even though we are not rich people, your mother has a fairly good reputation in this village. Don’t you know that this behavior of yours sullies our family’s good name?”

What a scene Suliah discovered as she was returning home after washing the clothes by the canal! She caught her daughter by surprise giggling and making out with Didi, Mr. Gadé’s eldest son, by the bushes near the school. After reading Didi the riot act, Suliah dragged her daughter home to teach her a good lesson. It was painful for Suliah because in truth she did not have the heart to hurt her precious child, but in her unsophisticated mind there was only one way to discipline her daughter: hitting her.

That night, Meriam, with her swollen weepy eyes, sat pensive on her bed, mulling over her mother’s words. Her adolescent blood was getting up in arms against the rough treatment she received, which she felt was unfair. Did she deserve this type of love from her parents? What is wrong with schoolmates, essentially boys, liking her? If my mother does not love me anymore, what is the use of staying in the village? However, if I leave, where should I go? Jakarta! Definitely, JAKARTA will be my choice to look for my father. A thousand questions raced through her mind, but her determination was clear. She was leaving for Jakarta!

The moon was already high in the sky when the door of Suliah’s home slowly opened and the tiny girl silhouette slipped away, carrying nothing more than a bundle containing two changes of clothes and her favorite pair of shoes.

A noisy row was heard coming from Suliah’s house when she was scolding Meriam, her teenage daughter, her one and only child. How could she not have been hopping mad. Meriam, who had now turned 16 was often the object of gossip by the villagers in Madurasa. Truly, since young Meriam had been the most precious treasure of the couple, Abas and Suliah, blessed with just one child. The little girl had a very beautiful face. Alas, her beauty caused her to be the target of teasings by her boy friends. When Meriam was only 6 years old, Abas had to leave home for Jakarta in search for work in the capital. The responsibility of bringing up Meriam was now on Suliah’s shoulders alone.

“How many times have I warned you, do not hang out with men before you’re married? Do you want to be a hooker, or what?” shouted Suliah while slapping her daughter’s face.
“We may not be rich, but people in this village still have quite a respect for your mother. Don’t you know that you have tarred the family’s good name with that behavior of yours?

The cause of all this was Suliah catching her daughter by surprise. She was on her way home from washing clothes in the river when she caught her daughter giggling and making out in the bushes by the school with Didi, Pak Gade’s eldest son. After giving Didi a tongue lashing, Suliah, all by herself, dragged her daughter home to teach her a lesson. Even though it pained her heart, because the truth of the matter was, she could not bear to hurt her darling daughter, but being of a simple mind, hitting her daughter was the only way she knew how to teach her a lesson.

That evening, with eyes swollen from crying, Meriam sat brooding on her bed, pondering her mother’s words. The pubescent roiling blood in her rebelled against the harsh treatment she felt was unfair. Was this the kind of love she deserved from her parents? Was it her fault when her school friends, especially the boys, liked her? If my mother doesn’t love me any more what's the point of me staying in the village any longer? But, if I did leave, where should I go? Jakarta! Yes, JAKARTA, that's where I should be heading for to find Dad. Thousands of questions whirled in her head, but she was determined. She was leaving for Jakarta!

The moon had crept high up in the sky when the door of Suliah’s house slowly opened and the figure of a slender girl slipped out. She carried with her a small bundle containing two changes of clothes and a pair of her favorite shoes.

The noise is heard from Suliah’s home when she is angry with Meriam, her one and only daughter. She can’t help feeling so wrathful, since her 16-year old Meriam has become the vicious gossip of people in Madurasa village. Since at her very early age, Meriam has been the darling daughter of couple Abas and Suliah who only have her as their sole child. This little girl has a very beautiful face. But the beauty it is that makes her the seduction for her boy peers. When Meriam was 6 years old, Abas went to Jakarta for making a living in the capital city. The responsibility to raise Meriam now is on Suliah’s shoulders completely.

“How many times I have warned you: never chase the boys before you get married! Do you wanna be a prostitute?” Suliah screams while slaps her daughter’s face. “Although we are not rich, your Mom is fairly respected by people here. You know what, with your behavior you have damaged our family's good reputation!”

It starts when she returned from washing clothes in the river. Suliah caught her daughter giggling while flirting with Didi, Mr. Gade's oldest son in the bush near school. After scolding Didi, Suliah dragged her own daughter home to hit her. Although feeling so sore since actually she hates to hurt her beloved daughter, she only has a simple way of thinking; she only knows one way to teach her daughter, which is by hitting her.

That night, Meriam sits on bed with her eyes swell by crying. She thinks over her Mom's words. As a young blood, she rebels against violent behavior towards herself. She feels being unfairly treated. Is this a kind of love she properly receives from her parent? Is she false if her friends, especially the boys like her? If my Mom doesn't love me anymore, why should I keep staying here? But, where will I go? Jakarta! Yes, JAKARTA! I will go there to find my Dad. A hundred of questions cross her mind, but she already makes a strong decision. She will go to Jakarta!

The moon has crawled high in the sky when the door of Suliah’s home opens quietly and a silhouette of a slim girl slips away carrying a bundle containing two sets of clothes and a pair of her favorite shoes.