The Grandfather's Watch

Kirra needs something special for the school's Heritage Evening. Every student has to bring an object that tells a family story. Her grandfather keeps an old silver watch in a wooden box in his bedroom. He wears it only on holidays.

Kirra membutuhkan sesuatu yang istimewa untuk Malam Warisan di sekolahnya. Setiap murid harus membawa sebuah benda yang menceritakan kisah keluarga. Kakeknya menyimpan sebuah jam saku perak tua di dalam kotak kayu di kamar tidurnya. Ia hanya memakainya pada hari-hari raya.

She knows she should ask him. But he is staying at his sister's house until Sunday, and the evening is on Friday. Kirra decides that one small borrowing can't hurt.

Ia tahu seharusnya ia meminta izin. Tetapi Kakek menginap di rumah adiknya sampai hari Minggu, sedangkan acaranya hari Jumat. Kirra memutuskan bahwa meminjam sebentar tidak akan merugikan siapa pun.

On Friday afternoon, she wraps the watch in a scarf and puts it in her bag. Her presentation goes well. Her classmates ask about the words engraved on the back. She tells them how her grandfather received it from his own father. Then, while she is hurrying to pack up, the watch slips from her hand and hits the floor.

Pada Jumat sore, ia membungkus jam itu dengan syal dan memasukkannya ke dalam tasnya. Presentasinya berjalan lancar. Teman-teman sekelasnya bertanya tentang kata-kata yang terukir di bagian belakang. Ia menceritakan bagaimana kakeknya menerima jam itu dari ayahnya sendiri. Lalu, saat ia terburu-buru berberes, jam itu terlepas dari tangannya dan jatuh ke lantai.

The sound is small and sharp. When she picks it up, a line runs across the glass, from the edge almost to the middle. The hands are still moving, but the watch looks hurt.

Bunyinya kecil dan tajam. Ketika ia memungutnya, sebuah garis membelah kacanya, dari tepi hampir sampai ke tengah. Jarumnya masih bergerak, tetapi jam itu tampak terluka.

Her stomach drops. All the way home, she thinks of ideas. She could put it back in the box with the cracked side down. He might not notice for months. Maybe he would think it had happened years ago.

Perutnya serasa jatuh. Sepanjang perjalanan pulang, ia memikirkan berbagai akal. Ia bisa menaruhnya kembali di kotak dengan sisi yang retak menghadap ke bawah. Kakek mungkin tidak akan menyadarinya selama berbulan-bulan. Mungkin Kakek akan mengira itu terjadi bertahun-tahun lalu.

That night, she opens the box and looks at the empty velvet. The idea of hiding the damage makes her feel worse, not better. She remembers how carefully her grandfather winds the watch. "Time is the one thing you can't borrow," he always says.

Malam itu, ia membuka kotak dan menatap beledu yang kosong. Gagasan menyembunyikan kerusakan itu membuatnya merasa makin buruk, bukan lebih baik. Ia ingat betapa hati-hatinya Kakek memutar jam itu. "Waktu adalah satu-satunya hal yang tidak bisa dipinjam," kata Kakek selalu.

On Saturday morning, she takes the watch to a small repair shop near the station. The repairer turns it over under a lamp. "The glass is easy to replace," he says. "It will cost sixty dollars, and it will be ready on Tuesday."

Pada Sabtu pagi, ia membawa jam itu ke sebuah toko reparasi kecil dekat stasiun. Sang tukang membolak-baliknya di bawah lampu. "Kacanya mudah diganti," katanya. "Biayanya enam puluh dolar, dan akan selesai hari Selasa."

Kirra has exactly seventy dollars in savings. She was keeping it for new headphones. She counts out the money slowly, and then she pays.

Kirra punya tepat tujuh puluh dolar dalam tabungannya. Uang itu ia simpan untuk membeli headphone baru. Ia menghitung uangnya pelan-pelan, lalu membayar.

On Sunday, her grandfather comes home. She waits until after dinner, then puts the empty box on the table. "I need to tell you something," she says. "I took your watch without asking. It fell, and the glass cracked. It's at the repair shop, and I've already paid for it."

Pada hari Minggu, Kakek pulang. Ia menunggu sampai setelah makan malam, lalu meletakkan kotak kosong itu di atas meja. "Aku harus memberitahu Kakek sesuatu," katanya. "Aku mengambil jam Kakek tanpa izin. Jamnya jatuh, dan kacanya retak. Sekarang jam itu ada di toko reparasi, dan aku sudah membayarnya."

Her grandfather is silent. He rubs his chin. "You should have asked," he says at last.

Kakek terdiam. Ia mengusap dagunya. "Seharusnya kamu minta izin," katanya akhirnya.

"I know," Kirra says. "I'm sorry."

"Aku tahu," kata Kirra. "Maaf."

"I would have said yes," he says. "That is the part that bothers me." He shakes his head slowly, but his voice is softer now. "Thank you for telling me the truth. Many grown people wouldn't."

"Kakek pasti akan bilang boleh," katanya. "Itu yang membuat Kakek kesal." Ia menggeleng pelan, tetapi suaranya kini lebih lembut. "Terima kasih sudah berkata jujur. Banyak orang dewasa tak akan melakukannya."

On Tuesday, they collect the watch together. Back at home, he fastens it around her wrist for a moment. "Next time, ask," he says. "Then it's a gift, not a secret."

Pada hari Selasa, mereka mengambil jam itu bersama-sama. Sesampainya di rumah, Kakek mengaitkannya di pergelangan tangan Kirra sebentar. "Lain kali, minta izin," katanya. "Dengan begitu, itu jadi hadiah, bukan rahasia."