The Ticket in the Thrift Jacket

Ira found the jacket on a rack at the thrift store on Saturday afternoon. It was brown corduroy, soft at the elbows, and almost exactly the right size. The price tag said four dollars, which seemed too good to be true.

Ira menemukan jaket itu di rak toko barang bekas pada Sabtu sore. Jaket itu berbahan korduroi cokelat, lembut di bagian siku, dan hampir persis pas ukurannya. Label harganya tertulis empat dolar, yang rasanya terlalu murah untuk jadi kenyataan.

In the left pocket, behind a crumpled tissue, was a ticket. Ira smoothed it flat. It was for a play at the Lantern Theater, row F, seat 12. The date on it was today. The show started at seven. It was already ten past six.

Di saku kiri, di balik selembar tisu kusut, ada sebuah tiket. Ira meluruskannya. Tiket itu untuk sebuah pertunjukan di Lantern Theater, baris F, kursi 12. Tanggalnya hari ini. Pertunjukan dimulai pukul tujuh. Saat itu sudah pukul enam lewat sepuluh.

"Somebody will miss this," Ira said to the cashier, who only shrugged. "Not my problem. Four dollars, please."

"Pasti ada yang akan kehilangan ini," kata Ira kepada kasir, yang hanya mengangkat bahu. "Bukan urusan saya. Empat dolar, ya."

Ira could have left the ticket in a drawer at home. Instead, Ira ran for the bus. A play about a lighthouse keeper was not what Ira usually chose. But a ticket found in a pocket was hard to ignore.

Ira bisa saja menyimpan tiket itu di laci rumah. Sebaliknya, Ira berlari mengejar bus. Pertunjukan tentang penjaga mercusuar bukanlah pilihan yang biasa Ira ambil. Tetapi tiket yang ditemukan di dalam saku sulit diabaikan.

At the theater, the usher checked the ticket and pointed to row F. In seat 11 sat a small old woman in a green coat, holding her program with both hands. She looked at the jacket, then at Ira, and her mouth fell open.

Di teater, petugas memeriksa tiket itu dan menunjuk ke baris F. Di kursi 11 duduk seorang perempuan tua bertubuh kecil dengan mantel hijau, memegang programnya dengan kedua tangan. Ia memandang jaket itu, lalu Ira, dan mulutnya ternganga.

"That's my husband's jacket," she whispered. "I gave a bag of his clothes away on Thursday. I was cleaning the closet and I forgot the ticket was in the pocket. I thought I had lost it."

"Itu jaket suami saya," bisiknya. "Saya menyumbangkan sekantong pakaiannya hari Kamis. Saya sedang membereskan lemari dan lupa tiketnya ada di saku. Saya kira tiketnya sudah hilang."

"I can give the jacket back," Ira whispered. "It has only been mine for two hours."

"Saya bisa mengembalikan jaketnya," bisik Ira. "Baru dua jam jaket ini jadi milik saya."

"Please don't. He caught a cold and stayed home tonight, and he has never liked that jacket anyway. He says it makes him look like a sofa."

"Jangan, tolong. Dia masuk angin dan tinggal di rumah malam ini, dan dia memang tidak pernah menyukai jaket itu. Katanya jaket itu membuatnya mirip sofa."

Ira laughed so loudly that a man in front turned around. The lights went down, and the two of them sat quietly. On stage, the lighthouse keeper argued with the sea. The old woman shared her mints. Ira, who had never planned to enjoy the evening, forgot to check the time even once.

Ira tertawa begitu keras sampai seorang pria di depan menoleh. Lampu meredup, dan keduanya duduk diam. Di panggung, si penjaga mercusuar berdebat dengan laut. Perempuan tua itu membagikan permen mint-nya. Ira, yang tidak pernah berencana menikmati malam itu, lupa melihat jam bahkan sekali pun.

Afterward, outside, she buttoned her coat and smiled. "My husband has a ticket for the next play too. If he refuses to come, would you like to join me?"

Setelah pertunjukan, di luar, perempuan tua itu mengancingkan mantelnya dan tersenyum. "Suami saya punya tiket untuk pertunjukan berikutnya juga. Kalau dia menolak datang, maukah kamu menemani saya?"

Ira looked down at the corduroy sleeves and grinned. "Only if I can wear the jacket."

Ira memandang lengan korduroi itu dan nyengir. "Hanya kalau saya boleh memakai jaket ini."