0 Limbless Deni travels with vendor dad

Kodir, 63, pulls his disabled son Deni Nurjaman, 19, who lies face down, on a wheeled cart from Cawang, East Jakarta, to the front of the Sultan Hotel in Central Jakarta. A wooden box filled with a few packs of cigarettes hangs by Kodir’s side. Selling cigarettes is Kodir’s main source of income, but pulling his son — who has had no arms or legs since birth — everywhere he goes every day consumes much more of his time and energy. But even at his most tiring moments, with the scorching sun and pollution from vehicles, Kodir will gaze out at the road and allow himself to say: “This is for Deni.” 

“I wouldn’t leave my boy alone at home, even though he can do things on his own,” said the older man who lives in Prumpung, East Jakarta. “Deni is always happy, no matter how tiring it is to roam [the city] with me. It’s what he wants.” The two usually travel from home to Cawang by bus, and then take a walk to the hotel at around 2 p.m. Along the way, Kodir sells cigarettes to earn money that he says is only enough for meals for one day. They take the same route to get home in the evening. 

“That’s the only way I can do it because I can’t sell from one bus to another,” Kodir said. Deni lost his mother to cervical cancer in 2006, and thereafter he has had to travel with his father as no one is able to look after him at home. Deni’s elder brother, Kodir says, is a man of few words. “I’d worry about Deni if I had to leave him with his elder brother.” Young Deni used to go to elementary school at the Foundation of the Association of Parents with Disabled Children in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, funded by his foster father. His biological father took Deni to the school by pulling him on the cart and then traveled to sell his goods while waiting for Deni to finish his classes. 

Deni decided to leave school after graduating from the foundation’s elementary school, with permission from Kodir, who said ”Deni prefers playing.” Leaving formal education behind does not mean Deni may beg off others, as Kodir always reminds him, although passersby often offer them help after seeing Deni’s situation. Deni might not be as lucky as other children of his age who are more “able”, but he strongly believes that God has other ways to keep him happy. “There must be a way,” he said with a broad smile as he goes back to reading a book on alms. 

One of the things that Deni said made him happy was when he had his picture published by Kompas newspaper, side-by-side with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, when the latter visited Deni’s school back in 2005. His father always carries the picture everywhere they go. In 2006, Kodir had some luck as he was chosen for the reality TV show Uang Kaget (Surprise Money), and was given Rp 10 million (around US$1,000) to spend in 30 minutes or return the unspent money. “The most important thing was gold,” he reminisced. Deni was also lucky to appear in 26 episodes of the soap opera Penjaga Hati (Heart Keeper) aired on SCTV in 2006. 

With the little money they make from selling cigarettes, Deni said he told his father of his wish to take their business to the next level by opening their own chicken noodle stall. “We don’t get much from dad selling cigarettes,” said the young man who turned 19 on Jan. 1. “I told dad to start roaming the streets selling chicken noodles, and open a permanent stall after we have many loyal customers. It’d be fun.” However, Deni said that his father’s savings were not enough yet to realize their dream. Out of all the things he wanted the most, Deni wishes to meet with the frontman of the band Noah, Nazril “Ariel” Irham. “I like him, I like singing. I want to learn from him,” he said, while showing off his green Noah hat. (fzm)

source : the jakarta post