The afternoon sun was
blazing in its magnificence. The sweat droplets were falling down his
nose tip as he was looking for the passenger near the TIA.
“Is the taxi
unreserved?”
A young woman in the
loose cotton trousers asked him as she got near to the taxi. No doubt
she was looking good but her beauty was at uncertainties. She had
neatly masked her facial features in a purple scarf
and rayban's sunglasses. However, her round and fair wrists resting
in the window brim by the side of his, the taxi driver's seat
appeared graceful as they gestured in accordance to her speech.
“Yes. On your service
madam. Let me know, where are we to go?”
“Chitwan, Narayangarh.”
“Hmm..Chitwan? Okay let
me think.”
“ Hmm? Decide fast.
Can you not see that the sun is harsh now? Can you not see that it is
burning my back?”
She sounded unduly
innocent as she put those questions. He could do nothing except than
to flaunt his beautiful smile.
“Okay madam. Get
seated. Let me help with your luggage.”
“No thanks. It will be
fine with me, aint that heavy at all.”
“How much would you
charge me?” she asked as she got inside the taxi.
“Not much madam. See,
the price of fuel has sky rocketed within a week. So, the traveling
cost has increased accordingly. Others don't go for a penny less than
three thousand. You can give me 2500 and that would do.”
“I hope you are not
swindling with me.”
“How can I madam? I am
a decent young man obsessed with the dignity. I have my ethics that
wont let me do certain things as such.”
“You know madam, I
don't usually go outside the valley. Its just that I cant help but
become obliged at women's grace.” He added.
“Okay. Fine. So, can we
be a little fast? Its about to 1:00 pm, I suppose.”
“Of course madam. don't
worry. You'll be there before the evening if everything goes fine.”
“What do you mean by
if...?”
“Nothing mam. Leave it.
See, there are things you don't have any control upon. So, it seems
that you are heading to your home right?
“Yes I am.”
“Hmm. Okay. So you must
have had a wonderful time in the states, I suppose. No any tension of
petrol, no bandas, no
strikes, no pollution. Cool climate. But you see, everything is in
ruins here.”
He
sounded more enthusiastic to extend
the conversation. While she appeared disinterested to a good degree.
The wheels of the taxi were rotating in a mild and careful speed.
Gentle wind was blowing outside and she could sense it through the
window of the taxi. Few strands of her hair had escaped out through
the scarf to play with the wind breeze.
“How
long has it been...?”
“It
has been long long enough. We Nepalese don't have enough stamina left
for it, to endure the same painful situation for so many years.” He
intervened to answer before she could complete.
“No,
no. I was asking how long its been that you are driving the taxi?”
“Oh.
It will be three years in coming July.”
“Okay.”
“But
madam, you know
I am not going to continue it for long. I have my plans.”
“Hmm.
Okay. What are you thinking to do then?”
“If
fate allows, we can meet someday in the states. Its been my dream to
go to America
since the day I heard people talking about the place. They say, its
the heaven in earth.” He
said in an exuberant tone treated with a conspicuous layer of
impatient hopefulness.
“I
hope your dreams will come true.” She said in a softer voice as she
took off her sunglasses and folded to hang them
from
her cleavage.
“ You
know madam, I have completed my B.A three years ago. B.A
in English. Its just that I couldn't find any job here in Nepal that
would pay me as much as this taxi earns for me. Actually,
you know, I ran and walked, rushed and sighed; I left no stone
unturned to find the job. But see, nobody trusted me. I heard from
nowhere. It was just the waste of money paying the typewriter for my
C.V and xeroxing the certificates for how many copies, heavens
know.”He continued as he
adjusted the back mirror just ahead of him.
“I
used to work as a shopkeeper boy in Hari uncle's grocery store. His
sister brought me to Kathmandu
while I was still a child. She
was an
INGO volunteer in my village. I
was in 6th
standard at then, I guess. I
grew up therein, working as the shopkeeper. They paid for my
education, let me stay along with them, gave me comfortable bed. But
didn't paid extra money as wage. But must say, they were best human
beings I have met. Don't mind madam, you don't look
anything less than them. You must be a very good human being
yourself. It seems from your conduct.” His
eyes were time and again glimpsing at the mirror that reflected her
powerful eyes and even more powerful chest with voluptuous breasts no
matter how hard he tried not to
stray his focus from the road that
lay ahead.
“Thanks.”
She smiled. This time her scarf had displaced itself down her chin
about the neck. The smile was a killer one.
“I've
been collecting money for the very thing. If I could collect some
more, I will soon after start preparing for the IELTS examination.
They say you have to read a lot for the test. Even now I read books,
quite a deal of them. But all are Nepali translations. See, how much
we think we know the language, nothing will come easy as the mother
tongue itself. What do you say madam? Well, you sure must have
mastered the language.”
A
smile except nothing comes her way.
“Am
I boring you madam?”
“No
no. Its not that.”
“Then
what it is?”
“A
slight headache. May be travel sickness.”
“Oh
oh. You must have made me aware. Lets stop for the lunch. Have some
food and water and you'll be fine.”
“No.
Ain't that big deal. I'll be fine.”
“C'mon
madam. You don't have to hesitate.”
She
smiles.
“Okay
then let me bring a bottle of water for you.”
He
stoped the taxi by the side of a motel and was back within a blink of
lashes.
“So,
here it is mam.” He said passing her a bottle of mineral water.
“Thanks.”
“So,
how long have it been madam? After how many years are you going to
your house?”
“Two
years but feels like two eras.”
“We
sure feel nostalgic when we think of our place, our home. But I say
you, you wont be able to hold for long here. Things will conspire
against it. Well, how long will be your stay?”
“May
be a month or two.”
“Okay.
So, where exactly is your home from Narayangarh?”
“Not
very far.”
“So,
then I will drop you to your home. You don't have to pay me extra for
it.”
“Thanks.
I will go by my own. I have some work in Narayangarh.”
“I
will wait. If it wont take that long.”
“Ahh..You
are so kind. I appreciate your kindness but I will be fine with my
own. Its enough
if
you'll safely drop me to the city. By the way, how long are we still
to go?”
“We
are half way now.”
“Okay.”
“I
guess you've forgotten quite a deal about the native land.”
“No,
no. Its not like that. I didn't travel this road that frequently. And
you see it looks same everywhere.”
“Okay.
Yeah it does.” He said with an audible laugh this time.
She
then suddenly took out an iphone from her bag and plugged the
earphone on her ears.
On
looking at the mirror, he did the same but it was a mobile not
iphone. After about five minutes or so he suddenly unplugged the
earphones.
“what
it is madam you are listening to?”
“wait.
Okay. What were you saying?” She took out the earphones held them
in her both hands one on each as she responded him.
“Is
it a song madam?”
“Yes
it is.”
“English?”
“No.
Nepali.”
“Which
one? Cant we turn on the loudspeaker madam?”
“Okay.”
The
voice of Anju pant was echoing from the iphone as she was singing the
song of tragedy, 'nabirsein timilai, na paayein timilai.'
“I
love this song a lot madam. You know I once thought that I would die
listening to it. The song would play continuously on my taxi. But
now the player is gone, when a micro bus hit the taxi a month ago.”
“Even
I love the song. Its too good.”
Then
the series of song kept playing on her iphone. No conversations
interrupted the melancholic tragedies that were echoing out of her
phone.
“Madam
we are about to reach the place, within 15 minutes at maximum.”
“Is
it?”
“Yes.”
“Can
I ask you something?”
“Of
course. Can you please turn off the song.”
“Okay.
Sure. But why? Is there something attached to it?”
“No.
Not exactly but see, we will be parting ways in no minutes. And the
song is kind of aggravating the already desolating time.”
Both
smiled the benign smiles.
The
taxi stopped after a while.
“Here
we are madam.”
He
came out of the taxi and opened the door for her.
“let
me take the luggage out.”
“Thanks.”
“Well,
madam its weird but we don't actually know each other, not the name
alone. I am Arun Upadhyaya.”
“I
am Suruchi Pariyar. I am from Doha and not America. I am a waitress
over there at a hotel. I had a nice time with you.” Both smiled.
He, kind of awed one. She, kind of detached one.
He
remained there for a while as he watched her heading to the IME
office nearby the vehicle stop. The tag on her luggage read 'Qatar
airlines. Doha to Kathmandu.'
*TIA=
Tribhuwan International Airport
*IME=
International Money Exchange
