Happy. Excited. Anxious. He cannot find the
right word to describe his feeling after knowing about Euthra. He does not know
what to say about her nun life. All he wants to do now is just go and meet her
once. He remembers her words, which she said at the Semtokha junction before
leaving to Trongsa, “If I don’t return, please don’t be sad. If I return, let us
be friends.” He knows that she will keep her words and at least be friend with
him.
“It’s a blessing. Blessing,” says Tshegyel
and gets out of the office, after instructing his personal assistant to inform
the company board about his ad hoc leave. Hiding his excitement, maintaining
his serene manner, he walks down as the staff greet him on the way. He does not
know how to face her. What if she has forgotten him? How should he approach
her? Should he ask her out for dinner? Maybe lunch. Or maybe candle light
dinner? He is confused. His head heated up by these thoughts he walks out of
the company building when the driver stands outside with the car ready.
Going to the car, he says, “I will drive
myself.”
Grabbing the key from the driver, he gets
inside. Keeping his hands on the steering, he waits. Pressing the brake, he
starts the car. Playing his favourite song, he pulls the car out of the parking
and hits the main road. Slowing down the car, he checks Facebook for the
location of the Ani Euthra’s charity office. It’s in Babesa. Driving through
the town, thinking about how to approach her; he stops in front of a gift shop.
Getting out, he goes to the entrance desk
and asks the receptionist, “Which flower is best for a best friend?”
Smiling at him, she goes to the rack and
comes back with a flower bouquet. Thanking her, he pays the bill and walks out.
Getting back to the car, he drives thinking about how to start the
conversation. Should he ask her about the reason behind becoming nun? Or would
that be too personal? Thinking about these questions, he crosses Olakha.
Finally, he decides to take her for lunch. There, she may feel comfortable and
tell him everything about her sudden disappearance, her father and nunnery.
Finally, he stops in front of a building
and gets out catching the flower in hand. Going to a pan shop, he asks about
the charity office. Walking up for a few minutes, crossing a few buildings;
finally, he finds a signboard stuck in front of the building, which reads, “Ani
Euthra Charity. Taking them back home.” The sign board features old people
smiling. Then he walks to the door. As he is about to push the door, a woman
walks out suddenly hitting him hard on his chest and the flower bouquet falls
down on to the floor.
The woman says lowering her down, “Sorry
sir.”
Picking up the flower from the floor, she
stretches her back up and looks at him. Then she shouts, “Tshegyel?”
Hugging him tightly, with flowers in hand,
she says, “I knew you would come and help me.”
Before he can speak, she says, “Thanks for
the flowers. You are so sweet!”
He goes dumb. Getting away from him, she
takes him to another room, catching his hand.
“Stay here, I will be back. Just a minute.”
Taking the flower in hand, she walks away
from the room keeping him there, the room is full of photos featuring old
people. All smiling. He walks along the wall, observing each and every photo.
He has never heard of this charity which helps old people. Then, she returns.
Grabbing his hand, she takes him outside, along the corridor. Crossing a few
doors, finally she stops at the last door. She knocks.
“Come in.”
Then she pushes the door. Walking inside,
she calls me inside. Following her, I walk inside. Looking outside through the
window, a person stands; in robe and head shaved. She does not look back at
them. Standing a few meters away from her, the woman next to me, says, “Ani, my
fiancé is here to help your charity as a volunteer.”
Terrified by this, Tshegyel looks at the
woman standing beside him, who is not other than Yethro. He has no idea about
her, working here. He is just confused. The nun does not turn her face but she
says, “Get him registered as a volunteer.”
Thanking her, Yethro bows her head down and
walks back to the door slowly. Getting out of the room, without even getting a
glimpse of the standing nun, they walk along the corridor. Then he stops her.
“Yethro, I am here to meet Ani Euthra. Can
you help me with that?”
Looking at him, she laughs out loudly.
“We just met Ani Euthra, just a few minutes
before.”
“What?”
He wants to go back immediately. He turns
his face and walks back to the door. Surprised by this, Yethro follows him and
grabs his hand forcefully.
“What are you doing?”
“I want to meet her again.”
Holding his hand tightly, she says, “She
hardly meets stranger. Not even dashos.”
Without listening to her words, he takes
away his hand forcefully and rushes to the door. Standing there, he knocks,
calling, “Euthra.”
Yethro stands looking at him. He keeps
knocking but there is no response. He shouts, “Euthra, please. Talk to me. Just
once.”
He keeps knocking. Then, Yethro walks
towards him. Grabbing his hand, she takes him away from the door. Pulling him
back towards the window, she says, “There she is. She is leaving to Bangkok.”
As he looks down through the window, he
sees Euthra walking down staircase towards the car parked in front of the
building. Then, he rushes along the corridor and walks out running towards the
car. As he gets outside, Euthra is about to get inside the car.
Sprinting towards the car like a deer, as
Euthra’s head disappears into the car, he shouts, “Euthra?”
Happy Losar La
Story by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)
Chapter 11 Tomorrow @9PM
No comments:
Post a Comment