Bike Rout to Work Through the Core of the City

I decided to ride a bike to work since the weather was above fifteen. There were three routes for the bikes, however, the shortest one was through Downtown. I chose this route because it has a bike lane all the way to my office. It was approximately twenty minutes ride from my apartment.

As I stepped out of the house, I took the left towards the south in 113th street, and again left from 105 ave towards the east. The bike lane starts from there which leads to downtown Rogers Place. It was Saturday and the traffic was slow. The bike lane was almost clear, I'd hardly seen any of the bikers along the route. On the way, I passed the MacEwan University. Next to it was the Rogers Place, a magnificent building in the heart of Edmonton. On the south side of the Rogers Place, the highest tower- Edmonton

the tower was standing as a symbol of prosperity and booming economy of Edmonton. The bike trail was on the north side of Rogers Place adjacent to the LRT station.
As I passed the LRT, I noticed a group of native people with a stuffed backpack on their back, holding a liquor bottle. They were sitting right under the surveillance camera of  Rogers Place. It was a kind of scary to look at them because they would be offended. I ignored and paddled further. On the same side, there was a MacDonald building( abandoned historical building) standing as a symbol of poverty, crime, drugs. There were dozens of people with unidentified substances that could be any kind of illegal drugs. I turned a black eye on the scene and moved forwards. As soon as I crossed 101 street from Epcore Tower, I turned left and then after one block took the right turn towards Eastbound. This route was behind the iconic  CN Tower. However, the bike route was not clearly marked in this area, and multiple homeless people were loitering. Boyle Street Community Centre was one of the reasons why all the homeless people were seen on the street because it would provide food and services to homeless people. Along 105 AVE the bike track right behind the Police Headquarter. The wall of the police building from the backside had graffiti in multiple places.
There was a small park in between 105 and 106 ave and 97 and 95 street fully occupied by the homeless people. Some of them had their camping tent fixed under the trees, and others were sleeping on the chairs. There was a couple on the slope of the park entwined in an amorous position. On the side of the road, a girl about twenty was rolling on the ground in distress possibly she was under the influence of drugs. I passed the overhead bridge of the 97 st, paddled along the bike route through the Commonwealth Stadium. It was stretched along the LRT line. On the west side of the road were a wall and fence up to Stadium parking lot. Spruce and white poplar alongside the route screened the heat to the bikers. There were multiple homeless nests at the bottom of the fence under the trees.
These nests were made up of sacks, plastics, and papers, however, some of them were the real camping tents. On the side of the mini domes, I could see the wheelbarrows full of recycles, rusted bikes, and bottles of liquors. If you peeped through the holes inside the tent, you could see the bare legs jolted, one rough with scars and hairs, and another white, smooth and skinny. I saw those people peeing on the wall that separates the community from the bike trail.
When I reached to the Stadium LRT Station, I saw passengers waiting for the train looking towards the bike trails with their excited looks. I swelled with pride thinking that I was the one who was winning the race attracting their sight. I crossed 112 Ave towards Northbound and continued paddling towards Coliseum. I left the bike lane from 113 AVE and raced towards Eastbound. From 73rd Street, I paddled towards the Expo Centre.

House #204

It was my second shift at house-204. In my first shift, i was just doing the shadow shift. I did not have to do person care. I barely did anything. On my 2nd shift I was supposed to assist personal care staff encase they need. Besides. I had nothing to do. I was in charge of five clients and most of them had their personal support staff.

Mr Dann was one of my clients who was in room no -204. He had a personal care staff named Sandeep. When Sandeep was assisting him with the personal care such as changing diapers, dressing him up, putting him in lifting strap and then to the mobility chair. It was a nightmare to those like me who were never trained. On the other hand,the client was a patient of OCD. He wanted everything perfect as he wish. If there was something wrong in the procedure, he would yell like a hell. He was an stinky fat ass, in fact. When someone was helping him pee putting his dick in the gallon, that bastard was yelling in every second.

He was about 400 lbs with full of wounds in his body. Sandeep cleaned his stinky ass, dick and the curve. He changed his shocks and trousers. In return, that fat pig was shouting at him every second. I was assisting Sandeep passing him wipers and towels. When I heard him shouting again and again at Sandeep, I told him to 'shut his mouth up'. But he was such a pic that he never listened to anyone. After he peed on the gallons, Sandeep drained it in the toilet and reported him that he peed 1.5 litters. What the f***. Helping out the clients was the job we have chosen by our will, but it was completely insane to be insulted and abused by the client. In the training, we were told about the respect to the client and avoidance of the possible abuse . However, we've been never heard about the chances of being abused by the clients. These companies are client center than the workers/employees.

In the afternoon, Dan needed assistance to pee. I was supposed to assist him since Sandeep was already off the shift and another staff did not show up. I asked help to another Nepali staff Chandra Poudel, who was regular staff and knew the stuff to do. Chandra and I went downstairs to get him in his room. Chandra assisted him in the elevator. Once he was in the room, Chandra put the gallon in his dick. He was again shouting at Chandra that it was not placed properly and might leak in his pants. Chandra adjusted his penis with the gallon and we left the room. After five minutes he called us to drain the gallon. Chandra removed the gallon from his penis and asked me to pull his pant up. I put the gloves and pulled his pants. "Don't do that. Do right', I heard him shouting at me. Then I pulled his underwear first and tugged his shirt under his pants. "You are doing like a tramp. No.. No.. that is not right. Take the pants off. this is not right', he was yelling at me. I tried to control my pressure and did the way he wanted. But that fat ass was still shouting like a hell. I was completely pissed off. Then I looked right at his eye and said, " stop yelling. I am not going to help you out anymore.'" He looked panicked and threw a fist towards me, that he could not reach. I left the room without helping him anymore. After I left the room, Chandra helped him and assisted in the elevator going back downstairs.

Most of the regular staffs avoided to work with him at that day due to his abusive nature. I saw how he was yelling at a female staff about the door mat. He needed the doormat at the place where he wanted exactly. Technically speaking, it was not fault since he was a patient of OCD. However, he could be nice sometimes to the staff who was cleaning his rotted ass and stinky dick. There were more than fifteen staff working at that day at that house, and all f them were immigrants.
 I know why immigrants were the only people working but not the whites. Whites tough they were immigrants, they do not like the idle job which is extremely boring and dirty. It is a  boring job in a sense that you don't have really anything to do besides giving him medicine. You have six whole hour free time out of eight. You finish all the work in two hours even if you have to assist client for shower. If your client is independent, you spend the whole hours sitting on a sofa watching TV ,or face-booking.  In some group homes, you have to do cooking, laundry, housekeeping besides medication and personal care. If the client has a behavior, it is riskier to work with them alone. We never know what actually triggers the behavior, as a result they could cause harm to themselves and the care staff. There are many incidents that staff members are punched or threatened by the clients.

The same day towards the end of my shift, one female staff requested me for the help assisting her male client in shower. I could not say know in that situation because teamwork is very important in such work. Her client Charles was on the wheelchair. He could not move his legs; they were as straight as a pillar. His body was scooped and arms were heavy. Every time he came to the lounge area, he would talk about the interview with police for the job. All the staff would make fun out of him. As I said 'yes' to Chibundo, a Nigerian lady, we went to Charles room. First of all we put him on the bed pushing him out of the wheelchair. It wasn't a easy task. His body was so heavy like a round iron ball without a shape. Then she stripped him down for the shower. Charles was forty years old man with a developmental delay. His had adult and brain was still child.

Once he was stripped off completely, we took him to the bath top. He was placed on the plastic chair that had a hole. As soon as we placed on him on the chair, he started pooping. What a hell!Chibundo,  put water in his body  and asked him to move his hands, but he did not even move his hands. I assisted her putting water in his body while she was shampooing him. She literally bathed him with her hands reaching every parts like a mother baths her baby. She treated him like her own child which touched my heart. There was pool all over the bathing area. After taking shower, we rolled him on the bed and have him changed the clothes. No sooner had we changed the clothes then he pooped again in the pants. Again we rolled him on the bed and removed all the clothes and cleaned him. If I had to do this job by myself, I wouldn't do anymore.

Floating into my Memory -7

Strange Man in a Brook 

It was a sunny day in Talsen Palpa, Nepal. I was a student of certificate level in Trihuvan Campus, Palpa. The classes used to be held in the morning. We had the whole day after school to read and write.

I used to stay in a rented room near Tudikhel, a large open ground for public use. Behind the boundary of Tudikhel was Nepal Army Headquarter and training centre. Our rented house was closer to the army quarters. We could see them running, standing on a queue for lunch holding steel plates in their hands, army chiefs whipping some caders who did not follow the barrack rules. We used to think ourselves privileged.

Before the final exam, we had classes off for a couple of months. Our teachers never finished the course in the classroom. So, some of the teachers used to harvest tuition classes all day. Those students who used to do politics in the college or involve in a gange would take the tuition classes. I had no money to pay for the expensive tuition classes. I  had no option for studying hard at home.
During summer days it was really hot staying at home and working on the school books. It was really boring too.

There was a large open ground below the house with mango and lichee orchard. Local people from Bartung would go there for grazing cows and goats. It was away from traffic noise and quiet place for the students who wanted to study in quiet place. Ram Bhakta Parajuli and myself went to there, one day packing our books and other stationery in the backpacks. We walked down the steps along the Tin Dhara foot trails. At bottom of the hill was a creek almost hidden in the weeds. Alongside of the creek was a foot trail hardly visible that lead to the open field and mango orchard. From the orchards, we could see a wide paddy field named ‘Maadi Faat’. Someone, a tourist named it a ‘white lake’ as it looked white in the morning when the fog was rising above the ground in this beautiful valley.

As we arrived to the our desired site, I sat under a lichee tree and worked on my books. Ram Bhakta Parajuli was sitting about hundred meter away from me and working on his Chemistry book. Near my lication was a small waterfall burbling from the creek. Birds were chirping on the branches of mangoes and lichee. It helped me to concentrate on my study. When the sun was above my head, I felt thirsty. There was a natural tap next about five hundred meters away from my place. It was a gorge in between the two hills. I packed my books and went to the tap for drinking water.

As I arrived at the tap, I saw a man taking shower. He was a bald headed fat-ass rubbing  a round stone on his head all the time. I waited for fifteen minutes for him to be finished his bath. But he was so compulsive that I could not ask him to leave a tap for a minute and let me drink water. There was no sign of leaving the tap. He was mumbling some words which I could not really understand. His eyes were red like a burning coal. He had a bucketful of  laundry on the side. It was an isolated tap that we hardly see people coming to fetch drinking. Only the people who show up there were the
farmers or shepherds who were grazing their cattle.
Waiting more minutes  caused stress and  fear. Then I went back to the location where Ram Bhakta Parajuli was wrestling with physics and Chemistry. I told him the story about that fat pig. He was keen to see that mysterious fella so that he headed towards the brook. After ten or fifteen minutes, he came back with more surprising stories. When he pooped up by the tap, the man looked at him with his cranky eyes. Then he laughed like a hyena. He shifted his hands from head to chest and the bruise in the scalps could be seen read with blood stains. There was no way to let him drink water. Rambhakti returned to me quiet. ‘ I guess one string of the guitar broke.’

Floating into my Memory -6

A Full Moon Night

I was fourteen years old, eighth grader in Mahendra High school, Wami Taxar. The school was almost three hours away from the original house. As the house was far from the school, I used to stay in the farm house with my third brother, Tilamani dai. The farm house was located at the bank of Badigad river. The peddy fields on the bank of the river was breathtaking. There were two high hills on the both sides of the river.

The hamlet was consisted of ten houses. Most of them had thatched roofs of grass and walls were build up of mud and stone. It was a narrow basin connected east and west of the region with road, only the foot trails. We could see the tourists treking along that trails. They were the centre of attraction for us as children. Tall, white with gigantic limbs, tourists were always spoted from the distant.

We, my brother and me, used to go to the morning school in hot summer days. After school we would go to the Badigad river to swim. We used to play with sands more than do homeworks. Since we were away from parents, we had no guardians to monitor our activities.We used to go to the original home which was located at the top of the hill every friday. Most of the times we had to carry load on our back like the camels in the desert. It would be rice or wheat floor. It was a highill so climbing the hill was very difficult. However, we were used to with it.

One morning I carried the load of rice about twenty-five kilogram on my back and climed the hill in the moonlit night. It was bright on the road due to full moon sky. There was no electricity in the village. I did not look at the watch when I departed from the farmhouse. I climbed the hill about an hour before I put my load on the ground and take rest. On the hafway to the house, there was a forest which was famouse for the tiger. I used to run holding my breath even during the day. But that day, it was still moon light that was shining on the grass. I did not meet any people.

I picked up the load and walked through the forest. The shadows casted on the ground was very scary. 'It shoud be the morning and the sun must rise by this time', I whispered. But there was no sign of morning. There was still moon light covering the hills. After one and half hour I arrived to Balpokhara. I was hoping that I could meet some people on the road. I looked around, but did not see any people walking or standing on the yard. No smoke was comming out from the chimneys. Then I realized that it was still night. I had no watch to look the time. I felt goosebums on the skin. I started waking faster. However the load was pulling me backwards.

When I arrived Shimaldanda, I saw a lady in a white dress walking ahead of me. There was no clear vision due to the shadow casted by the trees. I thought that the lady could be my friend. So, I paced faster to catch up the lady. When the lady arrived to the Durga Temple (kot) near the school, she turned back and looked at me. I was still hundres meters away. I could see her strange complextion and the dull eyes. Her hair was disheaveld and loosely fallen down the soldier. I stopped and dropped my load on the ground. After a few seconds, I saw her waking down the well under the small bush. When I looked closely, she disappeared like a smoke near the well.

I was so frightened. There was no choice. I walked quicker then earier and arrived home. Everyone was sleeping. I called mom two times. When she saw me standng on the yard , she was verymuch shocked. She asked me' why did you walk in the night?' I told her that I did not see the watch but I thought it was already morning due to moonlit night. She looked at the watch and said, 'it is just 4:30 AM. I also told her how I was tricked by the lady in white. She told,' thank you she went to the bush before you were too close to you. She might be the sprit of the dead. I asked,' mom, was that a real ghost?' She said 'Yes'. But you are lucky, nothing had happened.

Floating into my Memory -5

Scary Dream
I was sixteen years old. Class ten exam was just over and waiting for the result. Then I had to prepare for the SLC exam which was known as the iron gate for the  future study. We used to be busy in the farm working all day in our off days. My dad was a farmer who owned large chunk of land in three different places. On the to of the hill was the main farm and family residential house. At the middle of of the hill was a farmhouse. It was a seasonal farm house where we used to grow maize, millet and rice. Besides we used to grow pulses, spices and fruits.
I was looking after the farm house, the place called Jimi. It was surrounded by the saal and pine forest from everywhere. Other houses were far from our farm house. We had cattle in the barn. I had to look after the cattle, cut grass and feed them, cook food for me and so on. There was no water in the farm house. We used to fetch water from well that was located at the foot-skirt of the hill. I dad was with me helping out in the work.   One day, my dad went to Taksar Bazar for some reason promising that he would come home on time. Whole day I worked hard in the farm looking after oxen and a cow, feeding them, clearing the dung. Also I had to fetch water and cook food for both of us, dad and me.
After finishing my work in the barn, I started cooking food. I had already milked the cow so there was about half litter of milk. I decided to cook rice pudding. Preparing all the ingredients, I started roasting rice in ghee. Then I poured milk. When it was getting tender, I added some sugar,  coconut pieces, clove and cardamom. It was so tasty.
When I looked out of the kitchen through kitchen, the earth was already blanketed with darkness. I put grass to the cattle and looked the way if dad was coming home. There was no luck. Crickets were  chirping on the grass. I could see bats flapping in the tree near the barn. It was a dark night as fireflies could make a sufficient light to show the foot trail. I stood at the edge if the yard and summoned dad in a louder voice “ Baba Baba’. I called several times, but no reply came from the dark.
Then I went into the kutchen. It was like a room with one door and one window. There was no chimney in the hearth so that the smoke was fogged all over the room. I put off the fire leaving some red logs. Then i closed the door, put the latch from inside. I ate pudding. I turned on the radio.
Only I could hear was munching of the cattle and singing of the crickets.
I decided to sleep in the kitchen because I was scared of going to upstairs. Upstairs was open space  that anyone or anything could get in. I used to be scared of tigers. Everyday I used to hear the stories of farmers about how their cattle were attacked by the tiger. Classical music was on, I believe Narayan Gopal’s songs. I brought the mattress from upstairs to the kitchen, made a bed and slept keeping radio on. I also put two logs in the hearth so that any evil sprit would not hunt at night.
Soon enough I saw someone standing at the door. I could not trust in my eyes because I closed them earlier and latched. My heartbeat leapt like a frog. That was a known face. But the persomn who was standing was our close relative,’ we call Khode Dai’. He had a cut in his upper lips wide enough to show the gums. Due to this cut, he could not pronounce the words correctly. I whispered’ how the dead person became alive? I wanted to run away from there, but legs were not moving. He slowly moved towards me and sat on the pillow. I tried to voice’ help me...help me.’ No sound was coming through my mouth. He came closer and laughed. He opened his hands and put both around  my neck. I could not breath. I stretched my legs, erected my body. My hands touched the radio which was still buzzing. I opened my eyes. There was nobody. My one hand was still on my chest. I was sweating. Cattle were still tossing their horns on the wooden fender and munching.
Both the arms of the clock were at 12.00. I tossed the logs in the fireplace. Some flickers went up like fire flies in the field. No sleep rested in my eyes the whole night.  

द्रोपदी

डा. प्रतिभा राय द्वारा लिखित तथा बिन्दया सुब्बाद्वारा अनुवादित पुस्तक 'द्रोपदी ' नेपालि पाठकहरुबीच निकैबेर चर्चा परिचर्चामा रह्यो।डा. प्रतिभा राय ज्ञानपीठ पुरस्कारद्वारा सम्मानित भारतीय लेखिका हुन्। महाभारतकी  पात्र कृष्णा अर्थात्  द्रोपदीलाई मुख्य पात्र बनाई लेखिएको यो पुस्तकमा सम्पूर्ण भारतबर्षमा नारीको  भूमिका , र पुरुष समाजले महिलाप्रति राख्ने दृष्टिकोण तथा उनीहरु प्रति गर्ने ब्यबहारमा पौराणिक काल देखि आज सम्म केहि फरक नभएको कुरा  निकै सरल भाषामा प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ।

सरसर्ती पढ्दा महाभारतको कथा पढेजस्तो लाग्ने यो पुस्तकमा द्रोपादिको बिबाह पाँच पाण्डबहरुसंग हुनाको रहस्य र बिबाह पश्यात उनले भोग्नु  परेको आजिबन सास्ती, घृणालाई एक्काईसौ सताप्दिकी  द्रोपदीको आँखाबाट हेरिएको छ। अर्जुनसंग बिबाह गरेर आईकी द्रोपदी युधिष्ठिरको वाकचाटुता तथा माता कुन्तीको अकाट्य बचनको कारण पाँचै  पाण्डबकी भोगिनी बन्न पुगिन। तर पनि उनले अर्जुनलाई प्राप्त गर्न कुनै कसुर राखिनन। तर अर्जुन भने धर्मको नाममा सुन्दरीहरुसंग बिबाह गर्दै हिडे। 
 जो संग पहिलो स्वयम्बर भयो, जुन रातको  लागि बाह्र वर्ष सम्म तपस्या गरेर बासिन, त्यहि व्यक्ति , त्यहि रात उनको लागि सुल बन्यो। जसलाई उनले जिबनभर आफ्नो ठानिन उसैले अर्जुनसंग बैनी सुभद्राको बिबाह गराइदिए। पाँच पतिहरुलाई खुशि राखेर, कौरबहरुको बेइज्जत सहेर जसरि कृष्णा अर्थात्  द्रोपदी धर्म रक्षाको लागि आफ्नो सम्पूर्ण  जिबन अर्पण गरिन उनैको लागि स्वर्गको ढोका बन्द भयो।
के आजको युगमा द्रोपदी जस्ता महिला छन् त ? के आजका महिलाले द्वापर युगमा जस्तै धर्मको नाममा अन्याय र अत्याचार सहनु परको छ त ? मेरो बिचारमा त छैन जस्तो लाग्छ। पढेर प्रतिकिया दिनुहोला।
बिन्दिया सुब्बाले जसरि रुखमा पालुवा पलाउछ त्यसरी नै शब्दहरु उमरेजस्तो लाग्छ यो पुस्तकमा । हिन्दिबाट नेपाली भाषामा अनुबादन गरेको भए पनि उनले सत्प्रशिसत न्याय गरेकी छन 'द्रोपदी' कि जननीलाई। यो पुस्तक पढ्नुपूर्व यदि महाभारतको कथा थाहा छ भने बास्तबिक पाठकको आभास मिल्नसक्छ।
अन्त्यमा पुस्तक जुटाइदिने  मित्र यम घिमिरेलाई साधुबात। 

खुरुखुरु स्कुल जानु, कहिले नभाग्नु

म कक्षा दुईमा पढ्थे। मेरो घर पहाडको टुप्पोमा थियो। मेरो स्कुल पहाडको फेदिमा पर्दथ्यो। सुर्के झोलाभरि कापी र किताब बोकेर म स्कुल जान्थे। म संग मेरो सान्दाई पनि स्कुल जानुहुन्थियो।हामि धुलो र ढुङ्गासंग खेल्दै, बाटोको तलमाथि चराको गुड खोज्दै स्कुल जान्थ्यौ र सोहि कार्य गर्दै फर्कन्थ्यौ।घरबाट स्कुल पुग्न करिब पन्द्र मिनेट जति लाग्दथ्यो। घर फर्कने बेला कहिलेकाहि घन्टौ लगाइन्थ्यो। कहिलेकाहि घरमा पुगेपछि झरिलो सिस्नो र पानि पनि भेटिन्थ्यो।

एकदिनको घटना हो। म र सान्दाई स्कुल नगई दिनभरि छिमेकि माइलो सार्किको खरबरिमा लुकेर बस्यौ। स्कुल जान ढिलो भएको र स्कुल ढिलो पुग्दा सरहरुको पिटाई भेटिने डरले गर्दा सानदाइले बाटोबाटै भागम भन्नुभयो। दाईको आज्ञा सिरोधर गर्दै म पनि लागे दाईकै पछि पछि। दिनभरि खरबारिमा चराको गुड खोज्दै हिडियो। खरबारिबाट स्कुलको घन्टि बजेको टाठै सुनिन्थ्यो। एकबजेको हापछुट्टिमा केटाकेटीहरु गिराउनमा ऊफ्रदै दौडेको देखेपछि हामि कटुसको रुखमुनि लुकेर उतै हेर्यौ।

एकैछिनमा नजिकै खस्र्याक खस्र्याक आवाज सुनियो। बाघ आयो भन्ठानेर मेरो सातो पुत्लो उडो।”धत् दिउसै बाघ आउछ  गदा “भन्दै सेन्दाई ऊठेर यताउति भलाक्नुभयो। हामि बसेभन्दा ठिक माथिल्लो पाटामा सार्कि सेनि खर काट्दै रैछ। “नचल, उसले देखि भने घर गएर भन्दिन्छे गदा” भन्दै सेन्दाई कुप्रो परेर सास रोक्दै भित्तो तिर फर्कनुभयो। मैले पनि त्यसै गरे। त्यतिनै बेला खै केले केले मेरो चाकमा रन्किउनसम्म टोक्यो। खटाउछु भनेर कति कोशिस गरे तर केहि सिप लागेन। “ऐया, चाँका किम्लाले टोको” भन्दै म बुरुक्क ऊफ्रे। “गदा, खटाउन सक्देनस्। अब सेनिले थापाइ”, भन्दै दाईले पनि सकिनसकि थुनेर राखेको सास छोड्दिनुभयो।

“य तिमिहरु स्कुल गएनौ। अब गयर सान्मालाई भन्दिन्छु” भन्दै हाम्रै अगाडि आएर  ठिङ्ग ऊभ्भि।डरले र किम्लोको टोकाईले गर्दा कतिबेला जॉयमा मुतेछु, थाहै पाईन। “घर जावो है” भन्दै उ घाँस बटुल्न थालि। एकैछिनमा घासको मुठो कसि र उकालो लागि। “त गदाले गर्दा आज पिटाइ खानि भैयो” भन्दै दाई खर्सुङको बुटातिर लाग्नु भयो। म पनि पछि पछि लागे। “ उज्जा गदा” भन्दै भुईको ढुङ्गो टिपेर तलतिर हुर्याउनुभयो। 

चारबजे स्कुलको घन्टि बज्यो। सबै “घर घर घर” भन्दै ऊकालो र ओरालो चढ्न लागे। हामि पनि ठिक बेला पारेर घर गयौ। बंगालोमै पुग्दा नपुग्दै आमाले रोक्नुभयो , “कॉ गएर यतिबेला मुन्टेको भन्। स्कुल नगएर सार्किको खरबारिमा के गरेर बसेका हौ दिनभरि?” भन्दै आगनतिर गयर सिस्नु लिएर पो आउनुभयो। एकथान झरिलो सिस्नो पहिले नै तयारि अबस्थामा रहेछ। “लौ खा” भन्दै दाईको दुबै तिघ्रामा छप्काउनु भयो र मेरो चाई एउटोमा। दुबैभाई रूदै अबदेखि कहिले नभाग्ने कसम खायौ।

एकैछिनमा आमाले भित्र बोलाएर घिउ हालेर ततायको आटो खान दिनुभयो। सेन्दाईले छमाने ठेकाबाट दुईतिन्टा माखा फालेर एक बटुका मुइ तन्काउनु भयो। त्यसपछि डोको बोकेर लागियो घास काट्न बारितिर। बेल्का एकन डोको घास फालेर घरभित्र पसियो। त्यतिबेला बा कचरिको गफ लाउदै ठुलो ओंछ्यानमा चाकलमाडेर बसिसक्नु भएको रहेछ। दिउसो हामि भागेको थाहा पाऊनुभयोकि भनेर सातो पुत्लो उडेको थियो। पछि थाहा पायौ, आमाले थाहै दिनुभयनछ। चुपचापसंग बा को गफ सुन्दै भात खाइयो र ओछ्यनमा गइयो। आमाले सबैलाइ खाना खुवाइसकेर, जुठा भाडा माझेर बल्ल फुर्सद पाउनुभएछ। बटुकामा तेल लेर हाम्रो ओछ्यान आउनुभयो र खुट्टामा तेल घस्दै गर्दा पो बल्ल थाहापाए।”सुत् सुत् अबदेखि खुरुखुरु स्कुल जानु, कहिले नभाग्नु। तेरा बाले थापाभा मार्नुन्तो आज” भन्दै हामिलाई माथिसम्म सिरक आोडाएर आफ्नो ओछ्यानतिर लाग्नु भयो।

Floating into my Memory -4

Sides are Bitter, In Between is Sweet

The weather was warm and nice. The moon and the stars were looking down on the earth with deceptive shades under the trees. Cattle were still munching the grass and swinging tails to fly the bugs away. Birds were already in the nest and a pack of wolves were howling in the forest warning their predators. The bubbling rivers on the both sides of the hill made the night musical.
Our home was on the top of the hill isolated from the neighboring homes. It was surrounded by the field of maize and millet, vines of different vegetables and fruits. At the bottom of the hill was a waterfall from a rocky cliff.  On the both sides of the field was a jungle of paiyo, dudilo, kaaulo, mauwa and other trees.
One day, we all the members of the family were at home. We had a joint family of twenty members including sisters of close relatives. They were the integral part of our family. Besides, we had a few servants who used to live in the same house. They were friends more than the servants. Among them were Bansary Dalle, Bataamuni Saailo, Bataamuni Kaanchho. Arjai Daai(we call him brother ) used to come every night to stay with us. He was funny. He could not pronounce the words correctly which often made us laugh. Since everyone was home, there was not sufficient beds inside the house that night. So Bansary Dalle and Arjekaa Dai decided to make a bed in tarmac( we call it again). Their idea of sleeping under the moonlit sky enticed me as a child.
Besides cattle, we had a dog (Bhote Kukur) in a kennel placed on the edge of tarmac where they were going to make the bed. My mom gave them a mattress made up of rugs and other cloths properly sewed all over the place and a blanket. It was not enough to cover three people properly. However, they decided to sandwich me in between them so that it would be manageable.
After meal we used to have chat about different topics. Seniors used to tell stories and jokes which would roar laughter until we go to the bed. There was no electricity, so that we put the flickering bottle lamp on the scoped wall while talking after meal. But kerosene was scarce sometimes and we did not have the luxury of sitting in the lights. When my dad order us to sleep so that they could wake up early to work on the farm, they ask me to sleep in between them. As soon as we heard the roar of tiger at distant, Bansary Dalle said,' sides are bitter, in between is sweet'(ओरिपरी तितो माजामा मिठो). That means if the tiger comes, it will chose the one who sleeps in the middle. I was so scared. They asked me to sleep on the side,but I refused.
On the next morning when I awoke, I found myself on the edge of the bed. They told me that the dog was attacked by the tiger that night and dragged away from the kennel. They were laughing remembering how they put me on the side of the Kennel. I did not know the whole story of that night, but saw the kennel empty with some blood stains. My dad was worried about me how I choose to sleep outside and also he scolded them for doing mischievous with me. Since that day, I never trusted them. They knowingly put me on the side being scared of the tiger. It sounds like weird, but was true.  

Floating into my Memory -2

  A Mysterious Woman on the River Bank

I was twelve years old. It was afternoon on 15th , 1988 . The sky was blue after the morning rain and the flowing river echoing with a musical chime. Birds were flying back and forth of their nest, and crickets were quite. School was off due to the rainy season for two months with plenty of homework.We had no privilege playing all day and watching cartoons on the TV. My dad was strict person who always focused on the works to be done on time. He used to divide works among the family members so that everyone would go to work without any excuse. Those who refused would be punished.
I was assigned to look after goats. We had twenty goats including baby goats. I put some roasted popcorn in my short’s pocket, grabbed a Nepali book and copy to do homework and went to the forest grazing the goats. The forest with pasture was not far from home. It was just opposite of my home. I left the goats free in the forest and sat under a tree to do my homework. I used to look into the forest in every fifteen minutes to make sure the goats were there. Among them there were two goats which always sneaked unto the fenced area. They used to go to the field and eat the crops and vegetables.
After I finished I went down the forest and started counting the goats.  There were two missing. Those which were missing had been named’ chor bakhra’ since they sneaked into the field. I knew where they had gone. So, I went towards the field of peas and and other crops. They were at the middle of the ‘ Kaulako rukh ko  paato.’ As soon as they saw me they jumped into 'Kimmu Kafal ko paato'. I chased  them off the field. Soon they mingled in the flock. Then I took them up to the top of the Tirtire Danda. When I chased the goats towards home, I saw an image at the bottom of corn field in a white dress. It looked like woman with long hair unto to waist. At that time, mom was only in the house and others were working in Upallo Bari. I thought’ who it could be? Is somebody stealing our grass? I walked down the hill little to see the woman clearly. Now she was invisible. I thought she was hiding in the bamboo trees. I waited for two minutes before giving a shout. But what I saw after that shocked  me. She came out of the bamboo trees like she was floating in the air. From top to bottom was white. She wasn’t carrying anything. She walked towards the cliff and disappeared.
I chased the goats home , and told the incident to my mom. She said that it was a ghost called ‘kitchkeni.’ She asked me if I was scared of it. I said,’no, I was thinking someone was stealing our grass. But she had no sickle or the rope. She looked like floating in the air. Then finally disappeared in the cliff. She said, ‘ go and take a rest. If you were scared, you could be sick. I will tie some ‘ dhaja’ to the evil spirits. You should be all right.’
Next day I had fever and dizziness. Mom said,’ you are under the influence of spirits ( masanle chhalyo). A village priest (lama) was summoned. He offered a black ‘dhajas’ and a black to the evil sprit (masan). He cooked the cock’s mean with had a feast. After a few days I was healed.