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Happy Birthday Daddy

Swagat Raj Pandey



The hall looked beautiful with the dashing lights and the songs of
Coldplay playing in the background made the whole atmosphere great. A
group of girls forcefully pulled Ryan from the dais and took towards
the dance floor. He could be seen dancing with the lovely beauties
giving him the company.



Ryan looked very handsome today. He had to; after all, today was his
wedding. Yesterday, he had celebrated his last night as a bachelor;
the bachelor party his friends organized giving farewell to his
bachelorhood. Now he's no longer a bachelor. Now he's become a caged
bird; a bird that can no longer fly as it used to and would have to
comply with the rules of the life of a married man. He looked happy,
but somewhere he knew he'd miss hanging out with his friends,
attending wild parties and staying out late without having to bother
about anyone waiting for him for dinner. He knew his life would no
longer be the same and he'd no longer be the carefree Ryan anymore.



Jessica, his newly married wife, looked at him all the while smiling
before the same group dragged her alongside Ryan. The hall was full of
smiles. The DJ put on a slow number and the dancers joined in couples
for the dance. Jessica and Ryan held each other and started shaking
their legs. Ryan looked into Jessica's deep dark brown eyes that
nauseated him. Jessica blushed feeling shy and smiled as the dimple on
her right cheek accentuated her beauty spot that Ryan fell for; her
sweet dimple. The couple hugged each other and the scene stopped with
the couple exchanging a passionate kiss. A huge round of applause from
the audience marked the end of the movie.



The Eternity Hall was one of the oldest cinema halls of the town. It
had been closed for almost three years before Maharjan & Brothers took
over the management. The hall had been renovated thus giving a brand
new look with the A-1 sound system, good underground parking system,
great decoration and hygienic cum economic food stalls. Today was the
grand-opening of the newly renovated hall and the premier of the
Sophie Duncan's romantic comedy 'Life is beautiful'.



The projector switched off and the hall lit golden with the lights
letting the audiences find their way out without having to turn this
way and that way and annoy the co-audiences. People started moving out
through the two doors lighted with EXIT sign. One of the doors lay on
the north and the other on the south of the hall.



Grishma slowly rose from her seat that folded back immediately as soon
as she got up from it. With the black bag clutched on the right side
of her body she moved towards the Exit door, the one on the north of
the hall. The 12-3 show was over, now she had to move home. People
thronged the ice-cream stall right next to the main gate. She got one
for herself as well - her favourite one - vanilla with the Cadbury on
top.



Today she had taken a time out for herself. She had been feeling that
she needed a break. A break from everything. She was very happy when
Mrs. Khanal who lived next door volunteered to look after her
eight-year-old daughter Kanchana for today. She wanted to have a free
time, enjoy the life and feel relaxed.



She walked down the road of kalimati to Basantapur all the while
biting, licking and sucking the cone of ice cream. She passed through
the alleys of New Road, Asan and reached Jamal, took a tempo that
offered a vacant seat and headed towards the destination, baneshowr.



The man sitting next to her smelled of cigarette and the guy on the
opposite daringly stared at her breasts. After adjusting the bag over
her breast, she tried to ignore the irritation and unwanted attention
and tried window-shopping from the tempo itself.

"Wow.. What a beautiful kurta! I shall by it next month."

"That frock looks beautiful. I bet Kanchana would look like a fairy in it."

Mulling over various kinds of similar thoughts, she let the journey to
her home go on. The tempo stopped at Kamalpokhari and the man next to
her got off, much to her relief.



While reaching baneshowr, she pressed the button, which halted the
tempo. After handing over the five rupee note along with a two rupee
coin she walked towards her house, which was about two minutes walk
from the tempo stand. The road-side Romeos passed comment over her
singing the song from the movie murder, "Bhegey hoth tere…" Even at
the age of thirty-two she looked stunningly beautiful. No wonder her
ex-boss hit on her, the reason for quitting the previous job, which
offered more salary. But for her, her dignity valued much more.



She reached home and called Kanchana from Mrs. Khanal's. The evening
was quiet with the daughter sitting down to do her homework and the
mom cooking the dinner. After dinner they sat down to watch TV. But,
Grishma didn't have the mood to do so. She got up, put on her slippers
and moved towards terrace. Today was a full moon day. The full moon
was shining brightly and the cool breeze brought the aura of
rat-ki-rani to her. She was trying to enjoy it.



Today was her husband's birthday. Rohan worked as an electrical
engineer in NEA and was killed in an ambush on his field-visit to
Dang. It had been five years since. Their beautiful daughter, Kanchana
was three then. She remembered how hard it had been since he had left.
But, she is determined. She wants her daughter to get good education
and be able to sustain herself. The life of raising a child and that
too a daughter by a single mother wasn't easy. She had become used to
it; used to the hardships faced by a single mother in a society that
doesn't offer any kind of support.



"What's the problem mom?" exclaimed Kanchana

surprised by the sudden appearnce of her daughter she tries to hide
the tears that's flowing down her cheeks like river. "Nothing." She
replies.

"I know it mom. I've grown older. I can understand your feelings" she
said moving towards her mom.

"It's just that I miss your dad" explained Grishma.

"Me too, I love you mom."

"I love you too honey. Do you remember it's your dad's birthday today?"

"Yes, I do. For me you are both my dad and mom. Today is my dad's birthday."

Kanchana moved a step back, spread her arms wide and gave her mom a
huge hug. Then with traces of tears strolling down her cheeks her
voice whispered, "Happy birthday daddy!"

   [ posted by Swagat Raj Pandey @ 10:24 PM ] | Viewed: 1424 times [ Feedback]

The songs of happiness

- Swagat Raj Pandey



When flowers cease to grow

When rivers stop their flow

The world stands still

But I don't feel any chill.



It's nothing on the breathing air

Nor the eventful fun fair

Life plays the unfailing fouls

But I pass down the without any falls.



Stop! Stop and take a look now

Why I say such a thing with vow?

I know, I know I have the best

That keeps me apart from the rest



Lucky as I call myself to be

Smiling as my heart says to thee

With my inner heart's treasure

I salute with endless measure



Thank you as I keep saying

And stand here praying

Life! For giving me the lift

The loveliest of the all the gift.

   [ posted by Swagat Raj Pandey @ 09:58 PM ] | Viewed: 1274 times [ Feedback]