Damn, what a storyteller this man is!  Four thumbs up (including my toes ).

I thought I had the witty lines here on sajha, but after reading your “The Vatican’s Guide to Married Couple Sex” analogy, you, my friend have taken the game to a whole new level.  Atti nai daami!!  BTW, the "aaiya" and the hair incident was way too gross for me to comprehend.  I propose hereon that when time-machines are finally a reality someday, we gotta make sure we send 50K tubs of wax back so that the "aaiya" would be for a solely pleasurable reason only.

Now the characters:

Sandip's story in some parts is a reality that most of the Diaspora undergoes.  However, him preferring pasta to bhat shows that he turned out to be a true sell-out.  I'd never let go of my dal-bhat...Hell, if I could, I'd eat dhedo everyday.  Just for kicks, here's what I feel should be different: About being hairy, I haven't yet seen any Nepali (not the Indians living in Nepal) hairy enough to have a forest on his chest.  Next, I'm yet to see a Nepali guy have a pet cat: A dog would've done better here.  But knowing your guy, Sandip to be a sublime sell-out, he has every right to be a lil different from the typical gorkhali.

And Catherine?  My kale frens would love here to no avail.  All they talk about are women with booty till their knees!!   She turned me on with her good intentions and her street-smarts.  Just wondering how you'd make her (someone so virtuous and truthful) and Sandip (a sell-out/traitor/faker) match up, if it finally does...Am waiting to see it all unfold.

Linda's case was interesting...And the dramatic way she came about to her new life in the end after a bout with alcohol and depression was well told indeed!!  By far, the most interesting character in the story.  Defn would love to read more.

BTW, As someone mentioned above, the story does indeed have very predictable characters, but your story-telling abilities and your prowess with words makes it all so damn interesting!  Also, the way you incorporated historical timelines into your story...Magnificent!  Always was a trivia buff and I can see that you're my type of guy, bro.  Awesome job, dude!! 

Finally, if coming for the ANA, drinks on me for this delightful read.  Awaiting your next part...So far, as per the topic, we've seen the part on scars, can't wait to see the part unfurl on Imelda Marcos and shoes!!

PS: Disco was an era I feel should be completely eliminated from the pages of musical history...The whole genre (polyester suits, afros, white-boots, the weird finger up the sky poses, comb in the pocket, etc.) was a disgrace to the art of dancing...Damn, if anyone was to do those moves in a club today, he'd get a whole posse of fags hitting on him all night long.