Kathmandu memoirs… Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} It had not changed a bit. The city was same with hustle bustle and same noise around every corner. Maybe the number of people has increased, number of vehicles too, but all in all it was same old grounds they were traveling on. The potholes were there as always, the taxis had same old meters which drivers would find too cumbersome to start; and fares were fixed in lump sump. Yeah fares were increased though. As we passed through the city, then I realized half of the city was in darkness, but alive still. I was seeing my niece for first time. She would not talk to me for first time, maybe she was afraid of my long air, or maybe I looked different than what she expected. It was her birthday, so we celebrated my arrival and her arrival to this world at same time. I had bought her some toys, She was more than happy to get them. She had grown big and become bigger part of family when I was absent. Mom's and Dad's daily routine revolved around her, and so did mine during my month stay. My memory of phone numbers had vanished into thin air after 3 and half years. I could remember either first half or last half of the phone numbers. I started with the numbers which I remembered last half of. Time had changed, or maybe I just noticed it this time around. "Oh hey! You arrived? When?" the voice was all the same. "Yesterday night, it was pretty long flight." I sighed on my 13 hours transit in Bahrain. There was a moment of silence. You don't know what to talk about when you talk after a long while. "I need to drop off something off your area, want to meet?" It had been 3 and half year since we met. "Sure, call me when you are here." She seemed eager as well. "Hey, I am around here." It took exactly 15 frustrating minutes to get the call through NTC mobile. "Hey, I am little busy today, I ll call you later." She seemed to be in hurry. "Okie." I looked at the phone for a while and It did not speak by itself. Later came after five days. "Hey, where are you?" She asked. "Bhaktapur" I said, I was enjoying a day out with good friend. "Oh alone?" She asked. "No with Mukti." "When you coming back?" "Maybe in evening only." It was nice day to stay there. "Oh I won't be staying out till late. See you later then." She said. "Okie" I heard the click on the other side. I didn't called back. I just didn't felt like calling anymore. She called me after two days. I was just wandering around city, the day before being Kathmandu closedown, aftershock was still there. I somehow got out of the Balkhu Junction to get inside city. "What you doing?" "Nothing." I answered. I was doing nothing except wandering. "Would you like to come and meet up?" I thought for a moment. "Yes." was my answer. We met after three and half years. She had not changed a bit. And she talked, I listened. I had not listened to her in ages, it felt like I am hearing stories of all missed years in compact form. We drank coffee while talking, and it seemed coffee bond our friendship well. As long as I can remember we always drank same black coffee whenever we met.  She was there in front of me, but still strange nostalgia from old times was grasping me tight; and it made me smile.  Life had changed a lot since old times; she was getting married next week. She would head eastwards then after and I would head west after my month of vacation. “Happy to get married?” I asked. “It feels all the same you know; I think I am just changing houses.” She said. “Yeah kind of true, I hope u won’t jump around, say yippie and jump into car when leaving your old house though.” She laughed, and I just sat there thinking if I will ever get married. “When is your plan?” The question came along. “Not for next five years, and maybe then after I ll be too old to get married.” “Oh come one.” She said smiling. “Oh you know I was so angry with you.” My marriage was last thing I wanted to talk about. “Why?” She looked surprised. “You seemed too busy to even drop me a call.” I just had to say that. “I was also angry.” She said. “Why?” It was my time to get surprised. “You went to Bhaktapur with Mukti and did not even tell me.” “Oh well he has just returned the day before from Chitwan, He called me, met at New road and just wandered to Bhaktapur without any plans.” “Okie.”, She stopped for a moment and then she continued, “ I am sorry I could not call you earlier, I had no idea you would be angry.” “Its okie now I have told you.” I smiled. She had to go around the town to distribute her wedding invitations. I had nothing to do, so I accompanied her. We met some old friends, and we drove through the shortest route possible to avoid jams. She would say destination, I would take short cuts. We wandered around the mystical streets- all leading to different destinations. That temple stood there depicting its historical significance. It was not on lists of our destination that day, but she wanted to stop by there. “I have not been here once since I came back.” She said. “Want to light a diyo inside?” I asked seeing people selling them outside temple. “No, let’s just visit.” I followed her. The pond where children used to dive had dried out.  There were not much people around, and things were all almost same like before. It had endured all the years without showing any wear, or maybe the caretakers just maintained it pretty good. I missed the colorful presence of people from before; it added some life to it. Time is never static though, and it showed its presence there too.  Place had remained same, it only seemed like somebody had stolen soul out of it. We drove around city stopping by each place, dropping invitation cards, chatting for a while and driving away. By the end of day, we had just one card to drop and some time before the card receiver come to meeting point, which basically meant we could drink some more coffee. “Are we making up for all the coffee we missed these years?” She asked with a hint of smile. “ No, also for all coffee we will miss.” I said. Coffee was there for us, followed by silence. It was nice to have coffee with her, even silences were enjoyable. Darkness had grasped the city when we finished mission for the day. Road was filled with vehicles blowing horn to its full potential, everyone seemed to be in hurry.  We drove through clumsy road filled with hurrying strangers. “When will we meet again?” I asked. I did not have answers and I don’t know if she had either. “Call me; don’t be angry.” She said smiling. I drove away smiling, being sure I would miss our coffee times together. I did not have destinations left; I just drove into a random café and ordered cup of coffee. It did not taste same. Last edited: 14-Jan-09 05:59 AM

Juggy · Jan 14, 2009 5:51 AM

. Put some sugar and soul in your coffee, it will taste no different! :-) Welcome back Jugs and do not stop your journey of writing - you have miles to go. Like always, enjoyed the read! Always a fan, Flippy Last edited: 20-Jan-09 10:11 AM

flip_flop · Jan 20, 2009 10:10 AM

Guys need help to understand the pshyche: Person's color is yellow means what? Aroma from mountain air means what? Is it only someone thought or have some metaphor?

sajhabahadur · Jan 20, 2009 1:24 PM

Hey Jugs, loved it..btw, am still waiting for the book u promised me..:) Flips, where r u? Haven't seen u around..:)

sndy · Jan 23, 2009 8:26 PM