"So, what are you looking for?" John, my real estate agent inquired politely. "Well, actually, a townhouse, with back to the trees, a sturdy fence, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathroomsa fireplace, fully finished basement.................................................. " I smiled taking a momentary pause before resuming. I went all out in my wishlist. "Well, at your qualified loan amount, you can't get all the amenities you desire.... but you never know..... we can always look!" So started my weekend "house hunting project" dragging my mother along to see small, stuck together, piggy backed town houses. "Hyaaaaa... ye ghar haroo aati nai aandhyaro chan ke... yo phei gahiro kholsa parko raicha!... naam matra 3 bed room, closet jatro chan sabai kotha haroo!" commented my mother. "Mamoo, just looking, remember? ali thulo ghar lai tada jana parcha kya. kaam ma pugna garo huncha ni pheri" I explained. Finally, the agent showed us a beautiful house. "oho kasto thikka ko...!" It was new, exorbitant, spacious and boasted of a screened porch where I imagined myself sitting with a book or morning tea. I put out a contract on the house... and waited and waited and waited! My plans for the summer was shot, it was then, there and that house I wanted! Like buying a car... you go with a fixed price and end up paying more just because... of no rational reason imaginable. Next day, John called me. I had been bumped off the market by another buyer who offered more. ah my deflated spirit knew no boundaries. I gave up all thoughts of ever owning a house. My mother just said "tero pani paali aaooncha, na surta!" That night, the fire alarm blared at 3 am and my mother and I climbed 14 stories down. On the last step at the lobby... I decided I'd buy a house by hook or by crook! Blasted apt seemed increasingly inconvinient to me. A couple of days later, John called me "Sitara, have you considered foreclosed homes?". "what are those?" "Well, they are houses re-possessed by the bank because the owners could not pay the mortgage. They sell those houses dirt cheap. think about it." It was horrifying to imagine people being evacuated off their homes due to bad luck. My mother said, "khai... haroom na ta." "Sitara, there is a newly foreclosed house... you want to see this evening?" John inquired weary of my lack of options. "Sure!" John drove up in his brand new Mercedes, don't know what's up with realestate agents and Mercedes and BMWs. Anyways, my mom got in too. After some time, my mother said, "Sitara, tyo church dekhyoou...?" "hmmm.. ke bho ta?", "Tyan ta chihan raicha.. chihan katera janoo parney bato raicha...." "Hoina mamoo, tyastai ho yahan. There are many churches ke... ani dherai church ko aphnai chihan huncha ke..." but, it was interesting to think US had desensitized me to the point that passing a graveyard at night would not bother me like it would, were it in Nepal. Two minutes later we drove up to a small single family house, standing among dry grass, leaves, twigs and scattered soda cans. We got to the door and waited while John struggled with the (real estate) lock. At the click of the combination, he slowly pushed into the foyer. My mother and I stepped in after him. "Ye ye! Ye.. Sitara, kehi pani nachoowa... nachoowa!" blurted my mother in alarm. "Woooa! I thought the bank had cleaned up the place before putting it in the market!!" exclaimed John. I just stared!!! My skin crawled, the hair on my nape prickled under my long ponytail.... I could not breath. "Mamoo, pharkoon!" I whispered.