After the jeep reached Butwal, I boarded on my bus to Kathmandu. Through the jungles of the tarai, the Bus speeded towards its destination. I could realise the bus stopping at some places to pick passengers but I was on my own world of thoughts as soon as I took my seat. Sabi was there in my mind and I was lost on my own imaginations about her. I could remember when I first saw her at school. When we learned to dance together for our school anniversary concert in ?Dherai choti aankha judhyo tara timi bolinau; haashu kasari , maya bolu kasari? song. When we both won the poetry recitation competitions on our respective levels. When we ascended together up to the library on the hillock to represent in the inter-school quiz competition and bagged first prize for our school. That was quite a tough competition till the end. When I was about to give a wrong answer to the decisive question, she flexed her tiny hand to shut my mouth and gave the right answer to win the trophy and the whole school gave us such a warm reception that day. Most of the days, we used to meet each other while heading towards school. I didn?t like carrying umbrella during rainy season and she would share hers with me whenever it rained. Her classes used to finish an hour earlier than mine and she used to wait so that we could return home together. Sometimes, even my brother used to leave me but she seldom did that. ?O bhai ticket herau ta? A husky voice interrupted me. Here was the collector asking me for my bus tickets. I didn?t even know that a lady looking a bit older than me was already sitting by my side. I was a bit weird and looked at her strangely. ?Dai Kathmandu Jaane ho?? (Are you going to Kathmandu?) She wanted to talk to me but I was uninterested. I nodded my head in reply and looked through the window to find where we reached. The bus was gearing up past the steep bands of Daunne leaving behind the withered tropical trees on the mountainside. I tried to rest myself on the folding seat and closed my eyes again. * * * A confusing kind of noise made me wake up. Lo, the Bus was already in Naubishe. I wanted to buy groundnuts in Narayangharh, see the meeting point of Marshyangdi and Trishuli and capture a picturesque of the waterfall by the side of the mountain cliff that swirled down to the Trishuli before Mugling. My plans to see the beautiful landscape by the side of the highway were all elapsed. The day once again belonged to my dreams with my girl. I came to know from the lady by my side that the Bus got it?s tyre punctured there and they were repairing it now. I got off from the bus and walked towards one of the roadside restaurants to buy some drinks for me. I asked for a Frooty (mango Fruity- fresh n juicy, I still remember that funny add. he he) and the Sahuni asked me if I was interested at the grilled fishes that were hanging above her oven. It was quite hot inside the bus and I didn?t feel like buying those things. ? Trishuli ko machha ho bhai? (these fishes are from the Trishuli river) she tried to convince me but I wouldn?t consider her offer. I went back to my bus and very soon, they said that the problem was fixed and that the bus would not stop anywhere before Thankot. Relieved to know that, I looked the time and it was already five o?clock. I thought, I could be at my room before seven in the evening and prayed my lord to spare my bus from any problems till we reached Kathmandu. Sabi appeared and disappeared in front of my eyes again and again until finally our bus entered through the narrow opening by the side of the Bishnumati into the Gongabu Bus Park. It was already seven PM. It took more then twelve hours for us to reach to Kathmandu from Butwal. Never in the past did it take so long. But, because Sabi accompanied me in my thoughts, I felt like the journey was very short and sweet and comfortable. I was overjoyed with emotions thinking that my intimacy with her was transforming to a bond of souls after this holiday. As my bag was a bit heavy, I hired a metre-tempo and headed towards my room in Lainchour through the dirty, narrow streets of downtown Kathmandu. To be contd.