**
‘Come on! I gave you ten rupees and showed you my identity card...that means I should get rupees two back.’ I said to this young boy whom we call ‘Khalasi’.
‘But I gave it to you dai.’ He replied.
‘No yaar! Not at all! Why would I discuss if I have got!’
‘Wait then...’ he said.
‘I will be getting down at Kalanki, and it’s just couple of minutes left to be there.’
‘Uff’
‘Kalanki! Kalanki’ he shouted.
I dropped down, I had this Camel Mountain bag on my back, it was damn crowd so after saying sorry for six times I managed to get out.
‘Bhai my money!’ I said.
‘Oh here it is...’ he gave me a coin.
The bus moved slowly when I heard him saying.. .'Greedy! People discuss for two'. Yes I do because I know how it feels to earn. I didn’t care...I was excited! Just excited! Because I was going to my sweet home! Biratnagar!
‘Oh! It’s five already and the departure time was mentioned five pm’
Hurriedly I searched my bus...'So where the hell is my bus...Royal Sita?' Okay, got that! After matching the bus number, I got inside. I found my seat A4. Nah! It was not the seat near window, but I never cared. The best part of sitting in this side is you can get out whenever you want. It was hot...Chaitra’s definitely hot...and the ending days of Chaitra are comparatively more hot. I was in my half pant, Yes I prefer half pant in summer and I really don’t care if there’s someone who minds if I wear it. I took off my shirt and sat in half pant and sando, and plugged in my earphone. So, Bob Dyalan was singing...Knock..Knock..Knocking on heaven’s door...’ and all of a sudden...
‘Excuse me! That’s my seat’ female voice came.
‘Ooh!! Are you sure?’ I asked myself, but their she said, ‘A3, that’s mine’. Now the worst part of sitting here is you need to get up every time whenever your seat partner wants to move, but when it is for beautiful ladies, we don’t mind. So I came out, let her go in and took my seat. It feels awkward for sure, me sitting in such a stupid dress in front of a girl. ‘The answer my friend...is blowing in the wind’ was the song when she asked me the time. 5.30, I said and pretended as if I don’t care for beautiful girls.
‘So when will the bus start?’
‘The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind.’ I felt like saying this, but how could I?’
‘Khai, maybe at 5.45’
From the corner of my eyes, I was looking at her. Damn! She looks gorgeous. But why do girls care for make ups? Even at the time of traveling? And why do they often play with her hairs? So the songs on my ear phone were going and going. I love Dylan’s words.
**
So the bus started almost at six. She was staring out and continuously staring as if she would get some place where there is box of gold buried simply by watching. I was busy with my own list of songs. Pink Floyd is mine another favorite...They were singing comfortably numb…and my eyes were equally stealing some glances of her face…6.30pm. Thankot checkpost. Okay, only after crossing Thankot I feel like we are getting out. ‘I closed my eyes and focused on the lyrics...’When I was a child...I had a fever..’ and suddenly heard chuckling plastic sound. Just opened my eyes and found that she opened her Kurkure.
‘Wanna have it?’ she asked.
Now that’s the difference, we guys love Kurkure with drinks and girls love whenever they get.
‘No Thanks...’ I said and closed my eyes again. The smell tasted good, but how can I say yes? Anyone in my place would reject it maybe. It was getting dark...Guys usually expect some beautiful lady to be their seat partner, specially when they are traveling alone, are in night bus and there is real long distance to travel. But what would they really do when they have it? I now wonder.
‘What’s the time?’ She asked me again.
‘7.15pm.’ I said
‘Oh I need to call my mom!’ She said and called her mom. Now when she has got her cell phone, why has she been asking the time with me? I thought...ahem...she needs a company? It would be fun to talk to her…But...only if she again talks...maybe I should…
**
She talked for almost half an hour...and must have repeated this... ‘I am fine mom’ almost dozen of times. My sister called me as well.
‘Dada where are you?’
‘Naubise crossed!’
‘Okay bye!’
Simple talk and we ended. She was still talking. Okay she now kept her phone and asked if we crossed Naubise. Yeah, it has already been half an hour. She seriously seems as if she wants to talks to me.
‘Where are you from?’ she asked.
‘Biratnagar...and you?’
‘Kathmandu...Biratnagar is my mama’s home...So I go there before exams so that I can concentrate on my studies.’
‘Okay what exams?’
‘Twelve...it's after a month so...and what do you do?’
‘I am dong BBA and returning home after completing this third semester. I will be there for a week and back again.’
We went silent for a while and she asked me...
‘What have you been listening?’
‘English Classics!’
‘Beatles type?’
‘Not exactly...’ But I had Beatles song. ‘You love Beatles?’
‘No I never listen them...Biber...and especially Hindi music.’
‘Okay..Taste differs!’
‘Where have we reached? Any idea?’ She asked after sometime.
‘Malekhu..and see those camps...We had camping there year back!’
‘Wow...have we crossed that cable car thing?’
‘Nope...Have you been to Manakamana?’
‘No, not yet...my parents are damn busy so...what about you?’
She then asked me if she could listen to my choice of songs and shared my earphone and I played this favorite song...Let it be...the Beatles type. Maybe she was enjoying it. I could say it from her moving legs...and lips…Song followed by Imagine...Lenon’s and Mother..I was explaining her history of Lenon and then Kuringtar came and I showed her 'cable car thing'. She removed the earphone while Beatles were up with ‘Obla Di Obla Da...’ and said me...
‘Would you mind if I say you something?’
‘No why would I?’
‘You are in cool dress up!’
I now felt total shy. Was completely messed up...and her comments...maybe she should not have said that. She turned her face and probably felt that she should not have said that...We remained silent for almost half an hour and then she asked me the time again. I said ten minutes to nine and I thought of making fun....
‘When you have cell phone in your hand, why do you ask me time again and again?’
I could see her face red now. ‘Sorry was just revenge of that cool dress up thing.’ I said. She slightly bet me. I felt good.
'What is your name?' she asked.
‘Bhuwan...’ I said.
‘Bhuwan…What?’
‘Bhuwan Dahal’ I said
‘So you a Brahmin?’
‘Yes, but does that make sense?’ I said.
‘No! Not unless you are going to marry.’
Eww...now that was too much! ‘What’s your name?’ I asked.
‘Payal’
‘Thats something sweet name’ I thought and maybe said to myself, she probably didn’t hear it.. I then looked down and pretended as if I was searching something down at her leg.
‘What are you searching?’ she asked.
‘You said Payal right? So where it is?’
She laughed...She was again so beautiful.
‘You are funny! What do you do besides studying?’ she asked.
‘I am a writer…Freelance writer’ I said.
‘So what do you write?’
‘Anything’
‘Like?’
‘Like...Umm...sky is beautiful or criticizing Teej or riding cycle.’
She was not satisfied, but what could I do? How can I explain her? She was not satisfied, but what could I do? How can I explain her something more than that? Thank God! The bus stopped, I got out...washed my dusty face...got refreshed. I had something to eat, but was feeling shy in front of her. Oops! She called me from the window itself and said me to sit. She opened her hot case and said me to sit and give her company. I was refusing but no one wins girl. It was Paratha, cooked by her, damn tasty and I enjoyed. Now I took out my Tiffin box and opened it…The chops I brought from college canteen was cold…but still I forced her to have it…
‘I am sure you didn’t cook this…who did?’ She asked.
‘Shanker Dev’s canteens dai! I bought it to have it’.
‘So you student of Shanker Dev?’
‘Yeah…why?’
‘Involved in Dang Dungs?’ she said with her hand moving.
‘Naah! No way!’
‘There is dang dung there so often, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, but BBA is away from it!’
‘Okay! Where are we now? And how long will they take to stay here?’
‘At Ramnagar! They stop here for almost half an hour!’
‘Whats the ti…’ and she stopped, '11pm' I said and laughed.
‘What more do you have to eat?’ she said.
I took out apples and gave her. I took it as well. I love apples basically at the time of traveling. Then took out Kurkure…Now she scolded me…
‘Why did you refuse earlier?’ she shouted.
Coz…I take it with drinks!’ I said.
‘Wow! You got drinks?’ She asked…I stayed mum.
‘Come on! Take it out, lets share…If it’s hard just a peg...I really want to try it!’
‘Nope! Can beer and just one!’ I said.
‘Doesn’t matter! Take it out…she said and we shared can beer’.
I knew she was okay. The bus moved, and now she wanted to share earphone again. This time I played ‘Stair way to heaven’ and she jumped with joy after few minutes. And the reason was just that she loved the place…Paras Bus Park of Narayangath. She asked me to play ‘Let it be’ again. I carefully played it so that the Aaaah Aaah Aaah Stuff would not disturb me there.
‘You travel alone at night….don't you feel afraid?’ I said.
‘No! My dad mom are worried, but they forget the fact that I am a black belt.’
‘Wow! I am scared!’
‘Don’t even think anything wrong…got that?’ she said.
We were sitting close...Maybe without knowing and all of sudden she asked me…
‘Do you have a girl?’
‘Now that was too much for strange girl to ask me. I never prefer to share my private stuffs with anyone, but when she asked me…I could really not reject.. So I said…
‘Had one...But I am single these days.’
‘And what about you?’ I asked.
‘No! I don’t trust boys!’
Now I could realize we are different, I don’t trust girl and she don’t trust a boy. So we both were listening to the same song…Too much love will kill you…the song then followed by Billy Joel’s She is always a women...Eagles Take it easy…
**
3.45 am. I woke up. So it was Lahan. She was sleeping on my hand…making it her pillow…I can feel her…feels good. I thought of waking her up, but again thought nothing’s wrong there. I don’t know how others felt about it, but it was so good to see her sleeping…She really is so sweet. I again plugged earphone and went with Bohemian Rhapsody…The original Queen’s version. I really love this song. Every words had some weight...followed by Owl City’s song. This band is so sweet. After almost an hour, I had the album ‘Speak Now’ now. Taylor’s song really touches me.
4.55am…The bus stopped near Koshi…not exactly near Koshi, but the bus had to rotate it's wheel still for almost twenty minutes to reach there…Pedas..I had to take home. I could now feel her moving…She woke up?
‘What time is it?’ She asked.
‘5 am’
‘How long now?’ she said with her sleepy and lazy voice.
‘Umm….almost two hours.’ I said.
‘Sorry! Did I trouble you?’
‘No! Not at all! I didn’t mind!’
We shared the view of Koshi together. I threw the two rupee coin to Koshi…Yes the coin I only had.
‘Didn’t you sleep?’ She asked.
‘I slept…but not so long!’
She drank water and asked me what was I listening to? She now took one without even asking me…and said…I love her song. Thank God! Atleast at some places our taste matches.
I can see her lips moving with the lyrics…’You are the best thing, that’s ever been mine….’, ‘You’ll be the prince and I’d be your princess…’ I would surely be if she would say it to me...but no any bad feelings! I controlled! ‘Never thought we had a last kiss…’
**
5.30am; So we reached Inaruwa…She caught me staring at her…’So you…find me beautiful?’ She asked...
This girl is damn frank…I stayed mum…She took her cell phone and was doing something. I didn’t care…and suddenly showed it to me…
’Is this you?’ She was actually searching me on Facebook and sent me a request…In no time I accepted it…
‘We are friends…right?’ I asked.
‘Go and ask Facebook now! Stupid!’ She replied.
We crossed Inaruwa, crossed Jhumka…I don’t remember everything she said...but I was attentively listening to her, carefully watching her without missing a single moment…We reached Ithari…crossed Khanar…Crossed Duhabi…I don’t know what she is speaking, but she is continuously speaking..
‘Hey! Where do you live in Biratnagar?’ She waved hand in front of my face.
‘Umm…Umm…Pokhariya…ne..near Teenpaini.’
‘I know that place…Rath Yatra begins from there right?’
‘Yes’
‘Bad luck! I live at Tintoliya!’ pretty far’
Now I don’t understand what she meant by ‘Bad Luck’. In fact I felt the same. It was a bad luck for me as the place we lived was far.
‘So when shall we meet for Pani Puri Mister Freelancer?’ she asked.
‘Any time…’ I said.
‘Don’t worry…I’ll call you through Facebook hai?’ She said.
‘Bargachhi!!’ The conductor shouted.
I had to get out... .’Bye Friend’ I said...She waved her hand…I got out, could see my birth place after six long months…I watched the changes there…and could see her waving hand…I waved my hand…but did she see it?
This is just the first part from the vision of Boy...Inorder to read the next half, the vision of Girl, go to the link: