Sunday, February 21, 2010

A DEWDROP ON MY NEPHEW’S WING

Factual reports can sometimes be so humorous that you can sometime sit back and enjoy for having come across it with a bang. It so happened when I was doing my Post Graduate in RIM as a day scholar. Shuffling through paper cuttings and guide books I was busy completing my assignments. Totally geared up for in my task with a solid ambition to score well in the subjects in hand, I was deeply engrossed with my final touches to the papers when my mobile phone rang…….Jhalam jhalam gi ashi…..Reaching out for my mobile I answered in haste with my eyes still glued to my documents.

Azha Nga gey! (Meaning- Uncle it’s me! - in my mother tongue dialect)
Slightly agitated for the disturbance I replied back, “my nephew, I shall call you after sometime”; Switched off the phone and got back to my business. Interested and taxed by the work in hand, machineries in me sent a warning that I must take a break or else repairs will be costly. I came out of my room, sat on the door steps of my house and enjoyed the fresh evening air with a sweet cup of coffee my wife have served. Just as the sweetness of the coffee befriended me in terms of taste and warmth amidst the chilly evening weather, so also the serene beauty of Changzamtok valley that unfolded in front of me captured my inner self to even richer taste and warmer warmth that sailed my very existence along the cascading Thimphu river to the paradise of William words worth’s poetic imagination- dancing with the daffodils. The dancing with the daffodils became a crusher as one of its petals hit my cheek so hard that I was reminded of my obligation to my dear nephew. My nephew, Samten Dorji, six year old and was studying in PP at Jigme Namgyel Primary School in Tangsibji village in Trongsa.
My nephew- Samten Dorji

I raced back to my room and fulfilled my obligation to him and asked what he has in store for me. Prompt came the reply-
“Azha nga tsem guzey nang sum pa jong shi, zin soeray ngang shi.” (Uncle I came third in running and I received a price for it).
Since he is the first child amongst us brothers and sisters I am very fond of him and he also takes a liking to me when it comes to talking at length in mobile phone especially when the call is initiated from my side. I know he is innocent when it comes to the mercy of payment for the call later. I congratulated him for the achievement in annual school sports and promised a gift when he comes to Thimphu soon, for his onward journey to his grandmother at Phuentsholing to spend his winter vacation.

My nephew along with his mother arrived at Thimphu as expected on schedule. Though he looked tired and little shabby due to long exhausting journey, I knew he had put on the best dress he had, to create a positive impression from me and members in the house. But it is a general fact that aroma of the village livelihood remains for sometime, and will fade away only after few days of cleansing. After a good bout of bathing and meal, nephew and my self started a close interaction. As usual he was very friendly with me and I lived my promise by honouring him with a few Cadburys wrapped in a silver colour paper as a gift. His strong fingers made way through the packets and the Cadburys did not have time to wish him hi! They were greeted with his well placed set of teeth and eyes never losing sight of the cartoon programme on the television.
I asked him, “ye guzey nang sumpa jo na wa”- (so you have come third in running).
He replied, “jongshi”- (yes).
Still inquisitive I asked “gugmi ashey dey nag?”- (how many ran the race)
With some chocolates drenched in his cute mouth and chocolates smothered fingers running through his hairs, he replied, “soom”- (three took part).
I reaffirmed and again he said they were only three runners. I blasted and became rather hysterical and said, “So you came third out of three runners”.
This time he took his eyes off the TV set, looked at me directly and replied “Ney, zin soerya ya Nang shi, Nga ama ta dimo”- (yes,I got a prize, you can ask my mom).
“Soerya shay ngas?” (What was the prize?) I asked
He replied, “Gola thruway brus tey”- (a washing Brush!)

I rushed to the other room to inquire from his mother. She summed up the story- it was a class wise running race during the annual school sport day. There were only three boys in the class and prizes as usual were catered for all the three positions. The great fact was further substantiated by the mother being physically present during the event. Well facts are facts and thank you my dear nephew for taking me on an unforgettable ride.

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