down the memory lane

Life is a series of memories which makes us both laugh and cry. We never know what is going to happen next but we can always cherish those beautiful memories. My father was an army so we use to reside in Dechencholing army camp in Thimphu. My two best friend’s ( Sangay Wangmo and Sonam Dekar ) father was also army and our houses were nearby.  Our routine will be almost same. S.Dekar was my next door neighbor and we use to do almost all things together like doing dishes outside in the sun, preparing curry for lunch, washing clothes etc.

 Sangay was very fond of swimming back then, she knows most of the swimming style and she would demonstrate to me when I accompany her to the swimming. There was not a swimming pool stadium in Dechencholing nor did we have the privilege to visit the only swimming pool in Thimphu town. So our only option was to swim in the river few meters away from our residential.  Most of the time S.dekar mother‘s won’t allow her to go with us because of the fear that we would be washed away and she use to warn us not to go. But we were not obedient kid back then; leaving S.dekar behind two of us would go for swimming.  I never had the skill to swim so most of the time I use to land up watching Sangay doing various style of swimming which I remember none now. That was one mischievous thing we use to do often; thank god we were not washed away by that river.

Somehow I picture the character of three idiots Rancho, Farah and Raju in three of us.  Sangay use to give all the ideas both mischievous and the good one and I use to listen to her every plan full of excitement  while S.dekar  would be torn in two parts; scared of mother to do mischievous things and the excitement to join our plan.  Most of the time she will be left out of our plan but we would narrate the whole event later.

Another mischievous thing we use to do was to steal apple from other orchard during apple season. This was usually done during Saturdays so right after we were done with our social work, three of us would meet and leave for our destiny. Sonam will be the one holding the bag since she would be too scared to plug the apples. She would be shivering out of fear even when Sangay and I would be the one doing that. She would look around and tell us to hurry. Once our small bag is full we would silently leave the apple orchard and distribute equally among us once we are far away from the orchard.  We did it once or twice and it was not something we were proud of. Thinking about this things we use to laugh till tears comes out our eyes when we meet now a days.

 Our parent does not give us lump sum of money back then when we were in primary.  Yet we would get everything at a cheaper rate. At the maximum my mother uses to give me Nu. 5. We would buy datsi gurum which is only Nu. 1 and I have not seen these sweets nowadays.  Pappad and aludum both Nu. 1 which we usually eat when we return back home.

 Since sonam has to accompany her sister I use to go with Sangay to school. My father never allowed me to watch movies and series because of the only notion that these things would spoil me. Back then television were rare and only few people would own it. Sangay’s family didn’t have any kind of restriction so she use to watch almost all the bolly wood movies and series. My favorite hero was Sunil shetty back then but  I don’t remember now why he was my favorite hero. The popular TV series were Kasauti and KKusum.  So whenever she watches those movies and series she would narrate me the whole event on the way to school. I use to curse my father a lot for not allowing me to watch those television shows. We use to buy post card of those heroes which was Nu. 1 for each. 

Later when magic pencil series came, we would be talking about things we would do if we had that magic pencil. We would pray to god to grant us with that magic pencil. Somehow we really thought that magic pencil existed.  On the way back home there use to be a wall which we passes by. Sangay and I use to imagine that one as the cake factory and talk about all those cake we would eat if it was real. Sometime we even pray to god to throw us a packet of 500 notes …haha those wish never came true yet we use to feel happy imagining having those things. Having magic pencil, owning lots of bolly wood actors’ postcard, eating those delicious cakes, thinking about those things we would buy if we have that packet of 500 notes.  We would be so excited talking about such things as if we have owned it.

Though we were kid we use to help parents in our small way. Especially during winter we use to go for fire wood collection. Sangay and Sonam were very strong they would carry a sack of firewood. I would carry very less compared to them. That was the reason my mother didn’t allow me to go for fire wood collection later. She taught me how to weave kiras and other stuff instead.

 Those were some beautiful memories I have of my days in primary classes. Life was really simple, our desires were funny and stupid yet our life was beautiful. Sometime when I think about those moments I just wish if I can turn back the clock. And today when we meet which happens very rare since we had to leave to different places for our studies, we use to laugh talking about those moments and compare our life. How life has unfolded and how we had to endure things we never thought of. We become sad talking about those unaccomplished dreams, broken heart, broken family, and how we got separated for the sake of our profession. Yet we were always there for each other all through the thick and thin of our life.