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.
