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Friday, May 28, 2010

It was never meant to end this way

Kinlay wanted to give his father a big surprise. He had just returned from Nova Scotia completing his MA in journalism. His first task upon arriving was to document a film based on the poverty and this was a perfect metaphor for what was going in his mind. Showing up himself on the screen and present it to his father to prove himself as a worthful son. He was bit confused whether he should do this or first meet his father as he did not have any contact since he left his father for studies but amidst such uncanny confusion, he remembered what he wanted to give to his father and opted to do the documentation. So Kinlay set out onto his journey into streets to look out for a particular man who could catch his attention. He was just strolling around the park when something so serene caught his eye. At the edge of the park, under the summer willow stood an old man.
He was in a shabby dress, his weather beaten face has gone gray as if it has tested the times of cold winter and his hair stood like that of a hermit who went into retreat for years. ‘Om mani padme hum’....the man kept on repeating the mantras turning the beads of the rosary in his hand without any heed of what was happening around him. He stood there as if frozen in time. Kinlay felt awkward to disturb the man but with much hesitation he asked the man if he could give him company for time being. The old man surprised, welcomed him which surprised Kinlay more as the old man´s gesture was a large dose of humility to him. Kinlay started to sit down beside the man and then introduced himself being a journalist. Slowly the conversation meandered from a simple introduction to a deep talk. Kinlay just listened to the man as the old man the man went on to tell his book of tales...
It all started when his mother expired the moment she gave birth to him. Since then, I was his mother and his father. Unlike other children, he did not have the love of a mother but despite this I did not let him feel any absence of mother. I gave him the world of love and care. It was only the beginning of my troubles when he reached the age of five that I had to admit him to school. As a farmer earning was so little that I had to sell my 2 langdos of land and live up to educate him. With so much of troubles I let him complete his certificate and tertiary education. He qualified for university education and there I had to sell my ancestral dzee, the only possession that survived for generations. Three harsh years of toiling in the sun and rain, I finally made him complete his graduation. He did his Civil service examinations and was posted in a good job in the capital. Since then everything seems to get back to square one and the serene silhouette started to take shape. He would take good care of me, feed me in time and did everything that could make me happy. My dream came true but because of something it slowly started to become gray. Soon he brought home a home minister. She had the pretty face I ever saw but she should have possessed a heart which was as beautiful as her face. She was good to me at first but as the time passed she often betrayed the love and piety that bound me and my son. She would treat me cruel and sometimes my meals were avoided. My son was all innocent about this as most of the time he would be away from home. I was sinking deep down into dark chasms and more worse, one day my son came with news that he had been selected abroad to study for 5 years. His words sent my heartbeat galloping and there was nothing I could do but to succumb to the fate of my life. He left soon and this was the start of dark era of my life. His wife always shouted at me, made me do all the house hold chores and soon I was pushed off the house. That´s why I live here finding so much of solace but I wish I could see my son once. I had a dream last night that my son was there holding me in his arms for the last time.
Today l live in the ember of my happiness. I am Rinzin and I don’t know where my Kinlay is. At this Kinlay´s heart grew cold, tears ran down his cheeks and the next moment, world came crashing down on him. So as he spoke his last words, Kinlay’s father closed his eyes never to open again.
Kinlay´s gift was never meant to end this way.

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