Just a Matter of Time

Source: Flickr


 

It’s just the matter of time how a person unknown becomes so intimate. Just their presence and life seems so beautiful. Just a 15minutes of gossip after all long tired day, relives all your stress. How their tiny silly talks and deeds make you forget all the pain and spread happiness within you. Just a matter of time, how slowly and gradually the importance of the person fades away. All those beautiful looking future planning, especially promise to hold each other’s hands in every hardship of life remains just words. And that’s what hurts the most.

My heart completely SHRINK whenever I say, COVID 19 has been blessing for me. My HEARTFELT CONDOLENCE to all those departed beautiful souls, may they always Rest in Peace and may Lord provide their family strength to cope with this pandemic.

 

 

Jeetpur Simara-01, Bara

 

In almost 9 years those 2 months of complete lockdown were the most memorable moments for me. I was born in Simara-02, Bara (now Jeetpur Simara-01, Bara) known as Industrial City, famously known for Surya Nepal (Cigarette Company), Jagadamba Cement and Steel, Hulas Steel, etc. I completed my schooling from Mount Everest Higher Secondary English Boarding School, Simara-01, Bara in 2068. Since then I was shifted to Kathmandu for my higher studies and used to visit home only once in a year during Nepalese great festivals Dashain and Tihar for almost 20days. No doubt those 20days’ vacation used to end like a flash. Hence, that 2months of lockdown was the longest vacation for my monotonous and tired life. After those two months I was again back to Kathmandu when business started crawling during that hardship. But soon I was back to my home town as it was time for our greatest festivals.

 

 

3rd November, 2020

 

After almost 6 months of pandemic life (complete lockdown, self-isolation, social distancing) the cities were back to life. Slowly and gradually people had started enjoying their basic life. 3rd Nov, my birth day, few friends decided to have a small gathering on the vary occasion. So we decided to have a small party at ‘Brotherhood’ (a newly started restaurant). The special feature about them was that they provide live music performance every day. My best friend came to receive me at my home, we reached to the venue and there were few more friends waiting for my arrival. As soon as I entered the restaurant one of my friend blast a paper bomb and other started singing Birthday Song for me. Few restaurants staffs joined them and welcomed me with a bouquet. I was overwhelmed and could not stop my tears to roll down making way through my cheeks. We spend some quality time there enjoying the live performance of a local band. My best friend requested me to sing a song as I used to sing while I was in school. I could not resist him and asked the organizer of the restaurant if I can have a short performance for my friends and they allow me. Though there were only 2 other groups in the restaurant but as I was singing after years, I got little nervous. I sang an old number by Sugam Pokhrel, “Hamro School Pathshala” dedicating it to my friends. At the end everyone appreciated it with round of applause. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.

 

 

14th November, 2020

 

Laxmi Puja, one of the greatest festivals of Nepal. On this day Goddess Laxmi (Goddess of Wealth) is worshiped with a great celebration all across Nepal. I was once again in the same restaurant, ‘Brotherhood’ but this time with my family. It might sound crazy but again we were there to celebrate my Birthday, oh yes! You read it right My 26th Birthday. May be because of festive moment this time the restaurant was busier. My Aama (Mother) wanted me to share the cake to everyone in the restaurant. She always wants to make me feel important because she believe I am the blessing of Goddess Laxmi as I was born on the day of Laxmi Puja and she keeps on saying my birth has brought make beautiful changes in her life. I did as she said, while sharing I got to a table seems as if it was friends’ gathering. I shared the cake, everyone wishes me but a girl asked me aren’t you the same guy who celebrated birthday few weeks ago and also sang a song and again it’s your birthday? Oh yes it’s a long story, I smile at her and leave the table as I have to share it to everyone and also spend quality time with my family. And this time too my Aama wanted me to sing a song and how I can resist the only god I really believe in existence. This time I sang an old melody of S Kumar, my Aama is his great fan. I grew up listing to his music and even in childhood days Aama used to make me sing his songs. We left the place at around 7 in the evening and another day added to my diary of the best days of my life.

 

 

The best part of being at home was I can wake up whenever I want to. The next day when I woke up at around 8 in the morning saw a message popping up in my phone’s screen. The message was from anonymous number which reads as, “Wanna hear your story, can we meet same place at around 5 in the evening and by the way you have lovely voice.” I was confused and text back, “who is this and what story of mine are you interested in”? Few minutes later got the reply of my text, “We talked about your birthday in Brotherhood. You ignored it saying it’s a long story but I am curious to know why a person is expending so much for celebrating his birthday twice in the same month. So let’s meet in Brotherhood at 5 in the evening.” I texted back, “OK, will be there”.

 

I reached there at around 4:40 as I did not want to make a girl wait for me. As I entered the restaurant one of the staff welcomed me and asked with a graceful smile in his face, “Sir, is it again your birthday today?” I just smiled back and replied, “Nope, not today”. As I was looking for the table to sit, someone called my name I looked around and saw a girl waving her hand at me. As soon as I soon as I reached near her she said, “Wow! I am impressed, you didn’t make me wait as long as I was expecting.” Smiling at her I said, “But you are earlier than me. I was thinking not to make you wait for a boy but see you seems so eager to know my story huh.” We both laughed. I asked her how did she know my name and how did she got my number. Smiling at me she said you are so famous around here that everyone knows you. Please stop making fun of me, I replied and she said well, I had your short video of singing yesterday, I posted it in my social media and one of my friend recognized you and I got all of your information from her. So, Mr. Kathmandu what makes you come to our city after so long, she asked with a silly smile on her face. I replied in serious tone, well I am not Mr. Kathmandu and please this is my own city and I come here every once in a year but yeah this time I am blessed with such a long period of time with my family and childhood friends. She smiled and said, “Ok, that pretty good to hear so let’s get back to the story of a person celebrating his birthday twice in the same month.” I smiled back at her and said,

 

 

(The story behind of birthday)

 

Well, I was born on 3rd November, 1994 fortunately it was the day of Laxmi Puja, the same day our great poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota was also born. Since the first year of my birthday my Aama started celebrating my birthday on the day of Laxmi Puja, no matter on which month or day if falls. But in friends’ circle they always celebrated it on 3rd November. So this way I got 2 birthdays, one on 3rd November and other on the day of Laxmi Puja but on this day I only celebrate with my family.

 

 

While I was sharing the story I could clearly notice the level of curiosity in her beautiful eyes. She was hearing my every word with so much attention and patient. We talked about many things that day, about our schooling, hobbies, profession, and then I came to know that she is the daughter of the restaurant’s owner. We exchanged each other’s social media accounts and started getting in touch. My day used to start and end with her messages. I was kind of habituated to her. She was so much humorous, whenever I meet her time flies like an arrow. She used to invite me frequently to her restaurant and in some occasion also made me to sing some songs. Whenever she made me sing, I sang some beautiful love songs, she used to record them and post them in her social media with love emojis. I don’t know how come I got so attached with her because of all those silly little deeds, funny talks, and childish behavior.

 

 

19th November, 2020

 

We meet for the last time before I was back to Kathmandu. I went to her restaurant she was so much surprised and happy to see me there because I haven’t informed her that I was coming. She ran towards me and hugged me tight. We sat in a separate special cabin this time and I said her I was leaving for Kathmandu early tomorrow morning. As soon as I finished my sentence her sparkling smile was lost and I could see through her eyes she was losing all her joy and happiness. She gave me a mild smile the smile that shows as if someone is trying to assemble all of the scattered happiness and smile back again. I hold her hands and with my soft voice consulted her; few hours of distance won’t change anything between us. She kissed me and made me to make some promises.

 

A promise to always reply her texts, no matter how much busy I am.

A promise to call her at the end of every day, no matter how much tired I am.

A promise to always convince her if she gets angry, no matter whose fault is it.

A promise, always love her and never break her heart.

A promise, always be the same.

 

 

20th November, 2020

 

As I woke up found her text wishing me safe journey, I called her and bid farewell and also made a new promise to be back for Holi (A festival of Colors). Within few hours I was back to Kathmandu where people were getting used to with COVID 19 virus. Everyone has started ignoring the virus and was back to their busy normal life. As soon as I reached home and saw my phone there were so many messages from her and called her right back as soon as I saw her texts. She was furious as I haven’t answered her almost 25 calls but I explained her how my phone got in to silence mode and I didn’t notice anything. She was convinced at the end. Few days passed but nothing changes between us, I felt as if our bond was growing stronger as we were learning to trust each other with our words. Talking to her after all busy day, sharing my happy and sad moments and taking care of my every little thing, calling me and asking to drink a glass of hot water, wear mask properly, and sanitize your hands time and again. I have never felt so special before.

 

But my happiness didn’t last longer, few days later I started having very tight schedule. Someday I could not even manage an hour of time to have a proper breakfast. In those days I could not give her proper amount of time, I was neither able to receive her calls nor able to reply her texts. She started getting upset with my behavior. She believes my priorities were changed and she was no more in that list. I tried my best to convince her but 4 hours of distance has created a huge hollowness within us.

 

 

25th November, 2020

 

No more flooding texts, no more childish talks, and no more silly jokes. Isn’t our heart so innocent and foul, it gets attached with someone so easily within few moments. Isn’t it just matter of time how things changes? Someone totally known becomes yours everything and on the next moment the person is gone forever.

 

 #Love  #Broken  #Fadingtime