Back To the Basics
The irritating sound of alarm waked me up at 5:30 in the morning. After spending about half hours of the personal time, I was there on the street carrying my things to start my journey back home. My heart was pounding with joy as I walked through the streets. I really wanted to say goodbye to this beggared and broke Kathmandu. I really wanted to say goodbye to this flat lifestyle. And this feeling grew strong when I saw the long queue of down and out people in front of stone tap waiting for the water, dogs fighting for the bitch on the piles of litter by the main road, and listened the filthy comments of public transports staffs early in the morning.
As the bus descends down the hill of Thankot the young lady beside me played John Denver's "Country Road". Yes, the country road was taking me home. Taking me to the place I belong. That song really made my journey. And by the noon I was there, to my basic, to the land of Virgin Mountain. The sweet aroma passed by me as I was standing on the road. I took the long breath and made my way to home. It is always nice to be home and that was the same for me too. Next day my cousin and I made to the field where we used to dwell during our childhood. It was almost 8 years since I was there. Nothing was changed. Same way of farming, same crops, same wild fruits and more than that people still enjoy the ox fighting on the nearby forest during their holidays. I was too much happy to see them all. I certainly realize that what was lagging in me and my flat lifestyle here in capital. It was the joy of my basic and the feeling of being real me, the fun of playing crossbars, the freshness of the wild fruits, the laugh of my childhood comrades, the swim in the nearby stream and the thrilling chase by ox. All these memories were enough to moisten my eyes and what more could I say than "see, I think there is bug in my eyes", to show myself strong in front of my cousin.
And last week I was back in Kalanki standing bitter hearted because I had realized by then that I can't say goodbye to Kathmandu and to my flat lifestyle. I too realized that basics are the roots; they will be always with us wherever we go or whatever we become. I know I may not be sleeping on the lap of Virgin Mountain or I may miss the ox fight on my holidays but life always moves on and so do I.
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