Page 128 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

“Do it,” she said, taking the baby from my arms. “Right away.”
She believed in superstitions as much as I didn’t believe in it. I slogged into the kitchen and touched the
stove flames. I held my plump baby in my bowl-like arms the whole evening.
“Guess what, I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?” said Choki.
“I’ve applied for a transfer.”
Her eyebrows arched. “Where?”
“Thimphu,” I said. “It would be convenient for us to see his surgeon.”
“But Thimphu is expensive. Your meager salary won’t suffice us.”
“You are right, but we must be frugal with our expenditure.”
“I don’t know,” she said, sighing. “Why don’t you—um, I can’t decide.”
“I’ve decided now. Come what may, I will come to Thimphu. I will request the personal officer.”
Choki shrugged. “Since you insist.”
The next day, I went to meet the personal officer at MoE.
“Yes?” said the personal officer.
“Transfer case, sir. I’ve applied for it two months back.”
“Which school?”
“Kerong Community Primary School.”
“Dzongkhag?”
“Nganglam, Pemagatshel district.”
He opened a file and flipped through the papers. “Um, there aren’t any transfer documents from the
Pemagatshel.”
“What?” I said, veins popping. “I submitted the documents to the Dzongkhag Education Officer two
months back. It’s urgent, sir, on medical grounds.”
“What happened?”
“My baby is sick. A Hirschsprung Disease patient. We need to show him to his surgeon now and then,
so I have to be with him here.”
“Hirschsprung Disease?”
“Yes, sir. He was operated on three times.”
“You must fill in the form.”
“Done, sir. Please help me. My baby needs me here.”
“I will talk to the Secretary.”
“Please, sir. It’s urgent.”
“Come tomorrow.”
The next day, I reported to his office at 9:00 am. “I hope you must have talked to the Secretary.”
“I don’t think that’s possible. All schools in Thimphu have adequate teachers. Unless you have strong
documents, you won’t get it.”
“But I do, sir. My baby is sick. I have to take him to his surgeon for the weekly check-up. His intestine
directed through the opening.”
“Do you have medical reports?”
“Yes.” I handed him a bunch of medical reports. “Here.”
He skimmed through the reports and said, “Come next Monday. I have to show them to the Secretary.”
Five days was too far, but I agreed. Next Monday, the personal officer said, “Aum Secretary wants you
to come next year. No principal from Thimphu school would go on transfer in the year's mid.”
“I will be happy to come as a teacher, sir. I must come after the midterm, otherwise, my baby won’t
survive.”
He gave me a lopsided smile, looking at my solemn face. “I don’t have the authority, Dorji.”
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