Page 37 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

“Where are we?” I said, looking around. When friends surveyed me from head to toe, I scratched my
neck. “How am I supposed to know this place?”
Only at that place was the sound of suppressed laughter from my friends before I trimmed them short
with a severe glare. I jumped to the ground and traversed over to the other side of the road and barfed.
The driver honked. “Boys, get on the truck!”
As the truck moved, Jambay—the most hilarious guy—sang:

“Sho sho Tsheringla Jamo sho sho
Lhapchu na tong tha tong
Lhamo brang tong zadpa
Tsheringla Jamo sho sho.”

Everybody burst out laughing. I chuckled as the emotion ran down in my heart. The song trailed off as
the truck rumbled up the snaky road. Soon we entered the wilderness and rumbled up the mountains. I felt
the dizziness and everything reeled before my eyes. So, I stood and peeped ahead through the opening of
the canvas. The chilly wind beat across my face, but it was much better than the motion sickness.
The boughs had overlapped and formed a narrow dark passage for vehicles. That worsened my
sickness. Outside, it drizzled, and a thick mist blanketed the road.
“Goodness me, how long must we travel?” I grimaced in agony. “Where on earth is Thimphu?” The
cold numbed my face and fingers. “God, take away my sickness, please.”
The truck bumped over potholes and uneven surfaces. I gripped my stomach and heaved. It didn’t
subside, so I staggered back to my bedding and curled up.
Hours later, the roofs of the clustered houses glimmer against the sun rays in the distance. And sheep
grazed below the road.
“Which place is that?” I said, pointing at the shimmering roofs.
“It’s Sengor,” said Lhapchu. “You haven’t traveled this way before?”
I shook my head. “It’s my first time.”
The driver pulled over beside a restaurant and rolled up the canvas. “Boys, lunch.”
We plodded after Coach. After lunch, I came out and sat on the milestone. I visualized Dad staring out
of the window in our dingy room in loneliness. “God, keep my dad safe.”
The driver honked, and we clambered onto the back of the truck. I fell asleep the moment my head hit
the pillow.
“Thrumshingla!” shouted the driver. “Lha Gyelo!”
Everybody sat up and peeped through the orifice in the canvas cover. “Lha Gyelo!”
A cairn stood above the road. Twigs and branches were pitched around to mark the sanctimonious
pass.
Someone began:

“La Thrumshingla la gi jab kha lu
Bum choe dhoeyi nga ma shey
Bum choe dhoeyi nga ma sey.”

I stared far across the mountains. Mesmerizing peaks glinted with snow. Tall trees above the peaks
added resplendence to the faraway mountain ranges. The song and the spectacular scene melted my heart.

“La Yontongla gi jab kha lu
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