Page 78 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

In a poised manner, I said, “It was a positive response, guys.”
“They’re making fun of us,” said Master, frowning.
“I don’t think so.”
From that day on, Master and Lambu never entered the staffroom. And the apprentice teachers kept
shunning from us till the end of the teaching practice.

***

The second-semester exams were over. Right after we got the stipend, Bajim and his girlfriend joined
me for Phuentsholing. After we checked into a hotel at Jaigaon, we looked for our next transport for
Samdrup Jongkhar.
“Hell no,” I said. “A one-week Assam strike will start from tomorrow.”
Bajim rubbed his arms in comfort. “Why?”
“I don’t know. Police told us to wait till evening.”
Bajim said, “Yeah, let’s wait and see.”
The same evening, his girlfriend left for Samtse. I felt sick to my stomach as I thought about the
journey ahead. Back then, the Assam strike would continue for weeks. So, I turned to Bajim to discuss our
next plan, but he was in a lost state.
I nudged him. “You got relatives at Thimphu?”
He nodded. “Why?”
“We should return to Thimphu or we’d be in trouble.”
He clucked his tongue. “Alas.”
“What’s going on, Bajim?”
“She just left.”
“Yes, she left. So what?”
“Hope she arrived at Samtse.”
“For heaven’s sake, don’t be puerile, Bajim. Think about our next journey.”
“What exactly are we gonna do now?”
“We need to act fast,” I said, packing my stuff. “We’ll go to Thimphu today.”
“What will we do at Thimphu?”
“What? Hope you’ve not lost your mind, Bajim.”
“You should stop ridiculing me, Uncle,” he said. “I’m in a miserable state.”
“Aren’t you going home? We’re boarding a bus from there.”
We checked out of the hotel and searched for the telephone booth.
“Ana, I think I should put up at your place for a few days,” I said. “I am stranded at Phuentsholing.”
“What happened?” she asked.
“I am heading home, but there is a one-week strike at Assam.”
“Come, please.”
I turned to Bajim. “Make a call.”
Bajim talked for a few minutes. “Let’s go, Uncle.”
Buses were all packed, so we took a taxi. We arrived at Thimphu at nightfall.
Before we dispersed, I said, “Keep this money with you, but don’t spend it.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, putting my five hundred ngultrum note inside his wallet. “I swear I won’t touch
it.”
“See you tomorrow at booking,” I said. “At 9:00 am.”
“Be there on time,” he said.

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