Page 15 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

In the evening, Disco and his boys besieged me in the ground. He rolled up his sleeves and cracked the knuckles.
“You scoundrel, how dare you??”
I raised my hands to defend his knuckle. “Sorry, I—”
He seized my collar and shook me hard. “Where’s the money?”
I stumbled on his foot. “Ouch! My leg. You rogue!” He rotated my wrist, sending bolts of burning pain through
my right arm. “You had better be telling the truth. Tell me, where is the note?”
I winced and dropped to my knees. “Ouch! Sorry, I spent it all. Ouch, my arms, please!”
“What?” he blurted. “You spent it all?”
“I am sorry, please.”
He punched me on my nose. “Take this, you wretched.”
I limped home in tears. From the distance, I turned back and said, “Go to hell, you monkey.”
“What did you say?” He chased me. “Stop right there, you wimp.”
I ran home, shouting, “Dad!”
For about a week, I didn’t go out in fear of Disco and his boys.
“I wish that thug leaves me alone,” I said to myself, peeping through the window. “Um, I should join a gang to
avenge him.”
Mongar town prevailed with peace. It was a small town with a small population. The folks were humble and
helpful, but the well-to-do hoods formed a few minor gangs. Until the videocassette store in the town rented us the
cassette RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, we didn’t form any syndicates. Kids watched Asia’s biggest movie star, Jackie
Chan perform breathtaking stunts. The warning ‘Do not try this at home’ was clear, but youngsters performed Jackie
Chan’s stunts on the streets.
Jackie—the son of the most affluent businessmen in the town—formed his gang. “Call me Jackie.” He took a
deep breath and did the Kungfu. “Ha! Hu! Aiya!” He carried the notes in bales, and for this, boys joined his gang.
One week later, the alpha male said, “Guys, we’ll fight Chaychay Gang in the afternoon. Are you ready?”
“Yahoo!” said the other members. “Yeah, let’s fight!”
“A gang fight?” I blurted. “Not even a fortnight and I have to fight a gang fight? This is double-trouble. No
way.”
Jackie ignored me and held his chin high. “Report to the public ground at 2:00 pm.”
“No way,” I said, stepping back. “I ain’t gonna fight!”
“What the hell did you say, you coward?” Jackie cracked his knuckles. “You had better come or—”
“Okay, I will come,” I said, swallowing hard. “Trust me.”
“You must,” he said. “Or I will come after you.”
My heart pounded as I thought hard. “Should I fight?” Jackie’s snarling face flashed in my mind. “Um, okay, I
will fight.”
The other members were on the ground. One wore a helmet. Our enemies stood at the other end of the ground,
facing us. Bare hands, they outnumbered us.
Jackie said, “You all ready?”
“Yes,” we said in unison.
“Charge!” His voice sounded like a leader of the Spartan in Troy. “Everybody, charge!”
We charged. Soon two lads surrounded me and tried to trip me. I hung onto their shoulders and resisted them,
straining every muscle in my body. Sweat dripped from my face as I grunted. “Ah! Eiii! O! Whop! Hek!”
We wrestled over twenty minutes, but my enemies showed no sign of exhaustion and tried all means to pin me
down.
“Everybody, run,” said Jackie. “It’s my dad!”
“Guys, leave me, please,” I said. “I give up. You won it.”
The moment they freed me, I ran into the bushes below the football ground and hid in the bushes.
I quit the damn gang thing right away.

***

Sonam Penjore lived in a gorgeous house. People held his family in high regard for their aristocracy. He was a
soft-spoken guy too. We were great friends, and we watched movies at his place.
“Let’s play outside,” said Penjore. “I feel drowsy today.”
I yawned in disappointment. “Where?”
“Anywhere, but let’s go from here,” he said. “I don’t want to be inside all day.”
“Fine,” I said. “Um, football ground?”
“Why not?”

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