it is almost five and everyone at work is packing to go home. kesang is the first one to leave. she goes home and shuts herself in her room till dinner time. after having dinner with her parents she goes back to her room. her mother asks her if there is anything she wants to talk about. she does not say a thing.
After sometimes it 8 pm and as usual kesang gets out her house on the pretext of going for a walk. she does not care what she wares. she has got to impress no one. She goes to her usual bar and and does what she always do. The same routine continues for months untill everone in the bar knows her well.
one day as usual she is in the bar talking about her story and in the mid of her talk a person interferes. This is the first time someone has done so she looks carefully at the person. she has not seen him around, may be a new person come to drink she thinks.
"how many times will you be telling the same story," the man asks.
she gets annoyed and gives him the look but he is also drunk. "let me tell these people my story today," he continues. the others agree because they have heard Kesangs story a lot of times that they have memorized some of her lines.
"She was my sweetheart since school days. we were two bodies but one soul. she was rich so she went to a foreign country to continue her studies while I had to study here. Distance made our hearts grow fonder but only for some time. before I knew she had changed. Today she is happily married and I am happy for her. I would not have been able to give her the happiness her husband gives her today,"he says and drops on the table.
For the first time Kesang realizes how foolish she much have looked in front of the others. But she knows the feeling the man is going through. he is relieved i know, she says to herself and leaves the bar.
That night she does not fall asleep. she thinks till late night. she feels that heartbroken people does not have the courage to speak out till they empty a few bottles. She smiles at the thought and calls it a day.
The next day she visits the bar again. as usual the bar owner shouts at his waiter to bring her whiskey when she rejects.the bar owner cleans his ears and asks her, what will you have today dear."
she smiles at him and says I shall have a cup of coffee uncle. She sits in a corner drinking coffee and as usual the same crowd gathers there. some of the people ask her if she is not going to tell them her story today. She just smiles and says lets hear some other story today.
she is waiting for the man to come. the man whose heart is also broken. finally after her fourth coffee she sees him coming. he is already drunk and asks for more. the bar owner rejects him saying he is already drunk. he makes a fuss there and leaves the bar. she quickly pays her bill and walks behind him.
he keep on walking towards the centenary park. It is night time and the park is locked so he kicks the gate and moves on to a spot where he can sit. he is talking to himself and Kesang can hear that he is hurt.
At first Keasang feels it would not be right but she gathers all her courage to face him. hello there, she greets him. he has manners enough to greet back. You are kesang aren't you? he ask. She smiles and replies, "guilty."
Then they start their conversation and for the first time Kesang feels that she is not the only person who is hurt. they talk till midnight and finally bids good bye to each other.He tells her that he felt light talking to her.
the next day Kesangs mother comes to wake her up but she is all dressed for work. every one at work is shocked to see her come on time and she has a great day at work.
She dresses neatly and walks towards the direction of the bar in the evening to meet her new friend. she waits but he is not ther. she finally get up to leave and asks the bar owner if he had seen him. Oh! so it was you he was talking about. He has left a not for you, he said and handed over the note to him.
the letter reads...
Dear Kesang,
I know you have finally changed so dont feel the need to act the whay I have been doing. Actually I do not drink but I have seen you drunk in the bar many a time. You were too drunk even to notice me. I fell in love with you but could not tell you so directly because you hated men. I finally decided to become like you. and You have changed now. If you feel for me come to the spot where we first talked.
will be waiting there everyday till you come
With love
Pema
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