After another brief tea break, I reached Tawang – famous for
its monastery at 2700m altitude. This is a much bigger town compared to Dirang
and it had lot of options to stay. However, I did not have the trouble to find
a place. Aarushya had booked another room for me after reaching here and sent
me the actual location. It was just a 1 KM walk from where my cab driver
dropped me, but I struggled to breath and walk – primarily because of the steep
climbs and altitude.
Finally, I reached and gave her a call. She was waiting at
the reception to hand the keys.
“Huh... You wasted a day on travel. What a terrible planner!”
the first statement welcoming me from her.
“Thanks to you – I walked the length and breadths of Dirang
thinking that was Bomdila. Did you know that was Dirang?” I had lots to ask,
talk and clarify.
“Hahaha... you thought we stayed in Bodmila? I did ask Mitu where he was headed to. He told Dirang and
I thought it would be better to take another 2-hour travel. I thought I told
you, sorry about that!” She could not control her laughter even when Anup came
in and introduced himself to be the owner of the place. I was so happy seeing
her laugh – the purest form of emotion. Anyone can type ‘Hahaha’ ‘lol’ or ‘rofl’
now, but it’s so rare to laugh. How long
its been since I laughed!
That evening we met Tashi, friend of Anup and a local taxi
driver. We got introduced to him and he can speak English fluently and I was so
constantly engaged in conversations with him. We discussed on the places to
visit and the documentations required. We had to give him the proofs to get
permit for visiting Bum-La pass and other lakes in that area.
Later in the evening, he drove us to a place where skiing is
very famous during winters. It was a plain grass land now and a very clear sky.
Tashi went to his car and came back with a flask. He poured in three cups and
it looked like plain milk – he called it ‘Namak
Chai’. The sun was setting, and the moon was full rising slowly, a starry
sky, a breeze that’s chilly but not freezing, a hot butter tea and when I was
just missing some mild music – she started humming one of my favorites – I
could not have asked for a better evening than this.
“If only you had told me your plans the previous night, I
would have woken up early and would have come with you. Why didn’t you? Why are
you roaming alone here? You are okay, right? Happy?” I kind of asked all that’s
running in my mind for two days now.
She looked at me surprised for a moment and started, “I am
somewhere between ok and happy... Hmmm, my mom wants me to get married but I
can’t tell them. And, now I came for a colleague’s marriage to attend in
Guwahati and thought I will extend my vacation a bit. But I did send you a text
on the plan and timings last night and you were fast asleep after reading that.
I should be angry with you now. Oh wait... Did you get it?”
“You did? The last message was your ‘Good Night’ after many
years!” I thought I took a sly dig at her. Some sense of excitement spread through
me when she mentioned ‘I can’t tell them’.
Is she telling about me? Damn. Is this how it is supposed to feel?
“Bro… I think she is talking to you and you can come out of
your dream land”, my brain brought me back to the senses.
Her brows raised and she had a ‘huh! you are telling me this’ look showing her phone and said,
“Never mind. Am sorry! Sent it to your old number by mistake!”.
My heart was in a confused state as who to respond to – the
brain or her. In those minimum flashing moments, I could take a glimpse of her
mobile screen with a few ‘Good Nights’ above
the actual message in the one-sided conversation.
There are only two sides to the life, same as a coin – Everyone is right, or Everyone is wrong!
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