My happiness

 Ngultrum 1850, I dug deep into my pockets several times and checked every possible hiding place in my wallet, I counted and recounted Nu1850 was all I had. This was the balance I was left with from my first ever salary from my new job.

 

I was so excited getting a job a month back and now a month later I am thinking what I would tell my parents. Soon after an American tourist tested covid 19 positive the border closure was announced. Panic buying started everywhere. My parents advised me several times to stock up things to last at least a few months

 

How could I tell them that I had only Nu1850? More than half my salary went into paying the house rent and other bills. With some amount I bought utensils, mattress and quilt for my parents. I had got them to live with me.   I was their pride and I could see that on their faces when they happily told, “we are going to live with our son in Thimphu” to every villager we met on the way.  I wanted to give them the best I could.

 

 

My father talked about India China war of 1962 when shells were heard whizzing overhead.  Indian soldiers were massacred and it was believed that some Chinese soldiers had crossed into Bhutan.  He talked about the bitter experience his family faced with limited food.   

 

All I remember is my childhood days in my village in the east. There were no motorable road to my village and it took two days on foot. It was easier to cross the border to  Tawang (India) than to come to Trashigang town for groceries.  How I loved then going to Tawang as I was always lucky to get chewing gums and Indian biscuits.

 

Life was difficult in a remote village. All summer my father was wide-awake almost all nights protecting our crops from wild animals. My father stepped out every evening after dinner to sleep in the field.  The only friend he had then was his kerosene wicker lamp and an old tin hung above his head, which he beat from time to time. I realize only now, how tough it might have been for him to stay up whole night and work in the field the next day from dawn to dusk. After all the backbreaking work all we had were few sacks of grains to barely last us for an year.

 

“Karma..Karma” loud sound of someone calling me shook me from my reverie. It was my father. The television was blaring and the Prime minister had just stepped on the podium to make an announcement. He announced that “enough food was stocked” and we didn’t have to worry. I breathed a sigh of relief. “See father” I told “we need not worry”. I didn’t listen to the rest of the announcement as I walked into my room. I was happy I didn’t have to tell my parents that I had only NU1850. I had enough to keep them happy. Another month another salary and I would manage.