Fifth Day


Since it faces south, among many purposes that our third floor veranda serves, drying wet laundry tops the list. There are two T-shaped shafts at each end of the railing that serve as the support for the nylon rope on which the wet clothes hang pretty much every day. It didn’t look like that light blue rope has lost any of its strength in the past 15 years.

Raam lives in the one-bedroom quarter behind the house. You can see his room from the veranda. He has lived there since he came to help us with our household chores in 1993. He has nested that room for so long that he pleads nostalgia every time we ask him to move to the main house.

My fifth afternoon in Nepal was quite breezy. I was in the veranda educating my father about GOOGLE when the gust picked up. Though the plastic clippers clamped the clothes on the nylon rope, a strong wind of gust routinely flapped them and turned them upside down. And one particular gust was so powerful it ripped off my father’s favorite shirt from the rope. Our reflex action was too slow, before we could react, the shirt bungee-jumped on to the ground next to Raam’s room.

“Raamey, Raamey, Raamey,’ screamed my father.

I volunteered to go down and pick up the shirt myself. My father wouldn’t let me, he was adamant: “He’s in his room, let him bring it.” That followed three more piercing yells of Raam’s homified name, Raamey. Raam did not respond. What happened next left me speechless.

I saw my father run to his room and pick up his cordless. He dialed a number. It was Raam’s number.

Raam has a cell phone. Let me rephrase that sentence: Raam, our Raam, tehi Raam ke, has a cell phone. I don’t think you get it, let me repeat: Raam has a cell phone.

Raam’s brother Lalit who is a ‘Laahure’ in Qatar (or some country as fanatical) has bought Raam a cell phone. I myself have never seen a cell phone that expensive. That phone has more functions than that of Dick Cheney in the Bush White House.

Now that I come to think about it, not just Raam, everyone in Nepal has a cell phone. In a country that has an unemployment rate of 42% and a female literacy of 35%, everyone carries a cell phone. Everyone walks like one of his hands is his Siamese twin attached to his ear. I don’t know what they talk about, but you see people constantly talking. Everyone walks like they don’t care how unimportant they are.

You go to a restaurant for 15 minutes, ten cell phones ring—and everyone has a unique ringer. The one I liked the most, rang: “Yo Radio Nepal ho, Durgaa Nath Sharma Bata Samachaar Sunnuhos.” As annoyed I was with the cell phones that had me rolling on the floor.

That evening, I took my brother to Bhatbhateni department store. I have not met a person in Kathmandu who does not rave about that store. Having seen so little so far, I have already learned to curb my enthusiasm. So my expectations were not high. But I was pleasantly surprised to see the store. It looks or feels nothing like Nordstrom, Wal-Mart, or even a mini K-Mart, but it has its own appeal. It was cozy and homey—and the workers are well trained.

A young woman followed us everywhere in the store. She helped us find everything we were looking for. When we were done shopping, my brother said, “He’s going to pay with his credit card.” A moment of silence followed. Suddenly, I saw a newfound respect for me in that young woman’s eyes. Like a horny nurse attending a handsome patient, she said, “Wait here sir. I’ll take care of you.”

The news quickly spread in the store. Everyone in the store looked at me as if they wanted to ask: “Way to go sir. Is it Visa or MasterCard?”

His head bowed, another clerk begged my pardon: “Sir, since you’re paying with your credit card, you need to proceed downstairs.” Then the man opened the door with utmost respect.

When I went downstairs, the woman at the register shouted, “Sir, you’re paying with your credit card, right? Please come over here. I’ll take care of you.”

The clerk upstairs had already described my physique to the cashier downstairs. Everyone’s eyes fixed at me, I advanced to the counter. Like other cash paying ordinary people, I did not need to stand in line. I watched the cashier charge my credit card. I had never felt so proud to see someone swipe my Visa card. When she was done, she wiped my card with a piece of eyeglasses cleaning cloth and handed it over to me with her both hands.

The credit card holder’s brother was quite overwhelmed.

To be continued…

Are you serious?what did you buy so much stuff in that store?
I could not find any clothes or shoes that i liked.however i spent Rs1500 on junk food:)
i should have paid with CC.had i known that.:)

it's not like wal-mart. so you can get any shirts or shoes there. it's more like a Fortino or any other grocery store (mainly dry food + cosmetics).

sorry, "... can get any ....." = " ...can NOT get any .....". it's like K-Mart, Shopper's Drug Mart, etc, not like Wal-Mart.

entertaining

Spotlighted the reality here! Nice work!

GUD WORK

KEE WRITING
VB

Por favor senor do complete the e-story.

Had a similar experience, save for the credit card part. Also had trouble finding an ATM machine. But then again, I was in Nepal for only two weeks. But holy moly, seems like the buildings have become jammed together. I guess after the Maoist insurrection, too many people hunkered down in Kathmandu. In the good ol' days, when I was in Kathmandu, we would regularly find khets and unused plots of land where we could play cricket and what have you. Things have really changed it seems. Then again, I went to Nepal for only two weeks, after 8 and a half years in the United States. Some things really did overwhelm me.

yeah it's okay u pay with the credit card .. but make sure that have them look your id when u r buying...on the other hand .. there are stores in kathmandu which take your credit card information and used it from somewhere else..it once happened that one of the store in kathmandu used my credit card .. so beaware .. and enjoy hometown

Sum Off.
WE NEED SIXTH DAY!!!!!
i heard somewhere that you don't feel like writing any more.Common man.We love it .Keep writing.

Yeah sum off, we need you to continue. I even think you should continue this journal until your last day in Nepal and then publish an online book or something. You are exceptionally talented bro. Keep on writing!!!

Nice post... wouldn't fit my description of GOOD though.
I think there was a bit..hmm... on second thoughts quite alot of exaggeration on the CREDIT CARD part. Like two years back in Nepal, I remember shopping at department stores like Bath Bhateini, Kasthamandap, Blue Bird etc. with my father and he posessed credit cards, I cannot remember a single incident where they made a big fuss about him having a Visa or a Mastercard! Nor can I remember him receiving any royal treatment like wiping his card "with a piece of eyeglasses cleaning cloth." I don't know maybe it was just a different era back then! Wow! I fancy you having all those royal treatments back there! Take it easy!

They don't give a shiit about credit cards in KTM anymore!!

I have the similar experiance about the bhat-bhatini and I shoped around Nrs. 5,000/ and when I paid with my credit card my mom was amazed. Yesto pani paisa huchha ta??? yo ta plastic ko card matrai dekhchhu ma ta!!! I felt so good to explain her later when I came home how it works and she was amazed as well.

Hey all,
Stop complaining about credit cards!!!
look how well the writer adds the humor .It is spieces.Com'on give him a break.He is just trying to make it fun and entertaining .This is Semi- fiction.Just read .It is good read.Nice and Entertaining.You guys should start writing stories all non-fictions Ok!!

are you serious about the cell phone thing in Nepal? my oh my! Nepal is really doing well on the technology side only if not for the suspensions.


waiting eagerly for the "6th day" keep 'em coming.

Great piece of writing again! Have loved all your writings so far.. Can't wait for the 6th day;)

I absolutely agree with ImI.

sum_off,
once again a nice composure..

when r me/we gonna get blessed with ur wonderful sixth, seventh, eighth and ninethday (O:

gr8 work ...love to read the sixth day ..