Chapter 3 Separation at phuentsholing

It was around nine past ten in the morning one day when Dollar John and I were old grandpa Nyakam making a visit to the monastery. He cleaned it thoroughly, made water offerings to the altar, and recited some prayers. As soon as he finished playing, he took us from the altar and packed us in a red plastic made from polythene and put it inside his Gho's pocket. He wanted to travel to phuentsholing to do necessary shopping for the monastery. After having found a taxi, he began his journey.The driver and the grandpa Nyakam conversed over various topics and then began to sing along with the loud music played in the taxi.They sang, thus along with the music.

Oh! On the gorgeous hill that attracts my mind,

Alas! Is the cloud

And my love, the cloud has disappeared from the hill.

They were on the top worth!. This tune had neen their favorite until they reached the town. The song that they sang so loud was so pleasing in our ears that Dollar John and I literally thought of dancing inside the grandpa's pocket. For a moment, we had forgotten our new fate awaiting us. I wandered about where is this old Nyakam taking us Dollar John and I, the money from the most peaceful and happy place in the monastery.We felt nausea and vomiting inside the taxi, and by the time Dollar John informed me that we reached the town, it was already 3'o clock.

Later in the evening, we were in the Indian town across the border. Dollar John had a glance of many of his countrymen in varying denomination in an old rusted metallic money box belonging to the Indian vendor with long graying beard and dark hands.They looked sick and poverty stricken resembling long period of famine in the confined environment where hungry ghosts dwell. They appeared pathetic for lack of food,water, sleep, rest, and in dire need of help shedding oceans of tears in pain.

At that moment, I, Money, was terribly disturbed by the thought of myself becoming a victim in that rusted box. Meanwhile, Grandpa Nyakam spoke with the vendor in a strange language incomprehensible to us. A little later, Grandpa Nyakam was handed over five pairs of metallic butter lamps wrapped in black plastic by inky hands. In return, Grandpa squeezed his hands into the pocket, grabbed the red plastic, and took out my friend Dollar John. My worst fear has come to reality, with only a difference. It was my friend in my place. Nyakam handed over John to the vendor, who instantly put it into his rusted box.

I was terrified. As a saying goes, 'a mind in fear begets devil', grandpa Nyakam became hungry and thirsty in the hot weather of India. He looked for a restaurant nearby and walked into the Dema hotel.He placed his orders, and it was instantly served. He savored the food and the drinks and rested for a while. A moment later, I was completely petrified when Nyakam took me out of the red plastic and handed me over to the hotelier in phuentsholing. I cried a lot and shed some seas of tears. I had no choice but to remain with the hotelier until the next moment I got t9 exchange again. That was our fate.

I was withdrawn from my proprietor as well as my nice-looking accomplice.

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