The Magic Carpet

1.

"The bus is going to leave us Brijesh, hurry up", shouted Salina to her brother who was hastily looking for his homework. "Just a minute, I'm tying my shoe laces", lied Brijesh in fear of receiving an earful from his mother and sister.
He just couldn't remember the last place he had left his copy in a rush, so he could go out and play. Now, he would either spend the rest of the day poised as a 'chicken' outside the principal's office, or experience the wrath of his mother. Finally, he gave up the search and ran downstairs, past his mother and sister, and into the awaiting micro-bus.
"This boy will someday bring the house down with his running", sulked their mother, who then handed Salina their bus fare for the day and saw her off.

Brijesh had occupied his usual seat at the very end of the vehicle, next to the window, and had saved one for his sister. However, she preferred the seats closer to the door so that it would be easier to exit, but did not want to have a redundant arguement with her brother. So she unwillingly sat beside him with a big sigh.

"How was your weekend Brijesh?", asked Asim Dai, the driver. To which his sister replied,"Of course he had his usual fun", and with a cold look towards Brijesh, continued,"It's us who have to put up with his devilry." But poor Brijesh was too occupied with the thought of his inevitable punishment that was to come later that day.
Asim chuckled at Salina's reply and so did the rest of the passengers, which wasn't a lot, as it was one of the first stops.
Pujan, the conductor-boy seemed rather downbeat on the day and seated at the front, reflectively staring out of the window. Mr. Ganga Lal Poudel, the unofficial village advisor on almost any issue, noticed this as he entered, for he was accustomed to Pujan's enthusiastic greetings. "What's wrong with your apprentice today?", he asked hushedly to Asim. With another one of his signature chuckles he replied,"Love sir, love. The very reason that's breeding a lousy generation."
Pujan didn't seem pleased with Asim's remarks and blatantly heaved a sigh of resentment.
Mr. Ganga Lal was a bit more sympathetic towards his cause, and with a consolatory pat on his shoulder said,"Don't stress so much boy, things have a way of working out eventually."
Pujan acknowledged it by turning back towards Mr. Ganga Lal and cracked a slight smile as if to say 'thank you', then returned into his sentimental bubble.

It was barely five in the morning but the summer sun was already glistening in the sky; radiating its warmth to this beautiful place called Goldhunga. Twenty minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the city of Kathmandu, was this completely refreshing ecosystem that had been scarcely touched by modern elements.
The land was mostly terraced for agricultural purposes which was the reason why the landscape appeared lush green and invigorating. Most of the houses were still composed of mud; buildings were few and dispersed here and there.

Bang! The sound of metal colliding with what was assumably a rock, rattled the commuters. "Damn, this God-forsaken road", snarled Asim as he tried to weave the vehicle through a cluster of potholes. "Weren't they going to lay down the asphalt in April?", questioned Asim to Mr. Ganga Lal through the rear-view mirror. "Have some patience young-blood. Changes will come over time", responded Mr. Ganga Lal in a calm and convincing manner. With a sarcastic giggle Asim commented,"At this rate, the only changes we are going to see are the dents in my bus."

The bus arrived at the VDC building, which was where most of their passengers got on and, it was a sight not recommended for the faint-hearted. Like ants trying to enter their nest; a hoard of men,women and children forced their way in. The fortunate ones even grab themselves a seat but the remainder are forced to stand along the gaps.
Among the lucky boarders are two of Asim's patrons- Prem kazi and Bobby.
Wriggling his way ahead of Bobby, Prem Kazi greedily accommodates himself in a small portion of the seat left beside Mr. Ganga Lal.
Grinning victoriously from ear to ear, he goes,"Phew! A little rest for my aging back finally."
Nobody paid heed to his crafty ways of declaring his withering body because, Prem Kazi was an individual who was known for his perversive nature. A string of incidents led to the people in the village, to establish him as a person, an although harmless, but one who is to be kept an arm's length from. More on that later.

Bobby, on the other hand, was loud in his own comical ways. His taste in apparels and overall style was fascinating for the village-folk, and more so for Salina and Brijesh. The duo would start giggling and whispering clever remarks into each other's ears, sometimes blurting out a loud shrieking laughter which turned a few heads.
"Do you think he can see anything through those glasses?", asked Salina sarcastically, and pointing towards the pitch-black sunglasses Bobby had on. Brijesh tried to peer through the crowd and with a gleeful smile said,"I bet he can't; or he would be able to see how he has dressed himself up as well." And they both laughed heartily to it.
The bus had become overcrowded at this point and would remain that way until it arrived at the bypass. Pujan was now up and bustling; hanging from a bar that protruded above the entrance.
The bus would make multiple stops along the way and the route ran through the Balaju intersection-Naya Bazaar-The palace and ended at the bus station in Ratnapark. It usually takes an hour or so to make the journey, depending on the traffic in the city. But you'd think that would come in the way of these drivers. How first-world of you.

A mere commuter-bus brings together so many, different personalities and perceptions on a daily basis. A grander philosophy would say that the very earth we thrive on is a vehicle and mankind its passengers. But let's save that for another day.
"Wake up, mister. Wake up", said a feint voice, as I struggled to distinguish reality from imagination. It was probably the owner of that voice tugging on my sleeve, because of which I startled out of my sleep.
"This is the last stop mister, and you also owe me twenty rupees unless you have a student ID ", claimed Pujan. I pulled out the twenty I had set aside before I even got into the bus, handed it over to him and yawned my way out of the empty bus.
The sun was burning-hot and with no clouds coming to my aid, I had to squint my eyes as I crossed the road via the over-bridge, like most people out here do.

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Dai : an elder brother or elder male individual.
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The second chapter will be published shortly. Thank you.