Gossiping with Thamel

Ishwor Kadel

Poet Ishwor Kadel

Last evening

Andrey- a Russian I knew a decade ago

took me to a restaurant in Chhetrapaati

where all the tables were occupied

drinking Tongba in silver pots

with varieties of buff meat

smoking cigarettes

and listening to the Bolleywood or Kolleywood songs of 90s.

An old man of 70

with a pretty long beard and mustache

from one of the busy tables

offered us seats calling me Hemingway.

To my surprise,

I looked at him...taller than I am

in a hat, a T-shirt and a trousers

been abstaining soap and water for so long

drinking waasa in a small glass

he smiled an artificial smile

offered his plate of buff chilly to taste

and said again that I looked like Hemingway.

He went on-

I am Michael

a doctor from Russia- a psychiatrist

a reputed one for so long

love cheapest of the cheap food and drink

only half plate

in the morning and the evening

you know, you look like Hemingway.

O dai-

add a glass of Waasa more

from the same bottle you offered me before

and a plate of spicy bhatmas

for this new friend

who looks like Hemingway.

Do you know how it feels when war breaks?

I said- yes, a bit. My country suffered domestic war for more than a decade.

Do you know how it feels to be a jobless at once?

I replied- I can imagine only.

Have you ever run away from your country to save your life?

I said- not yet..but have heard the story of the refugees.

Leave all these fuckin' things dear

Buff chilly, Choyeka, sukuti and Tongba or raksi

are tastier than our talks.

did I tell you something?

you look like Hemingway.

Andrey filled his Tongba pot with hot water the third time

moved the pipe slowly

and had a mouthfull of Tongba couple of times

and asked me- please tell us what you know about Russia - Ukraine war?

tell us what the media tells you.

I took a sip of local home- made raksi

chewed a piece of hot and spicy buff chhoyela

and told them about Russian armies in Russia- Ukraine border,

Creama and Lohnsk and Donestk of Ukraine envaded by Russia.

Michael was busy on using toothpick

he stopped for a while and said- "you are right" in his accent.

Andrey looked at me and just gave a smile.

he said- you are smarter than you look like.

Michael took two pieces of Chhoyela in his both hands

he said - the one on my right hand is the shark

and the other`s Santiago´s fish

and you look like Hemingway.

The smoke in the room had no escape

yet Michael and Andrey were smoking like other regular visitors did.

Andrey- you know, we have lost our jobs. The state wants the people join the war if we stay in Russia.

Michael- yes, we have to. And we hate the war.

many of us are going to other neighboring countries.

and Michael and I both chose Nepal.

like Santiago chose to fight with Marlin

and you look like Hemingway.

It´s 9:30, Andrey said.

Michael emptied his glass and ate the rest of MoMo on his plate

Andrey was still adding hot water in his Tongba

he said- this hotel serves tongba in cheap price- only 150/-

it has a good flavor.

I asked for the bill

the owner replied- 750/-

the wife of the owner said- Andey have to pay for 2 plates of MoMo this morning

the owner did the total sum

Andrey and Michael asked for leave with the other people in the hotel

and asked me- Can you give me 50/- rupees?

Michael wants to drink black tea

and both of us don´t have any money.

Thank you for the dinner dear Hemingway- Michael added.

I gave 150/- to Andrey

Andrey walked with me till Nursing Chok

we stood beside the coffee shop

the aroma of strong black coffee was around

Andrey asked me - Do you like black coffee?

I said- Do you mind a cup of black coffee?

he smiled and gave a thumps up

It was 10:30

Thamel was yet to get crowded

Andrew said- you don´t need to go to people

but people come here from every nook and corner at Nursing chok.

he gave me a hug

and said- when you lose everything you have owned, the universe starts offering you what it has.

I just smiled

and asked myself- What man lives by!!