The street looked like an unfinished painting. So much of the canvas was still perfectly white as if waiting for the artists hand to return. The morning light struggled through the murky clouds, but even in its weakness it was enough to blind. The air was of course cold.
The street was in peaceful somber until the days activities began. But you could hear the sound of the creaking bed and shadow befall on the walls lit by dim lights. You could also hear soft murmurs. Aum Wangmo is up early as usual and began her days work much early than others. No sooner did she wake up she would also wake up her lazy sons only to doze off after few minutes of waking them.
The churning of the butter tea echoed through the cold tiled floor. It would no sooner wake up the neighbours to let them also join in chorus. Aum Wangmo is a fair skinned chubby stout lady who runs a hotel in the middle of Chamkhar town. In her youth she was a pearl that many men tried to woe her but her heart only fell for one man. She bore four children from that man whom she thought the world with but the situation changed by his betrayal. Now she is a single independent working lady.
Her broken marriage completely led to the revolution of her life. Sometimes when we sat together for some leisure hours she would narrate the story with a teary eyes. It began.. it was dark and stormy night, the rain fell in torrents except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the street, rattling along the house tops, fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamp that struggled against the darkness.
There was a knock on the door. Deep in her heart she was overjoyed as it was the time for the arrival of her husband. It was the best time of the day where she would simply luxuriate in the presence of this manly figure. Her husband Tshering has a tanned complexion, thick beard, muscular body and was a man of few words but a man of wisdom. He held a prestigious position where he was respected by both his subordinates and the ordinary people around. He worked and mostly lived in another city.
As soon as Wangmo opened the door she noticed something unusual about him. She let it slip as she thought it would be a work pressure. As she let him in and served dinner she observed his frown all the while. It was in the dead of the night when the telephone rang three times and the voice at the other end asking for someone who she was not.
The following day, Wangmo planned something. She planned to do something otherwise she would have never ever thought of. She called her relatives when her husband left for work as always. She fed her children and put them to bed. She closed her shop early and set out at midnight. The entourage followed the bumpy road until they met a dark figure who showed them clear direction to their destination. Then the entourage resumed their journey. In the stillness of the night only the chirping of the crickets could be heard.
They stopped in front of a shop which seemed semi-closed. Two brothers stepped out of the car and went towards that shop. In the shop behind the counter they spotted a tall slim woman who had a pointed nose, specks parked on the nose tip and fully freckled face. She looked rather stern. Two brothers asked for a drink which the woman offered hesitantly. As the woman was moving about with some minor chores the two brothers spotted a pile of empty boxes that blocked the door leading inside.
One of the brother immediately and silently got up rushing to open that door. In the far corner of the room on a bed was Wangmo's husband already readied to share bed with another woman. He called his sister and entourage to declare what they had been hearing for decades was indeed true. A chubby woman whose identity still remains confidential came to Wangmo and told her about her husbands infidelity. But Wangmo was bother less since she trusted her husband so much. That midnight it was proven true. Her husband was trust less.
Witnessing such a thing Wangmo dropped on the floor and warm tears flowed like a wild gushing river. Her eyes were completely dripped with tears. Her walls, the walls that held her up, made her strong just... collapsed. Moment by moment, they fell. Salty drops fell from her chin, drenching her shirt. Perhaps these tears will help wash the blood out. She was anything but innocent. She was trembling. It's raw, everything, raw tears, raw emotions.
Who would have expected such a thing after 18 years of marriage ? This was the official end to her marriage.
The prayers flags fluttered through the cool breeze blessing the city with life enriching values. Wangmo witnessed her life being blessed as well as torn apart. Yet her heart was seeking for an answer to the question which did not seem to bother the people surrounding her life. With every breath she took she realised how fortunate she was to be alive and witness the changes.
Contributed by
Karma Tshoki.