WILL YOU, MY DEAR SON? a short story...

Photo: brett-jordan-unsplash

By LB THAPA 

Originally this story was published in The Kathmandu Post

Bishal was raised by his single mother, Chandramaya. Chandramaya never spoke about his father. What Bishal knew about his father was from the elderly people of his village. They told him that his father had abandoned his mother when he was a year old. And when Bishal asked them that why his father had deserted his mother; they told him that their parents would constantly quarrel with each other. 

 

“Many times your mother had called for panchayat (the village council) to hear her plea. We did warn your father a number of times for mending his ways but he was adamant. He was such a drunkard that it was absolutely impossible to find him standing on his two feet---he would always lurch from wall to wall. Well, then one day all of a sudden your father disappeared. Your grandmother went straight to a local police station and filed a case against your mother. Your grandmother was absolutely sure that your mother must have killed your father and buried him somewhere. The case continued until your grandmother was alive. She died when you were merely five years old and the case was also dismissed”, said Dhan Prasad, the octogenarian man of the village. However, Bishal never asked about his father’s mysterious disappearance from his mother.

 

Bishal’s mother was not educated but she wanted his only son should go to study abroad and make a better living. In order to secure her son’s future, Chandramaya left Nepal for Dubai when Bishal was preparing for his SSE exam.   

 

After completing +2 in the management stream from Myagdi Multiple Campus, Bishal made up his mind to go abroad for higher education. Chandramaya did also like the idea and she promised to support him in every possible way. Bishal first tried for the USA from a local education consultancy in Myagdi. But he was refused a study visa for the USA. Later, he visited Pokhara and applied for the USA through an education consultancy. However, despite his best efforts Bishal was once again rejected for the study visa for the USA. Later, he did apply to different other countries for the study visa, but every time he was unsuccessful. Bishal was hopeless and eventually dropped the idea of going abroad for higher education---he returned to Myagdi with a heavy heart.

 

When Bishal’s mother came to know that how her son’s endeavor to study abroad could not be materialized, she was extremely sad. About that time Bishal’s friend Shirish who was studying in a college in Pokhara told him about an opportunity to go to Canada on a working visa. Later, Shirish told Bishal that he had received all that information about the working visa to Canada from Kanchan, who lives in Kathmandu. Shirish did also give Kanchan’s phone number to Bishal.

 

When Bishal phoned Kanchan, but her phone was picked up by Rakshya, Kanchan’s younger sister. Rakshya gave the phone to Kanchan. Bishal gave the reference of his friend Shirish who had given him her phone number. Kanchan spoke with Bishal as if she knew him for a long time. Anyway, she gave the address of Diwakar, who was running a manpower agency at Putalisadak, Kathmandu.

 

After about one week, Bishal left Pokhara for Kathmandu. But before he left for Kathmandu he gave his two-month-old puppy to Supriya, his neighbor. She was also a great dog lover. Supriya assured Bishal not to worry about his puppy as she would take care of him very well. When Supriya went to school she would leave the puppy with her elder sister Pabitra. Most of the time Pabitra would stay at home as she was waiting for her college result.

 

After reaching Diwakar’s office at Putalisadak, Bishal was surprised at seeing such a well-decorated office. Perhaps it was for the first time when Bishal had seen such an elegant office. When Bishal was still conversing with Diwakar, two boys and one girl came to the office and each one of them paid five lakh rupees to Diwakar and received their passports. They looked hard at their passports and the visa and were satisfied. In the meantime, Diwakar received a phone call and he went to another room and continued talking on the phone. Taking the advantage of Diwakar’s absence, Bishal introduced himself to them and took their phone numbers. Only from them did Bishal come to know that how their friends had managed to get a working visa to Canada from the same manpower agency. This very conversation with those people assured Bishal that he was in fact in a right place.   

 

“Diwakar ji, actually I have also come here with the intention of going to Canada. I came to know about you through Shirish. He got all the information from Kanchan”, said Bishal nervously.

 

“I understand”, said Diwakar and continued. “You have come through a very reliable channel. Kanchan is my most trustworthy assistant. I will definitely not disappoint you. But, yes! You have only three days to deposit five lakh rupees. This is the only spot where I can fix you. At this time, I can only manage one working visa…not more than that. Moreover, you should also fill this form and put your photo and one photo of your nearest keen…well, they can be either your Mom or Dad”, advised Diwakar.  

 

“Yes, Diwakar ji, I got your point, and please fix this spot for me. I promise you that within three days I will pay you five lakh rupees…that is sure”, said Bishal confidently. Upon this Diwakar asked Divya, his secretary, to provide bank details of his account to Bishal. Diwakar told Bishal that he would get a call or a message on his mobile in 10 to 15 days. Then he should come to Kathmandu to collect his passport and visa. Bishal did leave his passport at Diwakar’s office and left for Myagdi.

 

Bishal’s happiness knew no bounds. He was convinced of getting a working visa to Canada. After having rejected a student visa a number of times, now Bishal was sure of getting a working visa to Canada. After all his dream of going abroad was going to be fulfilled very soon.

 

Bishal had a video phone with his mother and said that how an opportunity has come on his way to go to Canada on a working visa. Bishal’s excitement of going to Canada did also satisfy his mother. Chandramaya did encourage her son to go ahead.

 

Chandramaya did manage the money and sent it to Bishal through IME. Bishal went to a nearby IME center where his school friends Kritika and Bhumi were at the teller. They immediately released the money and deposited it in Bishal’s account. Bishal then deposited the amount on Diwakar’s account.

 

Bishal was waiting for the call or a message from Diwakar. However, twenty days past but he received no phone call or a message from Diwakar. Bishal grew tensed and he began thinking of something ominous. Bishal phoned Diwakar several times but his phone was never responded. Bishal was then almost sure he was duped. Bishal made up his mind to go to Kathmandu at the earliest possible. He asked his close friend Dipesh to give his company to go to Kathmandu. Dipesh agreed.

 

Bishal’s anticipation was right. There was no manpower office. The very floor had already been occupied by an education consultancy. And no one had any information about the manpower agency.

 

Bishal could not resist his tears and began crying like a child. Dipesh consoled him but to no avail. Bishal continued crying for a long time. His only fear was that how to face his mother and tell her that how he had wasted her hard-earned money.

 

Bishal received his mother’s phone calls and every time she wanted to know about the progress of his working visa to Canada. Bishal did not want to upset his mother, but at the same time, it was not possible to hide the truth for a long time.

 

The day Bishal wanted to tell everything true to his mother, he received a message on his mobile. The message was from Diwakar. It was a long message.

 

“Before it is too late I felt it is necessary to send you this message. Please read this message till the end, it is very important. First of all, don’t worry about your money. I have already deposited your five lakh rupees into your account. You can confirm it. I’m sorry for all the trouble that I have given you. I beg your pardon for that.

 

“I could have never known about you if you had not pasted your mother’s photo in the form that you had filled in my office. I think now you must have understood who I am…Yes, I’m your unfortunate Dad who had left you and your mother when you were merely a toddler.

 

“My dear son, please give me one chance. I’m ready to mend my ways. I want to come back to my family. I want my son back and I want my wife back. All this is possible only if you wish to convince your mother…Will you, my dear son?”   

LB Thapa is a Pokhara-based freelance writer and author. 

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