Meeting somebody you already know at a place unexpectedly brings a smile to your face and happiness to your heart.

It was a hot summer day. The sun felt like a burning fire. My inner-wears had been soaked in sweat. The crowd at the transportation office was irritating. The money-minded clerks and the fluke-like license brokers would not let anyone go without their bloodsucking. Like thousands of other victims, we two, my brother-in-law and I, could not come out of their cobwebs.

Parshu Shrestha

It’s hot, very hot. We could not stand in the sun, even for a minute. It’s scorching hot out there. So, we were standing under the shadow at a corner for a little comfort from the heat of the sun. I doubted if other people were also feeling hot at that moment. They all were busy in their own ways.

The broker had just finished paper works for the license renewal and had gone into the office across the lane for the further official process. He had told us to wait for some time at the place where we two were standing. We didn’t have any clue how long it, the wait, would be.

A swarthy young man with stub on cheeks and chin was moving around the tables of the license brokers with a tray in his left hand. His right hand was busy holding teacups and serving them to people. He approached us, and I saw his eyes wide and bright when he looked at my brother.

“Oh, Prabin dai! How are you? Why are you here, dai?” The young man’s voice surprised my brother.

“Oh, bhai! Are you not Dinesh? What’s up, buddy?” he asked.

“Why are you here, dai?”

“To have my license renewed, bhai. What do you do nowadays?”

“I’m running a hotel. It’s there, just inside.”

The young man indicated towards a narrow hallway with his right index finger. We both looked in that direction. There was a small billboard standing on the ground. It was clear that there was a fast-food corner. It was attractive with the pictures and a price chart of different dishes.

“Let’s go inside, dai. Let me serve you a cold drink on this hot day,” the boy sounded a generous host. He held Prabin’s hand and led him toward his restaurant.

“It’s ok, bhai,” said Prabin courteously, and followed him like an obeying child, “Don’t bother for it, but I think we should see your restaurant once, at least.”

I followed them because, otherwise, I would remain alone there. While entering the restaurant, Prabin told me softly that the young boy was his erstwhile neighbor.

The restaurant was a big hall, well decorated with many lights on the ceiling. There were some tables and chairs. In a corner, a young couple was eating momo with gulps of chilled coca-cola. At the table near us were four youths drinking beer while smoking cigarettes. I felt pity on them. What a taste! Chilled beer with cigarette.

“Do you know him, bhinaju?” Prabin dragged my wandering attention towards him. He was showing the same young man who was now sitting opposite to me at the round table.

“Huh? No. Not exactly.” I replied.

“He was very young when he left Letang.” He explained to me, “His house was the big two-story wooden house at the chowk, opposite to Thakur’s.”

“I see. I might have seen him, but I don’t remember because it’s already been many years since I left Letang.” The young man heard me attentively saying this to Prabin.

“Dai, please have some cold drinks.” He got up and went to the counter.

“No, no, it’s ok. Water will be enough for us.” Prabin meant it that his hospitality itself was more than enough.

“No, it’s ok, dai. Please have this.” The young man returned with two bottles of chilled Sprite, and offered them to us.

“One will be enough for us, bhai.” I held one bottle, and said to him with gratefulness, “We’ll share it.”

“It’s ok, bhinaju.” He insisted, “Take one for each of you.”

Prabin held another bottle of Sprite and looked at me with his squint eye. See, how much this boy does respect and value us. Perhaps he wanted to say that.

Prabin and the young man kept talking about many other things. I had nothing to talk about, so I kept gulping the sweet liquid down my throat while listening to them.

It had already been more than fifteen minutes when we finally realized it was time to get up. The license broker might have started searching us for further processes in the office. Therefore, we got up to go.

We felt very happy and grateful to that young entrepreneur for the Sprite he had served us.

“Congrats once more, bhai, for your new business! Wish you good luck and progress!” Prabin said while getting up.

“Thanks, dai,” said he politely.

We were still feeling much uncomfortable at the young man’s hospitality. At the same time, we felt valued by him. However, courtesy had to be observed. Therefore, Prabin asked the generous host, out of courtesy, how much the cost of the two bottles of Sprite would be. We both were sure that he would say, “No, no. It’s from me. You needn’t pay for it.” Or something like that.

But to our surprise, he replied, “A hundred rupees only, dai.”

He dragged us into his restaurant, offered the cold drinks showing his hospitality, and now was demanding for its price! Moreover, the price he demanded was twenty rupees more than the usual one.

Prabin’s face turned pink and then red with excitement and anger. I was also stunned and had no idea what to do. Then, Prabin felt his pocket, but he had no change. I took my purse out and gave him a hundred rupee note. Then, he paid the money to the man, and we came out.

I was surprised at the young man’s behavior. I could not stop myself giggling, while Prabin blabbered with rage, “What a boy! He took us to his restaurant, forced us to drink Sprite, and charged money for that!”

When I don’t find any word for the remark in any situation, I just giggle. So, I giggled and giggled repeatedly for some more minutes while we walked out of the restaurant.