Roger

Naresh didn't get the visa. Counselor lai tathanam mukh chhad.dai he was walking down south bound from American Embassy. He saw that khane pani ko property on his right and came down on it too. "ke yatrako khane paani? Pani sani kehi aaudaina tato na bhutlo sanga yatro jaggako naas-- karod rupya parla ropaniko ta yaha. Dakai daka!-- Now, he was walking right by that tree on the street. Loosely gripping his file he took that curve. "ma*&^% le visa diyena ba! Ma nepal farkine kuroma uslai biswas lagena rey!" mu** bhayo aba?" then he thought, 'farkina ta ma yo kuhya desh ma jh** ni farkinna ---tara ke ma kuro fuskyo fuskyo? Bank balance pani kusta dekhakai ho---ba aama didi bhai sappai chhan farkinchhu ni bhaneko hopaule gaath pelchha kam gardina bhanne hint ni dya hoaba khairelai-- kassam! --Dharo dharma-- tero massu khani --*vidya nas*--ta ke bhanai bho?". He was talking to himself. Visa pako bhe taxi chadera ghar jane bichar garya thyo, visa sisa udi halyo so he was walking down that paani pokhari ko oralo. He looked at the sign of Japan Embassy. "malai ta yai ma*&^%$ le japan jane visa de ni hunthyo---Americai janu parchha bhanne ni thiyena---tara yaha jhan kada chha rey bhanchhan---mu** garib desh ma janminu pani thulo paap re chha. Tyo Mu** dhotiland dekhi bahek katai jana namilne-visa nabhai. Then he remembered he could go to khasa without a visa then he countered his remembrance with "tyo khasa ma ke jh** khana jane?"---- Yai bhanubhakta ma padhya ho ni maile. He looked at the left side of the road and told that to himself as if he didn't know. He crossed the road walked down the oralo then turned left. "Mathikai galli bata ga bhe ni huni ni ma mu** pani feri", Naresh was frustrated. He came out to baluwatar maharaj gunj road through PM residence. As he passed that residence of PM, tyaha pani visa napako jhok dekhayo "yo mu** daka lai kina yatro niwas chahiyo? Dera ma nabasera?" there was no one to answer his question. He looked at the gate with angry look but as soon as his angry look met with those of army man he quickly looked at the wall on the other side. Mutu panu dhykka garyo. Took right on that baluwatar-maharajgung road. Came back home and lied on his bed playing loud music. Nobody asked him anything. They all knew Nare lai counselor le loppwa khwaidiyo.

Few days later, Naresh went to the Embassy again. Different counselor was there that day. Baluwatar dekhi pashpati sammaka jammai devi/deutalai laharai samjhyo. Dasha lageko re chha, he got the visa. Took the taxi and came back home. Bachhama jhagada garera tauko futale dekhi naboleko Dinseh lai samet "ke chha Dinesh?" bhanyo Nareshe le tyo din. He came back home with a big smile. Everybody new, Naresh got it. Mom was happy and sad at the same time but Naresh was all happy.

Came to the US early 90s ko summer end ma. "Myasachyusets" ma thyo Nare. Sommerville ma base pani bhanna sajilo sabailai "boston" bhanthyo. Greater Boston ta aakhir ho nai. "Aba ke kam garne?" padhna aako Naresh lai "work" le piryo. kam nai payena, Nare le. He was hearing a lot about "uh bo pen" lately. So, he visited one of the stores there. Angreji bolna lagyo ki ta Naresh lai dar lagthyo. Jhan tyasmathi khairele bujhenara Nare le dohryaunu paryo bhane ta Nareko swar kamna thalthyo. Gathered enough courage that day and entered a "uh bo pen" store. Liked the smell in the cafétook a deep breath. He was looking for a manager. Mutu dhuk dhuk ufrina thali sakya thyo, Nareko. For a second he thought, hya bhaigo. Then he said to himself, yastai garera kati choti pasal ma chhirdai niskidai gari sake---aaja ta niskine kurai chhaina nasodhi--malai aba apartment mai aayera ta kasle kaam dinchha ta?" Then came a woman with a name inscribed brass looking plate over her provoking chest. "myanegar ni kya chwak aaimai re chha yaar" Naresh thought. He quickly rememberd Tangal ganesh then approached the manager and asked, "I am a student hereare you hiring?" saying "student" helps, he remembered a tip from his roommate. "Yes" the manager said with a smile and asked, "Where do you go?" Naresh told his "sankardev" style campus name. She asked if he has any experience. Again Nare remembered yet another tip and said that he used to work in a café in Nepal. "Good" she said and left asking if he would care for a coffee or something else. "coffee" Nare le yattikai bhandyo. He got the coffee and the manager got the application for him. He filled out the form. For experience he put down he worked in a café in Bhat bhateni. "Nam ke rakhne café ko?" he thought. Then he decided to take the opportunity to glorify his onesided maiya's name. He put down her name as the supervisor and name of the café was also "sweet bhawana café".

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Phone number afnai gharko rakhdyo. Manger very briefly went over the application and asked, "when can you start?". "Anytime" Naresh said. "Come back on Monday afternoon with Id and papers, will do the paperworks and go from there. And, yeah!, wear black pants and white shirt". Nare furung bho. Filene's ko chhidi (basement) ma luga kinna hinyo. After shopping, he entered the red line station from south boston. He was heading home. Inbound/outbound always confused him. He was still new. But as always, he took out bound as he used to going home from downtown. But at the next stop he realized "damn! Yo ma*&^% rel ta Quincy tira lagyo n'ta". What the ---. He got out and took another inbound train. South boston, down town,--govt.center-- charles/MGH, kendall sq., central sq., then after that noisy curve Harvard square, porter square then Davis sq. That's where he got off and came up. Looking at the statues there he asked to himself, "ko hun yi bhateharu?". He didn't know and obviously nobody answered. Facing west he moved on then turned right heading toward broadway.

He told his roommate about the job. Roommate was happy. He must have felt that now he can collect the apparent rent from Nare. Nare ta natra berojgar ni. "Paperwork bhanya ke garni ni? Id ni le bhanya chha". Nare told his roommate dude. The dude said, "well go to make the state ID tomorrow and take the social security with that state ID for paperwork". Nare took out his social and amilo anuhar layera bhanyo "Tara mero social security ma ta valid for work only with INS authorization bhanya chha ni ta? Chalchha yo?" Roommate dude said, yattikai ta chaldaina. Khurkinu parchha". Vime sanga magako Topaz blade le V ra A khurkera dekhyaidyo roommate le. Then he asked Nare to be careful in taking those letters out with the blade. He said, "khurki sake si pants ko khalti ma halera dhoidinu parchhaali kachyak kuchuk hunchha but works." Then Nare thought, "kina sabai khurkini? Valid for work chahi rakhna payeta fas klass bhai halyo ni---tara roommate le V ra A khurki sakyo. "valid for work" chahi rakhnu parne Nare said. "You will be the only in the US with such marking in the social", his roommate said. "take all those letters outkhaireko tyastai hunchha". Carefully Nare did what he was asked to do. Pants halera dhoyo pani darai darai.

Monday he got the job. There he met Roger. Roger was the one who was helping him with the register and food/beverage stuff. Naresh le nepal ma café ma kam garya latte hane pani khane kura ko naam ma tauko ma raato bhako bum (bun), pauroti, ra pastries bhanthe ke ke ho tyatti thah thyo. Kun turkey and cheese croissant, kun ham and cheese, kun corn muffin kun pumpkin muffin kun strawberry muffin, kun raspberry muffin kun ---sabai bhadragol. Nare ta chit chit. And this Roger dude was extra friendly. Roger nabhaidya bhe kun bela ma laaat hanera nikali sakthyo store le Narelai. In the beginning Nare was happy but later he was kinda confused. Roger dude used to talk all kinds of stuff but was friendly. Really. He was thankful to Roger for being so helpful to him.

One day Roger said let's go watch a movie in sony theater. Pahila ta Nare le "naai" bhanyo then Roger said "not this weekend but the next one. Come on Ray". Roger used to call Naresh "Ray". Arko hapta re chha manchhe ramrai chhahelpful chha--thikai chha ni ta man lage jamla bhanera "OK" bhandyo Nare le. Tyasko bholi palta dekhi dui char din Roger aayena. Nare didn't know where did he go. Jhan cinema herna jaani bhanthyo bhate, he thought. He asked Maria but Maria smiled at him and said "what do you care?" Then Nare asked nothing.

Before weekend, Roger came back. Naresh said "hi" to him. Roger as always smiled at Nare and showed his extra friendliness. "yo mu** kina yasto taal ko?" Nare asked again to himself. Roger was working at the register next to him. So, Naresh asked, "where have you been?" . "why? Did you miss me?" Roger asked back and winked at Nare. Nare smiled but thought, "ke taal ko mu** re chha---yellai ni ke miss garai bho ra tyo myanegarni lai bhe ta ---". "I was gone to the wedding." Roger pinched Naresh and said with a smile. "Whose wedding?" Naresh asked. "Mine" Roger answered. "Oh! Congratulation! You got married?" For many undefined reasons, Naresh was happy. "yep, with my baby" Roger winked again with a muskan. ---"So, you're in for the movie this weekend right? After movie we can go to my place and hang out" Roger said. Naresh thought, "janai paryo ni---yasko swasni ni heram na! Side side pani hanna mili halchha kibharkhar bya garya swasni---ghar pani lanchhu bhanchha janai paryo nike chhodai bhora mauka---" Nare was remembering those new brides in his tole. "Are you gonna introduce me with your wife?" Nare asked with a hope. He again remembered the Tangal ganesh. "You wanna?" Roger asked with his usual muskan but with some surprise. "Yeah" Nare said and was still remembering those brides, raato saari, raatai cholo, gar gahana ra jawani le jhuruppa---lajalu---yasko baby le raato saato ta ke lauthi gumto sumto ni hunna jhan jata tatai khulla" "yeah, I would love to" Naresh added. Since Nare was quite excited, he also wanted to know kati barsaki rechhe yaski swasni aathar unnais ki holi. For no reason he guessed those numbers. "Ke nam hola yaski swasni ko?" Nare thought. Sodhi halam na then Nare asked, "What's her name?" Roger looked right into Nare's exciting eyes and said, It's NOT "she"-- it's John, my baby".

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