Solo Enigma

Paro International Airport

Back at the village, mother was happy to hear about the upshot in every series of test. Mother was getting ready with cash and other preparations from the next day, though they have nearly a month for departure. Alternatively, he didn’t even waste a single second helping his mom with the physical labor back at home. Everyone would envy them for their motherly and son bond. By the time for the departure, everything was set.

 When the day came, Lobzang bid his mom back at home and exchanged few words of well-wishing to each other. The several journey then was filled with great environs with everything calm, pristine and serene. However, now was little bit different with chill surrounding, parched and grumpy. It was first time for the countryside boy to experience his journey out of the country. The matching slithering Asphalt road was only a thing without alteration in distance and nature.

Paro, back in the mind of him was certain as one of the district. He does not have any clear picture of direction and location. However, it is labelled as the main hub for tourist which helps in uplifting the economic upsurge of the nation as a whole. He learned that it is maximum of one hour drive in the car from Thimphu. On knocking to Thimphu after monotonous two days, by the evening, he made call to his friend Dendup, highlighting about the retreat, after the next day. He was already there at Paro, ready for the departure.

Time appears swift and fast unlike waiting for the result, past days. He only got a day and night to leave. On retreating himself for the night, he scrolled trough the phone. Though, he didn’t show any sign of presence for complete one year with his first girlfriend, Tenzin Wangmo. She is maybe in second semester pursuing her degree in economics at one of the universities at Thailand. They weren’t class mate but close friend to each other which groomed them into a soul mates.

Lobzang was astound to see a tons of text from her in Skype. He didn’t want to share that it is strictly restricted by order as an Army. Further, he was even not equipped to share his thoughts at the moment, fearing in failure of commitments and promises from school time. Lobzang was a kind of person who always have a great virtue of gentleman quality and could not withstand lapses in his life. However, he decided for the final and last text as he felt every way is necessary to be understood by both the sides.

After going back through the past text over and over again, he chuckled foreseeing the power of love and attachment. Nearly, it had been hour’s just recollecting and going back through the text. At last, Lobzang waved her. There comes an instant reply from other. On the one hand, she was touched to see my text after year. Till then, she was pestering for my silence, digging out. It was a really stretched night, exchanging the blows of text.

Lobzang was smart enough to make her calm and shared his reason behind the order from higher ups after non-stop pleading. In addition, he was sorry for not connecting to her sooner or later and promised that it will be his last and final text. She didn’t say anything than just to wish for his life. She was not that easy and nearly took four hours to convince her. They exchanged good night text as she have to attend class, tomorrow. After that, he texted every close friends and mates thanking and bidding them as a final point before training and retired for night with heavy heart. 

By the dawn break, the voyage towards Paro was in full swing. The motor road stretches in between rocky cliff, still jungle scattered with patches of settlement alongside a meandering Wangchu river, one of the five big important rivers in the country. It was first time journey and was heavily-momentary trip for, he will be leaving the nation soon.  Nevertheless, he was optimistic to come back after four years and serve the country.

The wrist watch reads 9:00 Am and he was already there at the Paro international airport. Dendup, a new friend was already there, waiting for him beaming with the wildest smile. They swapped their thoughts and he found everyone delighted to leave the country. There is still not less than two hours to leave the port. He skimmed through the contact lists and called mom saying few words from here and there too. Lobzang made it short running out of words.

He was pleased to see a lots of wishing from the old friends. Among them, Dechen was most thrilled with pages of text applauding and wishing best times during his tenure down there as cadet. Lobzang didn’t found any charm to reply and thought for a second time. After much difficulties, he wrote a final text to Tenzin reading, “Hi dear, I am leaving to NDA, Pune, India today and sorry for sharing too late. I am sure you will throw tantrums after going through it. I apologies for not sharing you yesterday. So, it will be a last and final text. Take care, Study Smart and work hard dear. If we are really meant to be together, wait to learn and one day or someday, it will find it’s naturally course with time. Best regards, Lobzang”

“Hey buddy”, pierced his ear from the other side. It was Dendup rushing back from toilet. “We will be leaving in an hour, so are requested to get ready with luggage, brother” was hardly catching breath. Lobzang diverged his mind and they hurried towards the entry, which gives a way into spacious rooms and compartments. As most of them are new, everyone looks proud and astonished with the surrounding. He was no different than his comrades too.

They were asked by the Check-in desk personnel to verify their visa, passport and other important documents. After casting an eye over every single leaflets of the paper work, there luggage were looked into with the machine to avoid the forbidden items. Everything was done half an hour before and were directed into departure lounge. It was a systematic flow with definite rules and regulations.

Lobzang and Dendup dragged themselves into one of the restaurants, savoring cup of coffee with another thirty minutes to leave. They were into a new things and has already reached to destination beforehand, cheerful with the achievements. Subsequently, speaker at the corner drew their attention and some were also found freaked with sudden jerk and noise. They notify every passenger to get organized. Lobzang took a glance at his watch and still have another fifteen minutes to click 11: am, the departing time for them.

They paid a bill and Lobzang went to the rest room feeling uneasy but he never wavers in front of other. An Army, it is the dream which keep him alive and enthusiastic till date. Their bag pack were already loaded in a cabin and in next ten minutes everyone is in the Air bus. Lobzang and Dendup have quite a distance with two rows of seat in between. A slender appealing air attendants were reminding them to fasten their seat belt. On looking back, he saw his friend putting back his phone into the pocket with an order from flight staffs.

After few minutes, engine roared with another recap to fasten the belts by pilots. Everything was unveiled related to destination, which is New Delhi International Airport, Flight duration amounting two hours and twenty minutes covering a stretched journey in the air with an approximated of 1216 KM. Lobzang was amazed to find that the technology is transforming the world as a whole. He was picturing the same airport after decades, when he becomes a full time officer.

When the time grasped its destination, 11:00 Am, a little jerk was felt on rolling onto the Asphalt coding runway. He could sight a surrounding zooming into opposite directions. The next jerk seems to be little harder, hovering high into the air. Lobzang took out his journal and jotted down time, day, date and setting of the place to remember afterwards. Nothing he could sight than a blue-green nature deep down of the mother earth.

Witnessing a vibrant vacuum without any clouds and clear sky high up, he was taken aback to geography class on the topic, atmosphere. We are flying above troposphere and are gearing ourselves in stratosphere. Everything appear practical on that particular day and felt a true nature of stratosphere. He dredged up his geography teacher shouting, “Stratosphere is a second layer, which is approximately 15 to 16 kms above sea level. It is featured with clear vision without any process of hydro-logical cycle. So, it is a layer suitable for the Air buses”

He could not feel any sound and movement, thereafter. The Airbus A319 with an accommodation of 122 passengers was making its way, streamlining in the air. On seeking his attention back to his comrades, he found the new ones throwing fits. Some couples almost melting into pool of love, the magical words as he describe to himself. Some already into deep slumber and few foreigners into the book. He was happy-tensed to experience a new life as well gloomy to leave the country for the first time.

Lost with everything newfangled around, he is old Lobzang hooked up with different settings and scenario. He dug into his bag and took out one novel. The cover page reads, “Tough time never last but tough people do” –Dr. Robert Schuller. Bravo! He was glad to have that book while he is feeling aloof with complete brand surroundings, though he have another nine friends. The topic itself have won his heart and got away with the first page.

It was nearly after half an hour, when he got jumped with soft female voice near, “Sir, do you want anything”. He was further startled upon hearing, “Sir” and got struck for a moment. Lobzang was quick enough to check, to whom she was really pointing. While looking back to the direction of voice, she was still in front of him dropping her jaw. “Ahh, may be a glass of water…” shortened Lobzang, followed by stammer. “Thank you sir, you can go for everything as it is free of cost” came prompt reply and was out of the sight into one of the rooms.

He was bit lost, really with the things happening around him. After chuckling to himself, he went back through the words of book. ‘If you want to move mountain, you can’ was the first sentence he was reading before aforementioned incidents. Lobzang got motivation and wisdom on doing away with the particular chapter. It covers about the hard work, positive views, challenges and nature of the people in a nutshell. It was really handy and soothing upon completing the episode.

On the other hand, Lobzang was expecting same girl with a glass of water before he really put an end to that chapter. He didn’t notice her presence but a glass of water was already in front of him. It was sensitive to him and consoled himself for never gathering his mind. He gulped a glass of water at one go and relished looking into far away. It was good to enjoy a scene of emptiness with blotches of cloud in a clear blue sky. After all, his cognizance does not have any image and decided back to direct his keenness in book.

Amid going through book, he was just wandering how science have transformed an old age culture into fast and complicated world. Indeed, he wishes to know what actually will get into after decades of years. Buried into the sketch, he was able to use the time fruitfully. Even when it was his first familiarity in the Airbus, he was taken into the realm of knocking best environment with reality and make-believe simultaneously.