A Late Call, Old Alley Echoes

साँझको झुल्कोमा, झ्यालबाहिर सिमसिमे पानी झिरिरहेथ्यो; चिया तताउँदै, मोबाइलमा अपरिचित नम्बर टल्कियो।

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At dusk, drizzle streamed beyond the window; as I warmed my tea, an unfamiliar number flashed on my phone.

रिसिभ गरेपछि, 'हेर न, म विमल बोल्दैछु' भन्ने स्वर, दशकौँ पुरानो गल्लीको आवाजसरी मनमा टक्करियो।

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When I picked up, the voice saying 'Hey, it's Vimal speaking' struck my heart like the sound of an old alley from decades ago.

धेरै वर्ष बेवास्ता भए पनि, एकोहोरो मौनताभन्दा फोनको सानो घण्टी बलियो साबित भयो; हामी त लहरो तान्दा पहरो गर्जिएझैं सम्झनामा बग्यौं।

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Though many years of neglect had passed, the tiny ring of the phone proved stronger than one-note silence; we were swept into memories, like tugging a vine that makes the cliff rumble.

उसले भन्यो, काठमाडौँको जामले नसा थिच्छ, तर छोराछोरीको हाँसोले दिनको थकान पगाल्छ; म तर्फले, बुवाको औषधि, बढ्दो भाडा-भाउ, र नजिकिँदो दशैंको तयारी सुनाएँ।

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He said Kathmandu’s traffic squeezes the nerves, yet his children’s laughter melts the day’s fatigue; from my side, I spoke of father’s medicine, the rising rent and prices, and preparations for approaching Dashain.

बीचबीचमा रेडियोबाट बजेको साह्रै पुरानो गीतले हामीलाई त्रिचन्द्र क्यान्टिनका ढुंगेचौकीमा फर्काइदियो।

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From time to time, a very old song playing on the radio returned us to the stone benches of the Tri-Chandra canteen.

मनका गाँठा फुकाउने यो पुनर्संवादमा, नबोलिएका क्षमाप्रार्थनाहरू आफैं बुझिएझैं, हलुका हाँसोमा पग्लिए।

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In this renewed conversation that loosened the knots of the heart, unspoken apologies seemed already understood and melted into gentle laughter.

ती दिन किन टुट्यौँ भने, उसले भन्यो, धेरैजसो कुरा हामीले आधा-आधा बुझ्यौँ, बाँकीलाई अहंले थिचिदियो।

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As for why we broke apart then, he said we had understood most things only halfway, and pride pressed down the rest.

फोनको अर्कोतिर एकछिन सन्नाटा बस्यो; म भने, 'अब फेरि टुँडिखेलमा बिहान हिँड्न भेटौं, जति गुनासा छन्, फुलबारीमा छरेझैँ छरौं,' भनेर प्रस्ताव राखेँ।

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There was a brief silence on the other end; I proposed, 'Let’s meet for a morning walk at Tundikhel and scatter our grievances as if sowing them in a garden.'

ऊ हाँस्यो, 'कहिल्यै नभेटिएका भन्दा, ढिलो भेटिएकाले मिठास बढ्छ; भोलि सातै बजे, चिया मेरो भर,' भनेर टुंग्यायो।

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He laughed, 'It’s sweeter to meet late than to never meet; tomorrow at seven sharp, tea is on me,' he concluded.

कॉल कटेपछि, भित्तामा टाँसिएको पुरानो फोटोको धुलो मेटेँ, र दोब्बर उज्यालो फैलिएकोजस्तो मनमा सिमसिमे वर्षा थामियो।

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After the call ended, I wiped the dust from an old photo on the wall, and the fine rain in my heart halted as if the room had filled with double the light.