Cut it out

ANKIT ADHIKARI

MAY 26

It was another wicked afternoon. Riding on load-shedding, “boredom” had just entered my room. The clock ticked slow, mocking my helplessness and I could faintly hear a far-away learner playing an un-tuned guitar. The ugly and absurd sound that it produced deeply irritated me.

Amidst all this, my irritation was gradually taking the shape of anger. Consequently, I cursed load shedding, releasing a long, defeated gulp of air off my nostrils. Then I restlessly moved my eyes onto the blank screen of television. Its nostalgic effect hypnotised me and I instinctively started reliving all those blissful moments which used to be accompanied by movies, music and internet. Then, a breezy wind slapped at my face and immediately I fell back to the ground of my reality to know — what I was smiling for, just a moment ago — was my fantasy…an absurd fantasy.

The next few minutes, I sat utterly blank-minded. I was numb and my head was starting to ache of exasperation. Then I transformed my rage to the government. They sing the song of development and progress which is never pursued by actions. Rather it follows a next song which is accompanied by a “short commercial break”, and an assurance of getting back soon with other clichéd songs.

Someone had told me about Nepal’s immense hydro-power potential. But as it still has been left like a battered dream, I can hardly think of a day without outage. To this fact, stretching my eye-brows with helplessness and anxiety, I thought of the netas who restlessly run after the power. I wondered what significance that power bears if it can’t even switch a TV set on in my room.

At this point, my thought shifted to something else. “What am I scolding the netas for?” I thought. “This is not going to bring a positive and long-lasting change in the load shedding trend.”

I was correct. Hauling over the coals was not the solution. I had to do something different if I seriously wanted to raise the level of my nation on many things. “Youths should be active in politics with newer ideas.” I thought. “We should be working together for the generations to come…”

Then, a young college going boy inside me laughed at my thoughts. “Stop this nonsense, dude!” he said. “Chill out and hang around with friends, enjoy your life. You are not big enough to think about changes.”

This marked the end of my contemplation. I was still feeling it very much difficult to kill time. I thought of going to a friend’s place but the scorching heat outside stopped me. Then I thought of hitting the hay. Yeah, this was a better idea.

As I was just about to go to bed, something inside my soul gave me a severe pinch. I recalled those words, “Youths should be active…We should be working together for the generations to come…” The vehicle of load-shedding roared down at the gate and I understood, “boredom” was on its way home.


Published in The Kathmandu Post (post platform column) -- May 27