Plane that does not fly
- Gopi
Krishna Dhungana
Rajesh was fond of picnicking. He was a student at a private school and he had occasionally been going on picnics in river banks and open lawns. They sometimes collected money to buy food for picnic and at other times they brought cooked food from home. Picnic in Nepali is literally cooking food somewhere in Jungle and eating together but, for Rajesh, it was only packing a meal and it take it to eat outdoors.
He did not
know of cooking in the jungle and eating together in a different way. Coming
back home from picnicking, he also liked to report all about picnic to his
parents, brother and sister.
It was a
summer vacation at his school. His mother was going to Kathmandu,
the capital city, for her medical treatment. He was interested to go with his
mother and was resolute to go with her. Family members allowed him to go with
as there was holiday at his school. He was happy. Father said, 'The plane
ticket is booked for tomorrow, Rajesh has to finish his homework by today
evening.'
Enchanted to
go to the capital city, second-grader Rajesh put into his all efforts and finished
his homework given by his teachers.
He had never
travelled by plane before. He had only seen planes flying and gliding in the
sky from the land. He had once asked his father, 'How do planes fly? Why does
not it stop in the sky to board people? How does pilot presses on brakes?' Father
had answered all his queries duly.
It was the
first day Rajesh was going to board the plane. He was exuberant from the
morning to travel by plane in the afternoon. They were to reach Simara Airport
from Birgunj. He asked his mother in the morning, 'Mom, plane flies in the sky,
what happens if the plane falls from the sky? I am scared.' Mother calmed him
saying no need to fear, accidents are also likely to happen in the buses in
travelling.
Father took them to Simara Airport
from Birgunj. Mother bought a boarding pass and they were ready to board the
plane. Rajesh saw the plane closely. Rajesh said to his mother, 'The plane in
the sky was small but this plane is bigger than the bus.' While riding the airstair
of the plane, Rajesh saw a young woman joining her hands in posture of Namaste.
Rajesh entered the plane by answering the Namaste to the woman.
Rajesh asked his mom, 'mom, no one welcomes in the buses, but
why the woman bids Namaste in plane? Who is she?' 'Air hostess' mother replied. The plane took
off soon. Many things were new to Rajesh on the plane. He again asked his mom,
'what is on the head of the driver?' Mother replied, 'the persons flying the
planes are not called drivers; they are called pilots instead. Helmets are only
used by motorcyclists. The pilots use the headphone on the head for communication.'
Air hostess offered chocolates. Rajesh took two chocolates. Meanwhile,
Rajesh found that the plane was landing on the Kathmandu Airport.
Uncle and aunt from Balkot Bhaktapur were already waiting Rajesh and his mom at
the arrival lounge of the airport. He was pleased to ride on the car after plane.
On the car towards Balkot from Gatthaghar, aunt tried to trick, 'Rajesh, look
there, the plane you came by is coming towards you.' Rajesh however replied smartly,
'Planes do not reach wherever like cars do?' Uncle showed of the next plane
approaching the runway. All looked towards the plane and the flying plane came
to a halt on the runway. The rainfall in the afternoon drew fog. The clouds carrying water were passing by in
the sky.
Rajesh asked, 'Why aren't the planes flying?' Remembering his
questions in the morning mother taunted him saying that the plane may have
stopped in the sky to board people. At the chowk of Nayathimi people were
looking up at the plane unable to fly. Some people feared of the possible
accidents. Rajesh asked, 'mom, our plane did not stop in the sky, did it?' Mom said, 'keep quiet Rajesh, people on board
may be quite frightened.' The car headed towards Balkot.
Rashmi, cousin of Rajesh, was preparing to go on a picnic
with her neighboring friend. They also agreed to take Rajesh with them. They
started their picnic in the evening under the shadow of a banyan tree nearby
the house. However, Rajesh could not enjoy the picnic today though he loved
picnicking much. The plane unable to fly in the sky haunted him, he was
occupied by thinking about the people on the plane. He asked Rashmi, 'Sister,
have you ever seen a non-flying plane?'
'The planes after landing in the airport come to a standstill,'
replied his sister. Rajesh questioned again, 'No, the plane stopped in the sky
a while before.'
Rashmi told the same to her friends. Caught by surprise and
awestruck all came to Rajesh and asked in unison, 'Plane which was not flying
high above? It's quite surprising!' All began to look up in the sky, but
nothing came into their notice. A plane on hold in the sky due to fog had
already flown away.
(The original story is in Nepali language and translated by Rudra
Pangeni)
