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Chapter VI: The Official Proposal of Marriage



The next morning, I was standing along with other teachers at Morning Assembly. There were around hundred girls and boys wearing the same school uniform. They were the cutest students. They sang the prayers to the God of Wisdom, JitsuenJampelyang and National Anthem to Tsa-Wa-Sum thanking the king, country and the people of Bhutan.

“Kayjur!”, the School Captain commanded the students to stand at ease. Principal moved forward. He put his spectacles at the right place and spoke words of wisdom to those little children. I wondered if they had understood his speech or not. It was quite a long talk as he made some announcements and other important matters in the school. As a student, I recollected how boring it was to listen to long lectures. Many of the students would not even care what the person is speaking. The students at the back of the queue would be talking and teasing one another but without the idea of teachers in the front.

“Dear students, I am going to introduce our new teacher. Madam Lekyuen, can you introduce yourself please?” was the last of Principal’s speech. I was bit nervous. It had been a long time I have spoken to hundred people.

Shyly, I stepped forward and began my introduction note, “Good morning girls and boys. I am your new teacher. My name is Lekyuen and I completed my study from Paro College. I hope we will learn from each other. I hope our stay together would be a fruitful one. Thank you!” I kept my introduction short as all the students applauded. I could see some the students were tired listening to prolonged Principal’s speech. Soon, the school captain commanded again, “Jokcheth!” Students murmured and dispersed to their respective classes.

In the afternoon, Tashi came to see me. He came with the sweetest suggestion.
“Lekyuen, let’s go to my home in the evening. I will introduce you to my parents. I can’t wait to show a beautiful lady to my parents”, he smiled. I was so happy that I ran and hugged him.

“Do you know how lonely I was to spend a night here? I felt like I was in the prison. Hope you have introduced me already? Today will be just a presentation of myself”. I questioned him.

“Lekyuen, I am so sorry for leaving you alone. Hereafter, we will be always together. Introduce you already? No. I didn’t. I decided to keep it as a surprise. I can’t imagine how they will react to their new daughter in law! And you are such a beauty!”

As decided we were heading to his home in the evening. I was dressed in mathra Kira with a blue tego. I made myself presentable as I believed that I am soon going to become their new daughter. I thought I had to please them.

There, it stood! The mystical house, built in traditional style. It was all adorned with ancient Bhutanese paintings. “Wow! His parents might be rich”, I thought as I could not take my eyes off those beautiful paintings and the majestic house. Soon, fear started to creep in from nowhere. I was more nervous to face his parents than those hundred people in the morning assembly. Several questions started to ask themselves from inside. What if his parents tell that I am not worthy of being his wife? Will they accept me? I decided to forget by focusing on the person who was walking along with me.

We entered the house. His father and mother were sitting near the window. They had probably noticed our arrival.

“Kuzuzangpolaapa and ama!” I greeted them with politeness. I managed to smile as well. Mother seemed to be short like what I have described as Pokemon but the father wasn’t. He was as huge as hulk. The common thing they had was ‘Doma’ in their mouth munching like goats munching the grass. Their lips and teeth were all decorated red. In those reddish teeth, I could see some golden colour as well.

“Kuzu zambo Alo!”, both of them greeted me in return. Even the woman from east managed to catch the accent of Ngalop.

I introduced myself as the teacher of their community school. We talked few things about the beauty of Rukubji, the cold winter and they asked me about my college. Tashi prepared a cup of suja for everyone of us.

While we were having tea with zaw (the beaten rice), Tashi started to speak about us, “Apa! Ama! I need to tell you something. I didn’t tell yesterday because I wanted to keep it as a surprise. Lekyuen and I were in relationship for three years since college days. She has been my caring lover. She loves me and I love her as well. We have also discussed that we will marry. So, we are here to ask for your permission”.
“Marriage?”, the hulk exclaimed at the top of his voice.

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𝐖𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬!

𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬  𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  𝐖𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐬  𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬  𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 ...