It was just a bad day

When one is discriminated for being a Nepali..
 

People talk about special days in their lives and they try to cherish the best moments of their lives in such occasions. These memorable days are unique in the sense that they do not come every day. These special days show up only once in a year. And that is the reason people try to make it even more special and treasure it. Marriage anniversary is one of such occasions during which the married couple try to make best of it so that they can remember it for long. They not only celebrate between two but also rejoice it with family members and close friends' circle. However, the first anniversary has its own utmost importance and value for a married couple.

I was also much more excited to plan for my first marriage anniversary. I wanted to give my wife a special surprise. I was busy planning for it from a month ago. I also sought some suggestions from senior couples. Since both my wife and I were busy with our own professional lives, we both agreed that we did not want go outside of the Kathmandu valley for celebration. Therefore we wanted to make the day memorable spending some nice time somewhere within Kathmandu valley. With great excitement, I started calling some nice resorts and hotels three weeks before our anniversary. Nonetheless, I found it quite difficult to book a room in the hotel. I really wondered if the hotels were really fully booked. Finally, after calling several hotels, I was able to book a room in one of the resorts which was not so far and not so close from the main Kathmandu city. At least, the hotel lies within the valley and is away from hustle and bustle of city life. It is located in a place where the tranquility and peaceful environment exists with the presence of greeneries around. I called the hotel and booked the room over the phone. I asked the front desk person if I needed to make an advance payment to book the room. He told me that I could pay on the day when I check in the hotel. I even asked him if I had to do anything else to confirm the booking. He told me that I did not require doing anything else and the booking had been confirmed. Finally the booking process was over! Got so much relief! However, the booked date was not on the anniversary day; it was one day earlier since we wanted to celebrate our first anniversary day with our own family members at home. 

I was thinking of ordering an anniversary cake from the same resort. So many other plans were revolving around my head. Finally, that day came. My wife and I left the house with our small bag packs. We informed our family that we would not come back that night. With full excitement, my wife and I reached the resort at around 10 am in the morning. We both were welcomed at the reception. I told the receptionist that I booked the room in my name. After going through their system, the guy at the front desk asked me with puzzle, “Did you really book a room for today?”

I was so shocked to hear that question. I replied, “Yes, I did. Why would we come without booking a room?”

“Whom did you talk over the phone while booking?” asked the guy. What an unprofessional question I thought! I told him I did not know the name of the person whom I talked to. It was a receptionist. He then called in some extension numbers within the hotel to discuss about the room booking. By that time, all our excitement vanished. We no more wanted to stay in the same hotel. By this time, my wife was already out of the hall with her back pack. The front desk guy signaled me to talk to his boss over the phone. The boss told me to have breakfast and wait for some time so that he could let me know if there would be a room available. I lost my temper and hung up the phone. I did not want to be in that hotel for a second. We already lost our enthusiasm and mood. I had been planning for a month and everything went in vain within a second. We both  headed towards the main city without giving a second thought.

We were both silent with so much anger and frustration within us. My wife told me that she did not want to go anywhere and instead she wanted to be alone by herself. I really did not know how the big mountain fell upon me. My entire plan shattered. I still did not utter a single word and just kept quiet. Finally, I suggested my wife that we go and sit in a restaurant for a while and have some drinks. Though she did not say anything, she just followed me with her wet eyes. At that very moment, I felt that I was the greatest culprit in the world who really gave a bad surprise to his wife on the great occasion. We both were still in a phase of shock. At the same time, we both did not want to go back to home since my family was not expecting us to return on the same day. After some time, I called some hotels with the numbers I saved in my cell phone. Some hotels just said that they did not have a room for that day which was actually justifiable since it was the request on the same day. One of the hotels sounded like they had a room but was reluctant to provide it for Nepali since the person told me that he had to ask his manager. So, I just did not force him since I was not asking a room for free. Then I had to find the number of some other hotels. I tried to open my laptop to check it in the internet since it was a restaurant with free wifi service. Unfortunately, the wifi system was down because of the load shedding. So, we were both helpless. It seemed that every door was closed for us that day. I called a friend to get some numbers of fine and decent hotels in the Kathmandu valley. I still had faint hope that there would a room for us though we called on the same day. Then I called one of the renowned 4 star hotels. To my surprise, the first question, I was asked was, “It is for a foreigner or a Nepali?”

“It’s for me and I am a Nepali,” I replied.

“We don’t provide a room for Nepali,” the lady said over the phone.

The excitement of the whole month was gone over within few seconds. I felt that the whole world collapsed. Where in the world did I land? I was out casted and discriminated for being a Nepali in my own country by own country people. That very moment, I felt like cursing myself for being a Nepali. I took a deep breath and being dejected and hopeless, my wife and I returned home adding more surprise to the family members. On the way back to our house, we did not exchange a single word. That day and anniversary eve ended with nothing significant but silence.

The next day, early in the morning, my wife whispered in my ear, “Hey dear, Happy Anniversary. You gave me a bad surprise yesterday huh! Actually, yesterday wasn’t our anniversary. It’s today. Why don’t we make it worth today celebrating at our own house with our lovely family?”

She added, “Promise me we never go to such resorts and hotels anymore where we are not respected and treated well for being a Nepali. Just a waste of money! What do you think? I am not angry with you. It does not matter where in the world we are; we just need to be together. I love you dear.”

What do I need more than this? All I was wanting is happiness. If I can get it in a house why do I need to go too far to be disrespected, discriminated and out casted! Smile on my face but bit wet eyes this time for sure!!! “Happy anniversary dear,” said I. Eventually, we had a memorable anniversary.