While travelling in a microbus some days ago an interesting conversation between two young boys caught my ears. “You know, I had never stepped out of my house at midnight, but for that night. As soon as Prashant Tamang was announced the Indian Idol, I ran to my room, I lit all my fire-crackers that I had brought for the upcoming Tihar,” a cute looking lad said enthusiastically.

“Wow, Prashant is so lucky. He’s got everything that one yearns for in life — name, fame, glory. I wish I was like him,” the second boy chimed in. As their talk deepened, my attention was caught by the glint in their eyes which spoke far more than their actual words. I could see their eyes sparkle as they sailed in the imaginary ship of their glorious future.

“But, to make our dreams come true, we have to leave Nepal and struggle abroad. Look at the difference between Indian Idol and our Nepali Tara. The PM himself has been discriminating. Did he give an audience to Dipak Limbu as he did to Prashant?”, the cute-looking boy queried with some wrath. Adding fuel to fire, the second boy remarked, “Yes. I am waiting for the day when I will be in the airport bidding goodbye to Nepal. Here, I feel my talent is being wasted and my future going down a sink hole.”

Their conversation slowly changed gears. Their faces darkened as they talked about the uncertain future of their country. The first chap started complaining about the postponement of CA polls. The other was rueful about the stalled peace process...

When the duo got off the micro at Ratnapark, out of pure curiosity, I started following their footsteps. Shortly, they hurried inside a tall building which, I discovered, was a TOEFL institute. As I walked away, I started feeling disheartened and sad as the dreadful visuals of the future Nepal played through my mind.

No, despite all the hurdles, Nepal will soon be a peaceful and prosperous country and march towards prosperity. I tried to convince myself. It eventually came to rest on a T-shirt up for sale by the roadside that proclaimed , “I am proud of my country, Nepal”. Indeed, what would Nepalis do without their flair to mine optimism from the darkest pits?