What If

Have you ever wondered, what if…?
Would your life have been the same?

What if I hadn't met Pema Chophel,
When we were in class four?
Would I have become a teacher?
I know he drew me into it.


I met him again after my tenth standard,
It was in Motithang, Youth Center.
We were attending our orientation,
He wanted to continue his education.

We did continue in Kelki,
He was in Commerce, I in Arts.
Being neighbors, we roamed at will,
A little too distracted from our studies.

Then it was ISC, our board exams,
There too we studied together,
Though ‘study’ would be a too true a word,
To be used in our context, I feel.

Needless to say, our grades weren't good,
So we contemplated our future.
Should we continue our studies?
Or go into training? And get a job?

There were opportunities in many fields,
But teaching was a strong contender,
‘Coz the perks were good, salary higher,
Unlike other jobs that weren’t offering much.

So we went to NIE Samtse.
Two young kids, barely nineteen,
Training to be teachers.
Were we ready? Were we old enough?

Today with nine years under our belt,
And our though processes changed,
I often wonder, what if?
What if I hadn't become a teacher?

Would I have become a driver?
Driving cross country, along the winding roads.
Singing sweet bollywood songs,
And blowing horns when I pass pretty ladies?

Would I have become a farmer?
Sweating in the fields, be it rain or sunshine,
Listening to radio for messages from friends,
And haggling for good prices on Sundays?

I often sit up and ponder,
Lost in my own world, what if?
What if I hadn’t met my dear friend,
Pema Chophel, teacher in Rongthong CPS?

My friend Pema