Natasha is a nangi I spoke to in the bus today. It was the usual 255 bus ride for me from Galkissa [ a.k.a. Mt. Lavinia] to university. I rarely speak with anyone in the bus unless I meet someone I know from uni but this nangi who I sat next to suddenly started talking to me and within the span of 30 minutes of the bus ride she told me a touching story. I have some doubts about it.. Still whether it is true or not it is a sad story and I pray she has a better life..
Natasha said she was studying in year 10 at a school in galkissa [ i don't quite remember the name but she said it was a mixed school]. Her ambition is to be a doctor. She was impressed to learn that I was studying engineering [ and i thought i saw a flash of envy in her eyes, but that could've been my imagination]. She has 3 younger brothers and in the course of the conversation she indirectly revealed that her father passed away in the 255 bus bomb about 2 months back [ i did not know what to say at this point..]. She said she wanted to enter university to show off to her relatives who had made fun of her..
But I am not quite sure of her story, for one thing although she said she was returning from school she was not in uniform and she was not carrying any books, just a transparent file with the chemical table visible on top [ she did say chemistry was her favourite subject though but do they teach chemistry in grade 10??]. She asked me when I will be coming again in the bus [ was this because she wanted to collect money from me?].
But she didn't ask me for any money. She even changed 5 rupees for me so that I can collect my change from the bus conductor without any trouble. She seemed genuinely happy to have someone to talk to and genuinely determined about her ambition of becoming a doctor.
In the end I did give her my home phone number though, in case she wanted help with her studies. Was that a wise thing to do? I dont know..
Anyways whether Natasha's story is all true or not I wish her good luck and hope she finds a happier life..
