Today I got to fulfill a promise I made two weeks ago...After my first attempt to take Hikmat, Saroj, and Chham go-kart racing went up in flames, I made them a solemn promise to make it up to them. I didn't have to as they didn't hold the place being closed against me, but I made the promise nevertheless. And a couple nights ago, Saroj sheepishly reminded me of my commitment even though I hadn't forgotten (but yes, time was slipping by faster than I could keep up). So enough was enough...I got Papa's permission to pick the boys up from school after lunch (they go to school 6 days a week, and Saturday was Fiona's party), and we headed off to the track with Vinod, the gentlemen who is "Daddy" at the second hostel, and Fiona, who made it very clear that I was going to have one pouty wife if I didn't invite her on our boys' day out.
Given how expensive the track is, I was afraid we were only going to be able to do a few minutes each, but Vinod spoke with the owner, and after much pleading for a discounted rate, agreed that he would do a special package for us - 3 cars for 30 minutes. While the price was a lot higher than I originally budgeted (the place caters to diplomats and dignitaries), it was 33% off the published rates, and with the eager looks of anticipation on each boys face, I was easily convinced to agree.
The 3 boys started for the first 15 minutes. It amused me to no end how their personalities matched their driving styles.
Chham, as the Speed Racer lyrics go, was a demon on wheels. The boy has no fear. Just as he dives for every ball no matter the sport or playing surface, he was full throttle the entire time. He was the superstar of the day, and he knew it even if he was too modest to boast.
Hikmat, God bless him, drove like my grandmother. I've never seen somebody sit up so straight or drive so slowly. And boy did we let him know it! But Hikmat never missed a beat...with a smile beaming from his face, I became "Grandson" and Fiona became "Granddaughter". His smile at the end was just a big as Chham's even if he only did half the number of laps.
Saroj was in the middle of the pack. While not as insane as Chham, or as cautious as Hikmat, he had a few good crashes as he figured out how to handle the kart. Remember, none of these boys have ever been behind the wheel of anything...Never having the driver's ed we each got as a child on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland. Saroj was consistently ALL over the course, flailing from side to side, desperate to keep control.Now that each of the boys got a "crash" course, Fiona and Vinod got behind the wheel and started racing each of the boys in 5 minute intervals. Fiona stunned everyone (except for me) by her driving prowess. The girl drives a Mustang after all, and is quite ept at taking corners at 50mph! Try as the boys might, they just couldn't keep up with my pint-sized Mike Wallace.
Vinod however was able to give Fiona a run for her money. Like Chham, he had no fear, but the increased upper body strength helped him navigate the corners at a higher velocity than his peers.
With 5 minutes remaining, Fiona pulled into the pit, and I got goaded into finishing the race. Mind you, while I have been go-kart racing before, it was probably about 25 years ago, and I spent most of my time in the wall. I didn't want to shatter the illusion that I knew what I was doing by having a repeat performance of the track staff constantly pulling me off the wall.
And sure enough, at the first hair-pin turn I spun out and crashed hard. I worked hard to keep from turning red as I was admonished in Nepali for driving like an idiot. But always one to learn from my mistakes, I figured out the handling, and within a minute was tearing up the track like there was no tomorrow. I was weaving and bobbing through traffic and sending my competitors into the wall (OK, occasionally I got a little too competitive and tried to accelerate into holes 3 inches too narrow and chirped off the wall myself as I squeezed by). While I by no means hold the track record, I clearly had the fastest laps of the day. And hey! I easily carry an extra 50 kilos over Vinod...imagine how fast I would have been if I wasn't lugging around that extra spare tire. :)
All in all it was a fantastic day enjoyed by all. While I feel bad that the cost of such makes it prohibitive for them to enjoy this again in the near future, it clearly is an experience they will be talking about for years to come. Like a child's first trip to Disneyland, there is something entirely satisfying by watching the awe on their face as they experience something beyond their wildest imagination. It's that joy that makes it all worthwhile.
Namaste,
Tom
P.S. Fiona and I sparked a flurry a couple days ago with our posting regarding the Basnet sisters. While we appreciate everyone's excitement and encouragement, a couple clarifications need to be made:
1) Nepal currently does not have any legal method for adopting children. Part due to political upheaval, and part due to not meeting international criteria for foreign adoptions, there has been a moratorium on all new adoptions out of Nepal. While there is some hope that the new Parliament will address this issue, it would be foolhardy to attach a timeline to such given how everything moves in "Nepalese time".
2) As mentioned in the posting, Fiona and I would have to feel as if God truly put it in our hearts to adopt rather than simply being caught up in the moment. As many of you know, Fiona and I agreed before we got married not to have children. I personally feel ill-equipped to help guide a child through their formative teenage years given that I barely survived my own. "Survival" is the only way to describe it as I have no insights as to how to help a child raised in America how to navigate that period of their lives, let alone somebody from a much more innocent cultural upbringing. We do love these girls, but only time and prayerful consideration will determine whether adopting these two angels is a part of our Journey. We don't feel the need to "save" these girls...They are very well taken care of by Papa and are receiving an excellent education. The question really becomes whether the real reason Fiona and I felt so strongly about not having children was due to our feelings of inadequacy to raise children, or if it is all a complex part of destiny allowing us to have an open spot in our hearts and lives for Kabita and Apsara. If God calls upon us to adopt, we'll love them as deeply and surely as if they were our own, but the time is not now. Whether the time will come is a question yet to be answered.
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