Farewell (for now) to Birisiri

 WELL, it’s time to leave Birisiri.  I’m not ready to leave, and I don’t want to leave, but Anthony has made arrangements with his friend to meet me tomorrow in Srimongol (which I've already put off once), plus the Japanese group of 13 or something is coming so Animesh will be busy, and I don’t even know if there’ll be room around here still (I am afterall taking up an ENTIRE dormitory since Animesh doesn't want to put anyone with me!), so it’s time to go.

I was up early to fold my bed down and such and I read in the early morning sun again for awhile. I wandered down for breakfast and had planned to leave by 10. Since it was only 8 I was in no rush and I had an unhurried breakfast and tea. I walked around the Y grounds and took a few flower pictures. I had breakfast and tea and visited with Animesh until it was time to settle my bill.

He wouldn’t let me pay for my meals, he only billed me for accommodation, no matter that I argued with him until he was mad at me and I stopped.  "Guests don’t need to pay, and you are my guest", is what he said to me. Tears threatened to spill down my face as I paid and I was grateful to have made such a good friend.

Time to say goodbye, we wished one another well and talked about the fact that it may be the last time we saw one another, but I hope that it will not be. We both had tear-filled eyes as I lightly hugged him goodbye (a handshake just wouldn’t good enough for me at that point), and he asked Luis to walk with me to catch the bus.

I couldn’t help the tears as we walked down the village path to the main square, and my heart desperately wanted to stay in this place that suddenly felt like a second home after so little time. Thankfully Luis didn’t check on me as we were walking, and I had dried my eyes before we reached the end of the path. As we walked I looked around and hoped that I would find a time and a reason to come back again to Birisiri, the place is truly one of my heart.

We reached the main bazaar area to find tons of buses, but for some reason that I didn’t understand none of them were selling tickets. Mr Happy, the excitable and eager ticket wallah from my ride TO Birisiri was in the square and came running up to me spouting rapidfire Bangala, gesturing a takeoff with his hand and then making and X by crossing his arms while shaking his head with that famously dramatic frowny scowl: No Go.

I didn’t know what the heck was going on, but I was looking for any excuse to stay so while I was puzzled I happily followed Luis to a nearby snack stand to wait while he sent someone on motorcycle to fetch Animesh to rescue me again. When he came to meet me I discovered that “the bridge accidentally broke” so there WAS no bus out of Birisiri today. Ha! No bus means I don’t have to go!! 

No no no, Animesh wouldn’t let me stay. “You have plans to visit in Srimongol, and you will meet the friend there, you must go.”  Man I hate when people behave like grownups when my heart wants to be a child. He hired me a motorcycle to drive me to Mymensingh (pronounced MyMenShing), the nearest big town.  About 5 times he told me “You will NOT pay this man any money, I will pay him - you will only buy your ticket in Mymensingh.”

When I opened my mouth to argue the first time he put his hand up and shushed me and by the 4th time I was crying again though I tried to prevent my eyes from springing a leak I couldn’t help it and I had to look elsewhere as I sorted myself out.  My big brother to the last moment of our visit, he made sure that I got safely on my way. 

The men strapped my small pack on the bike’s rack and I carried the bigger one on my back as we set off and I waved a sad goodbye from the back of the bike and we wound speedily through town and out to the main road.