Min tibetanska barndom i Zorgay - Life and Culture on the Tibetan ...

The targeted girl was living with her elderly <strong>and</strong> not
very capable mother. Her other family members had all died,
but I did not know how or why.
"Friend, did you tell the girl you would come tonight?" I
asked anxiously.
"No, coward, relax! She loves me. There was no need
to tell her in advance," said Owl in an intoxicated tone.
I warmed up as we walked faster. Everything was so
dark that it was difficult to see trees until you got near them.
The wind whistled in our ears <strong>and</strong> more stars were visible.
I had no idea in what direction we were headed.
Though Owl was drunk, he knew exactly where to go <strong>and</strong> we
at last reached our destination. "Here we are! Stay here. I'll be
back soon," said Owl.
He was an expert in climbing house walls <strong>and</strong> climbed
the compound's earth wall as if he had not taken even a sip of
liquor. This wall had steps <strong>and</strong> he was over the wall in a flash,
leaving me behind. I shrank by the wall, shaking from the bitter
cold, trying to shield myself from the wind. I glanced into the
sky to see what time it was, but the fickle stars had vanished.
The mist seemed thicker. Suddenly I heard screams from the
house <strong>and</strong> a few seconds later, Owl jumped over the wall out
of breath.
"Let’s run. I hurt her!" said Owl in tone suggesting
urgency.
I raced after Owl without asking why.
Owl told me later that he when he was about to open
the girl’s bedroom door, her mother suddenly appeared. He
was so nervous that he had punched her with his fist <strong>and</strong> fled.
As the rumor spread, the girl went to the village leader <strong>and</strong> told
everything about that night, which so angered the leader that
he went to the local police station <strong>and</strong> accused Owl of beating
the girl’s mother. Policemen came <strong>and</strong> arrested Owl the next
morning. Owl was subsequently jailed for a week, released,
<strong>and</strong> then he left home. He told no one where he was going.
Nobody knows if Owl is alive or dead.
•••
Afterwards, nocturnal visits became less common.
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