Teirol i hong hihtouh hial chiang in chu khanvual phaklouh khak ding kuapeuh in kilau chiat hi. Ke’n leng mi ka batlouh khak ding, mi’ neihbang ka neih zohlouh khak ding ka lau mahmah hi. Kum 13 vel ka hih lai, 1963 kum in, khedap chikhat penny loafers (khedap khau neilou, athun a thunthoh chi, a sung a khetuul kingakna zawn ah sumsik koihtheihna om) kichi ahong kithang hi. Teirol hon te’n ki ngaisang mahmaha, penny loafers butlouh vanglak ding leh chu khedap bunlou a kholak vak poi kisalou zaw phial hi. Huchibang khop in, lawmte’ lak a penny loafers khedap neilou hih chu thilzumhuai tawpkhawk in kikoih hi. Lamdangtak in huchibang khedap kha, thakhat thu in fashion hong higuih mawk a, ama khakhat vel lek a oxfords (pasal’ khedap vantang) ana leikhin ta lakloh si, lawm-le-vualte’ lak ah om nuamlou khop in ka om mawk hi. Huchi’n, ka pa’ kiang a khedap thak leisak dia nget ka sawm ta hi.

Ka pa kha motor sia bawl a nekzong (car mechanic) ahi a, nikhat, penny loafers khedap hon leisak di’n ka ngen chot a, a mel ah mak sakna neitak in, “Willie, na khedap buhlai khakhat le bun nailou hilou maw, a thak poimoh zel na maw?” chi in ahon dong hi. “Pa, tulai a mite’n penny loafers bun vek unchin, kei’ a thring biiklua eivoi” ka chi a. “Bawi, mite’ pate bang in sum ka neiguih thei mawk di hia” ahon chi a, ka pa’ loh a tawm mahmah a, inn luahman leh inkuan nekkhop lel lohkhe hamham ahi chih bel ka theisiam mahmah hi. “I maw, pa, na theisiam kei a hiveh aw, hiai ka khedap pen ka buh chiang a ka lawmte’ lak a mawlbiiklua bang ing a nuamlou akaaa” ka chi teitei a. Ka pa leng kingaihtuah in kunsuk vangvang masa a, huaizoh in hon en a, “Bawi, hichi’n hih phot ni, tua na khedap pen kha tuni chauh va bun photlai inla, na school ua na lawmte’ khedap buh hoihtak in na hon enkual phot dia, na lawmte’ sang a nang’ khedap setuamlua ahihleh bel aleidan ding i ngaihtuah di” ahon chi hi.

Lohching kisatak in huai ni chu school ka va kai a, ka pa’ thugen ka theihsiamdan in bel tuni kha ka oxfords khedap ka buh nunungpen ni ding ahi a, khedap thringlua bun kawm a school kai nawnlou dia kikoih in ka kipak mahmah hi. Ka lawmte’ khedapbuhte enkual masa dia ahon hilh ziak in a thu zop ngeingei ka sawm a, himahleh, ka thil muh kha ka pa hilhchi ahikei! Nileng in ka classmate-te’ khedap ka enkual a, khedap chituamtuam ana tam mahmah ahihdan ka mukhia hi. Khedap san, a vom, puan khedap niin deuhmai leh a rong ke-hialta bun bang leng tamtak ana om thou ua, sunkhawl a ka etchet nawn in houh, khenkhatte’ khedap buh kha bang company in abawl ahi dia aw chihtheih ding khop a lui, nasepna a leng ka but utlouhte tuk a sia khawng ka mu hi. Akhente’ a lah, vuah zu leh hoihtak a kawtthei ding khop a kek leng om hi. Huchibang kar ah, im vuallouh in, penny loafers bun bangleng omtham uh a, a khetuul zawn ah sakor khe a sik kithuah (horse shoe) dandeuh a sik akithuah ziak a ging kauhkauh in pai uhi. Huai sik ging in hon phuguihsak zou khop in nalh kisa a, a khedap pentak va buh sang in leng kalsuan zawng a a ging kauhkauh pen mahmah in huchibang khedap ka deihna liansak hi.

School kaitawp in ka pa’ nasepna workshop ah manmoh deuh in ka va hoh hi. Kartawp leng ahi bok a, khedap thak ka lei dia, Seppatni in chu penny loafers thak liklek bun in school kongtual ah ka paiging rah-rah dia, chi a ngaihtuah in ka kilawp mahmah hi. ‘Khedap ka lei dah thak mai di’ chih lampang hilou in, ‘penny loafers nei ta leng ka bunsiam diam’ chih lam in ka lungsim a subuaizaw hi. Ka pa’ workshop ka va tun in ana dai khipkhep a, petrol leh diesel gim nam chemchemte bang leng nidang sang a gimlimzaw in ka thei hial a! Sik kiseekging karh-karh loungal zak ding dang omlou hi. Pindan sunglam ah, ka pa, 1956 Chevy car nuai a thallup ka mu a, pindan lehlam ah huai car neitu’n ngak hi. Ka meltheih ahihziak in, “Pu Alva, ka pa’n chikchiang a na car bawlzou di a?” ka chi a, Pu Alva in, “Will, bangchi’n ke’n ka thei dia, a gear box etdik ngai a, mundang ahoihlouhna omte leng hon etsak vek vanglak oh chi ing a” chi in ahon dawng hi.

Car sia bawlna pindan ah ka lut a, heksangna (jerking rod) zang in car kiheksang a, anuai ah ka pa’n thallup kawm in bawl hi. Ka pa houpih sawmsim mahle’ng a buailuat ziak in ka tawpkik thak a, a khuk nuailam kia uhtheih ahihman in, car nunglam mit jut hauhhauh kawm in ka pa khe ka en nilouh hi. Tuni’n, ka pa’ hon thuhilh mahbang in ka lawmte’ khedap buh ka enkual vek a, tu’n ka pa’ khedap buh mahmah ka muta hi. Ka pa’n khedap vom, lui mahmah ta a bun a, amah leh amah bang a workshop leh petrol pump vel a semte huchibang in kithuam deuhvek ua, thallup ahihman in ka pa’ khedap buh ka muchian mahmah hi. A veilam khetaw vang in a siik mun bangzah hiam ah kikhui a, a khaute leng aluiluat tak ziak in among bang ther nengnung hial hi. Alangnih-nih in a khetuul kekhe tuaktuak ta a, a kilhbelhna sikkilh dawk veuvou a, ka pa’n, a khe sikkilh in a sutlouh na di’n hekkoi vek hi. Huai chu ka pa’ khedap ahi.

Huchia, sawtkhoptak ka pa’ khedap en a, thom neilou a ka din nilouh nung in ka pa hong thoukhia a, Ë! Hong paita maw, Bawi” hon chi a, nui vurvur in hong dingtou hi. “Hi, tawpta ung a” ka chi a, “Ka hon gen pen kha, na hih hia” hon chi a, “Hi, thamtham” ka chinawn hi. “Ahihleh, bang a na ngaihdan?” ahon chi a, ka mitkha ah ka lawm khenkhatte’ khedap sechikchikte ahong kilang zutzut ua, ‘mi’n le zaw khedap sechikchik bun thou ve uh aw’ chi vial le’ng lah ‘huchi ahihleh, na khedap neihsa pen mah bun tadih in aw’ hon chi di chih theihsa, ‘penny loafers ngen a bun uh’ chi le’ng lah zuaugen hi di, zuaugen lah utlou ka hihman in ka buai mahmah hi. Mi’ ate’n bangchituk a khedap hoih leh mantam bun mahle uh, ka pa’ khedap chiangtak in ka muta a, ahon leisaktu di pen in khedap sechik a but lai a ke’n khedap changkangpen ka buh mawk ding lah zumhuai in kisuanlahhuai ka sa si, hilehleng, mitkha a penny loafers hong kilang lah nawtmang haksalua, buaihuai tak ahi.

Penny loafers khuh phalou chiah dia jeans rong blue zuih huntawk teeng ding in, jeans malam sakhau a khutpi baatlut a, T-shirt fuhdeuh toh sam tawk huntawk a nuh maam kel kawm a school kongtual a kivialleh ging karh-karh a, lawm dangte’n ka kalsuan ging maimai apat leng etdan chituam deuh a ahon etdan ding khawng uh ka suangtuah nilouh a…. Huchibang a, damgsung a om ngeilou ding dan a ka kingaihtuah khak chiang bang in ka kapkhe phialphial sek hi. Neilou-theilou in kikoih mahle’ng ka pa nget ngai, ama’n leng khedap hoihlouchik bun ahi chih thei napi a khedap mantam leh tulai penpen nget ding lah zumhuai, a mittak ah leng ka en gamkei a, kunsuk le’ng lah a khedap muzel di chi in, Chevy car en kawm in, “Penny loafers neih tei himhim chu ka ut akaa” ka chikhe dom mai hi. A khut sek teentuun a thautui baangte nulsiang kawm in ka pa’n hon nuihsan a, “Deih tinten na hih in chu…..” chi in a sakhau a sawkta hi. Penny loafers!

“Dawr i khak phet chiang un, tuni chu na nu bazaar ka va hawhpih ngai di eive, nidang a inkuan a nek ding aleisek sang a tawmzaw alei ngai di ahih chiang in…” a chihte khawng ka za mumal thei nawnkei. Dollar 10 hon akhia a, “Na khedap deihpen chu va lei ve leh” ahon chih ging loungal bangmah dang ka zakei. Khedap man hi $ 10 ahi a, himahleh, 3% sales tax piak angaih ziak in ka pa’n sumneen tamlou ahon piakbeh hi. Workshop apat vaiveih tuk a rang in ka kikhohkhia a, lamkoi thumna a khedap zuakna dawr ka tun lam leng ka theichian kei hial. Dawr tukverh a penny loafers kikhaina verandah ah ka theihlouh kar in ka na ding reng! School kai dia ka kuan teng in huai khedap zuakna dawr kongkhak a limlang a penny loafers kikhai ah, ‘sale $ 9.95’ chih a kitaak lai hia chih ka en gige hi. Tu in leng a kitaak lailai a, ahihziak in, etthoh maimai hilou in ka lei sin a, ka bun dia, ka paiging kauhkauh ta ding hi. Nuam ata ve!

Dawr sung a lut in, aw ling sim pulhpulh in penny loafers lei dek ka hihdan ka hilh hi. Ka paukhiak zawng khawng in ‘pa’ deuh hial in ka kithei hi. Himahleh, buaina khat ka tuak ta - huai khedap khetuul zawn a sikkual, alsuan zawng a ging kauhkauh pen kha atuam a lei ngai ana hi a, a khedap vuak in chu $ 9.95 man inchin, sikkual pen toh leikhom dek le’ng ka sum in daihlou hi. Huai sikkual tellou a lah ka pai chiang a ginglou di ahihman in ka lung a kham mahmah hi. Sikkual tellou in hiai khedap in omzia neilou in ka thei hi. Leilouh phot a, ka nu’ kiang a asikkual man ding nget a, huai toh leikhom mai ding in ka ngaihtuah hi. Ahi a, seppatni a school a lawmte’ muh a but ngeingei ut ngal ing a, zei deuh a ka buhtheih na dia bangtan hiam kizir masak ngai zomah di. Khovel in thildang tengteng a ngakthei, himahleh, hiai khedap pentak in chu bangmah a ngakthei nawnkei! Tu mahmah a ka lei ngai ahi chi in ka ngaihtuah a, ka pa’ kiang a sum va ngetbeh mai di’n ka thupukta hi.

Ka kingaihtuah thak a, ka pa’ kiang ah maw sum dang ka va nget lailai di? Ama’ khedap hoihlouchik pen ka mitkha ah nulkhiak vuallouh in ahong lang a, a siatna tuamtuamte, a khetuul sahna zawn kitankhiakna a sikkilh dawk veuvoute, a siik kek a khuikhom nimnemte…….. Huai khedap dawr lianpi sung ah khovel a khedap hoih leh mantampente, tawp theilou ding hileh kilawm khop a sau in kivual phei diudeu mahleh ka mit in khat leng a muthei kei, ka pa’ khedap in ka mit aliah vek! Huchibang a savun khedap sechik bun in ka pa’n kei leh ka inkuante’ nek ding leh inluahman ana sutuah sek a, zanlai khomial leh vottak nuai ah leng motor sia bawl ding a ahong sap chiang un, kamkhat leng phunlou in, ka ihmut kar in a kuan sek hi. Ka pa’n huai khedap sia bunkawm in kei leh ka inkuante’ adi’n kum tamtak nek ana zong hi. Pu Alva leh midangte’n ka pa ahong naih sese na ziak uh leng, a siatna, amau’ gente a bawlsak ban ah ka pa’n a siatna dangte zonkhiak sak in, athon in bawlhoih sak zel hi.

Huchibang khop a gim leh tawl a a sep a leng amah khedap ding hoihdeuh lei ngamlou a, ama’n leng a poimoh ngoihngoih a lei ngamlouh lai a kei’ adia itlou hial a hon pia ahi chih ka theikhia hi. Ka pa’n, kei mahbang in a khedap deihzawng ngen bun ta leh ke’n bangchi bang khedap ka bun tel dia aw chihte ka ngaihtuah a, kum 13 phata ing a, ka pa’n ka khedap eihzawng ka neihtheih na di’n kum bangzah gim-le-tawl poi salou in na ana sem ta dia aw chihte ngaihtuah in ka harhkhe guih hi. Ka dakkhia a, dohdan nalhtak a vaak kilawmtak in a salh vaak phingpheng na a penny loafers kiremdiudeu ka en a, lamdangtak in huai khedap deihhuai takmai chu a deihhuaina thakhat thu in mang daih hi. Khedap nalh leh mantam penpente kitaakna ka zuiphei zel a, atawp in, ‘Clearance 50% Offer’ chih kigelhna ah Ka Pa’ Khedap bangbang ka va mu hi. Ka lungsim ngaihtuahna ah ka school kongtual ua ka paiging kauhkauh dan ding mah ahong kilang a, himahleh, huai mitkha khiatlahhuai takmai chu ka pa’ khedap lui in ahon liahkhuh nawn vek a…. khovel a khedap hoih leh nalh hi a ka theih tengteng ka ngaihtuah suakvek in leng ka pa’ khedap lui tuk a manpha ka thei zoukei hi.

Huchi’n, siah (tax) toh belhkhom a $ 6.13 a azuakte uh No. 10, ka pa’ deihzawngtak teelkhia in, uluktak in ka tunsak a, kei leh kei leng mak kisagu zezen in ka pa’ workshop lam ka zuanta hi. Workshop kong ah ka pa’ car lui mahmah ta khat a khawl bembam a, a kongkhak hong in driver tutna ah ka vantun ka koih hi. Workshop a va lut in ka sum zatval ka va pia hi. Ka pa’n, “Na khedap gente $ 9.95 man na chi hilou maw, hon lehkik tam na uh e” ahon chi a, “Ana sale laitak uh ahi a kimanzaw in ka leithei a” ka chilel a. Pai ahun dek taak man in munphiah la in workshop sung ka phiatpih a, huchi’n, nitaklam dak 5:00 in pai ding in ka kisata uhi. Car a ka lut un ka pa’n van kitun mu a, kintak a la in a pheitung ah koih phot hi. Dawm deuhmai in hong khialkhial a, khovel a ka khedap deih penpen, ka pa’n houh adamsung a leng a buhkhak ngeilouh ding penny loafers hi ngei dia gingta ahi dia, kilawptak leh nui verver kawm in khedap bawm hong hi. Himahleh, ka khedap lei amuhtak in, lamdang sakna toh hon en hu a, “Khaih! Penny loafers lei di chi k’on sa a” ahon chi hi.

“Aw, ka lungsim ka khengthak a ahi” ka chihsan lel a, tampi genlou in ka taikheta uhi. Ahon en vungvung a, hong nuikhe dia ka ngaihtuah lai in a mittui hong pawt di’n a kisa mawk a, hon en ngamlou in ka mailam uh en a, car heekna (steering wheel) nakpi in mek hi. Bangmah genlou a, tunglam en vungvung kawm a om laitak, hong kiheiphei in ngaihtuah khiakguih nei hileh kilawm in ka mit ah hon en a, “Bawi, ka khedap ana mu na hi maw?” ahon chi hi.

(Willie B. Reborn in a gelh, Lengzem Magazine Editor’ phalsakna a ka hon gelhsawn ahi)

©mangzouvl/1/11/2011