This story takes place in a more urban area in Nepal’ an area that is frequented by tourists. The story is about a man named Krishna who worked as a tour guide in the city, far way from his home. Krishna’s fascination with Western culture and society is what brought him to the city. He felt his work in the city would eventually lead him to the United States. Before moving to the city, Krishna left his home in a small village in order to work. Once Krishna was somewhat established in the city, he became consumed with his job and his desires to move to the United States. As each day passed, he seemed to forget about his hometown. One day a telegram arrived that was sent from his hometown. Krishna ignored the telegram for days. The telegram made him reminisce about his hometown. Upon reading the telegram, he discovered that his wife had passed away. It took several weeks for Krishna to internalize the message of the telegram and he eventually broke down and cried.

I believe that the author, Parashu Pradhan, was telling a tale that befits many lives in third world countries. Krishna is representative of those men who seek a better life away from their hometown and often times their spouses. These men become so engulfed in their work and new surroundings that they forget where they came from. They develop new ideas and dreams that lead them far away from their original purpose.

I believe that there is an important message in this story. "No matter how big your dreams and aspirations become, always take time to realize the cost of fulfilling those dreams and aspirations." Throughout the story Krishana is consumed by his dreams about the United States; it becomes an obsession. The telegram that Krishna received was initially a symbol of a place and time in his life he didn’t care to think about. The telegram represented a life that was antagonistic to the one he desired. The telegram was in reality a symbol of his true life: A life that involved people who cared about him and a place that was his true home. Krishna had traded his real life for an imagined one. He never knew or could have imagined the price of his dreams and desires because he allowed those dreams and desires to consume him. There are many times in our lives when we neglect ourselves and others in pursuit of something. We become selfish and self centered, believing that our success is the most important. Sometimes we don’t realize the cost of our endeavors until it is too late.