Golf in the Field of Time

Valley of Flowers

Chapter 1 - Garden on Top of the World

THE VALLEY OF FLOWERS ahead looked awash in sunrays and colorful wildflowers. All seemed so expertly arranged and crowding the valley in thousands and millions there would be no counting their number. Dew-gilded gleaming flowers appeared in maximum bloom. The glare from this shine captivated him and his senses took flight.

Nicolas Kumar had arrived.

The upward graph of his trek journey had brought him to this mountain place—on a crisp cool morning that was his birthday. The scene presented lent a warm ambience to his interiors; however, he might have preferred his father had gifted him a brand new BMW.

The 17-year-old Indian youth, pinch-fit from regular workouts, held up to take a breather as for couch potatoes. He felt the blunt chill of low temperatures. In front of his face he noticed as if for the first time the puff-clouds that formed and dissipated from his outgoing breath. His hope or high expectation now was for a good solid round here, on first seeing this famed valley’s primal beauty.

Once more the school-going teenager breathed in deep that stretched his lungs to the utmost. In among the fresh, sweet open air was a fragrant scent he took into his lungs. Pleasures from this and the envisioned field permitted him a moment beyond measure. Gravity tugged.

Nicolas bowed to this mounting pressure. He exhaled while setting down his rucksack in a freestanding display. Gradually his breathing became more normal and he felt reassured. Now he thought being in the Indian Himalayas was a timely step for him, and one in the right direction.

Nicolas took off his red-fleece jacket, wrapped around his waist, and he laid it over his standing rucksack. In a no hurried manner, he removed his cap and ran his fingers through his thick brown hair.

His skin and mid-length wavy hair were a similar color brown, with his skin darkened from the many hours out in the sun on the practice range, and while out on the course during play. Dark eyebrows shielded his curious and eager slate-gray eyes. His eyes were good and quick, sharper for sighting long wood and iron shots out from mid-air, and from spotting the errant ones lying in the long grass.

Nicolas returned his cap atop his head and crooked it, with finger and thumb. He added more bend to the bill’s center. He fashion-forwarded it some. He looked out over this many-flowered valley. Nicolas continued receiving bales full of colorful garlands, as each timeless frame-to-frame picture in his mind’s eye without exception solicited and obtained from him a brief promise to stay, and never return to the jungle of concrete and commotion, roads or dividing walls, nor ever go back to the unholy rolling on juggernaut of live wire.

He stared at the scene of immortal bliss and searched its tranquil wonders. Glee came through to make him smile. His readiness for the approaching contest suffered some from giddiness, as he stood self-consciously on the grassy tee block, gratification of the senses his highest goal.

“Teledensity has certainly not reached here,” whispered the mostly city-centric youth.

Favoring red rhododendrons, in a valley far from the maddening urban crowds, the plush sea of alpine flowers were in seeming palpable excitement over the possibilities of this one fine day in paradise.

Dotted here and there purple and blue, and raised from the earth, here a Himalayan blue poppy, there a cobra lily and edelweiss, the vibrant flowers in plenary portions were on proud, glorious display, in an absolute must-have bouquet. And all seemed nourished by a fast-running stream, rushing through a slight middling valley.

The spill off came from the lifting waters of an in-the-distance small lake. Its check-dams appeared filled to the brim and stemming from a spectacular waterfall, flowing like champagne. And then lo, a rainbow. The grand clash of colors with pristine appeal. The rainbow gave shape to this cut cake, ordered for the occasion of charmed magic, through excellent vision, and all got his mind into feeling divine timelessness and just right disarray.

Nicolas Kumar gazed more at this sparkle. He took in the invigorating crisp clean air and view of a lifetime. He stood in chilly wonder. He wondered who colored these many flowers. Subsequently, he fought for ownership of this prime piece of land.

The battle within him, however, did not drag on. Inside, his immediate plan to claim this superb, untamed property was simply to roll out the world’s best drive.