THE WAKE-UP CALL CHAPTER 2 The response shocked her. “You should have told me, I’m travelling so you’ll have to find a hotel then tell me where you settle so I can pick you up when I get back. You should not keep secrets from me Asha, this is embarrassing. Contact me tomorrow, so I’ll know where to find you.” Asha wept. Then she emailed … Continue reading ASHA (आशा: (Hindi name meaning “hope”).” Chapter 2
CHAPTER 1 A NEW LIFE Asha sat at her desk staring at the computer screen. There was a clatter of human movement telling her the days work had begun as papers and files made their appearance on desks and filing cabinet drawers clanked open and shut. She could already hear the muffled conversations coming from seemingly endless cubicles in this open plan office space. Just … Continue reading ASHA (आशा: (Hindi name meaning “hope”).”
The Paan Wallah prepared betel leaf with areca nut as Datu waited patiently. He never tired of watching the process as the stall holder worked his trade. The Paan Wallah held out his hand before handing over the final product and gave his red stained teeth grin. Datu reached into his money pouch and produced the usual payment while the vendor continued to hold out … Continue reading दत्तु (Datu)
Fulfilled Dream Hussain picked up his cell phone and searched through the picture gallery. He leaned over to Grant. “There’s one of the family you haven’t seen this evening, can you think back as to who that may be?” Grant immediately responded. “Meenu, I suppose she’s married to some rich man somewhere in the world.” He used his pet name for Meena and Hussain smiled … Continue reading The Fugitive’s Return – Chapter 2
Flirting with Danger Grant emerged from the minibus with a mixture of happiness and fear. He was followed by an assortment of tourists complaining about cramped conditions on the way from Mumbai. They’d been irritated by the heat on arrival and the cramped quarters of the minibus with luggage piled around them as they’d negotiated traffic out of a city which never seemed to end. … Continue reading The Fugitive’s Return – Chapter 1
A New Life – Conclusion Ranjubai slept fitfully through the afternoon occasionally crying out in pain as she turned on her thin cotton mattress. Her body was on fire. It was later that evening Dass returned lurching unsteadily through streets and singing loudly the latest Hindi song from the Bollywood movie currently being shown at Maratha Mandir theatre. He’d somehow been able to get past … Continue reading कौआ (Kaua) – Chapter 4
Chapter 2 – Survival After a while Kaua arose and looked around. He was hungry, tired and his muscles ached from holding on desperately all night. As he progressed back toward the station entrance and the usual cluster of barrows selling a variety of trinkets and foods his eyes focused on a stall where a young girl was frying bonda and selling it. Her parents … Continue reading कौआ (kaua) – Chapter 2
Chapter One – The Escape Kaua was his name, well that was not his birth name, but he’d been called Kaua since childhood and had trouble remembering what his real name was. Kaua had vague memories of his parents in his ancestral village. His father had been a village toddy maker and brewed his noxious potions in among a collection of thorn trees by the … Continue reading कौआ (kaua) – Chapter 1
Chandra paused from her work and listened with the practiced care of a mother who had children of her own. Baby Hilda was stirring and making muffled whimpering sounds from her cradle in the main bedroom. Memsahib had entrusted the little one to Chandra while she made a quick trip to the Darji on Main Street to find out why he hadn’t delivered dresses ordered … Continue reading The Morning Tamasha
Tipu looked out from the enclosure he occupied with Bertha and cried out in anger. The girls had emerged for their morning duties looking after needs of their zoo before catching the bus for a day at school. Tipu didn’t mind their first round of activities checking on water and food for their chickens. The chicks were being raised to sell. It was part of … Continue reading The Adventures of Tipu
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