soft evening scene: prateek and i are sittin outside on the wall of the shoppin courtyard in some commercial zone talkin about things - probably about the book prateek's just written - when a big shadowy presence looms over us. a big bulky young man, jeans and t-shirt, face expressionless, just standin there, seeming not to pay us any attention as our conversation drops, but he must be aware of us, standing so close, hovering, as if he's about to . . . what is he doing? what will he do? i become curious and concerned. curiously concerned. concerned in a curious way. prateek makes the first move by asking him (in english): hey man, you got a problem? the man gives him a lengthy cool look before responding: no, you got a problem? prateek is not the belligerent sort, but he looks resolved, unflinching. no, he says.
few, i think, no-one has a problem. they exchange a few words in hindi, hard faces soften - not quite into smiles - but they shake hands, then the hulking shadow shakes my hand, his face serious, before waddling slowly off. "drunk," says prateek, with a little laugh. it is funny because that is one of the things we had been talking about: the curiosity that the presence of a foreigner arouses in many indians.
few minutes later a young boy appears, barefoot, ragged clothes, eyes downcast, clearly used to being spurned because he speaks in a very low meek voice. prateek has to lean closer to hear his request, then he signals to me: lets go? i'm gonna buy him some food, he's hungry.
we return to the carpark diner where we ate half an hour ago. prateek is asking him what he wants, when a little man appears (big in comparison to the boy), bearing a wooden stick. he is holding the boy by the scruff of the neck, raising the stick periodically, not letting the boy go. the boy is trying to escape. he is firing hot words at the boy, trying to exhort some sort of response from the boy. the boy is quivering and periodically trying to break loose. the man is holding the stick aloft, dragging the boy past the parked cars. the crowd at the diner look on but do nothing.
what a bizarre scene, i think, as we walk back to prateek's car. i see the man at the other side of the carpark now, still holding onto the boy, menacingly brandishing his stick. what can explain it? yet another scene in india which i can't make head nor tail of.
later prateek explains it: the man says the boy was caught stealing earlier on. the man wants to teach the boy a lesson.
few, i think, no-one has a problem. they exchange a few words in hindi, hard faces soften - not quite into smiles - but they shake hands, then the hulking shadow shakes my hand, his face serious, before waddling slowly off. "drunk," says prateek, with a little laugh. it is funny because that is one of the things we had been talking about: the curiosity that the presence of a foreigner arouses in many indians.
few minutes later a young boy appears, barefoot, ragged clothes, eyes downcast, clearly used to being spurned because he speaks in a very low meek voice. prateek has to lean closer to hear his request, then he signals to me: lets go? i'm gonna buy him some food, he's hungry.
we return to the carpark diner where we ate half an hour ago. prateek is asking him what he wants, when a little man appears (big in comparison to the boy), bearing a wooden stick. he is holding the boy by the scruff of the neck, raising the stick periodically, not letting the boy go. the boy is trying to escape. he is firing hot words at the boy, trying to exhort some sort of response from the boy. the boy is quivering and periodically trying to break loose. the man is holding the stick aloft, dragging the boy past the parked cars. the crowd at the diner look on but do nothing.
what a bizarre scene, i think, as we walk back to prateek's car. i see the man at the other side of the carpark now, still holding onto the boy, menacingly brandishing his stick. what can explain it? yet another scene in india which i can't make head nor tail of.
later prateek explains it: the man says the boy was caught stealing earlier on. the man wants to teach the boy a lesson.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento