A tall, handsome young man was walking towards the shops. He was a clerk at the Samdang tea estate of the Doom Dooma Tea Company. His name was Pulok Baruah. He had come to meet Lee Chang, his friend and one-time classmate; they also belonged to the same football club. They had celebrated the wedding of their classmate Narayan Sarma’s sister together just the previous night. Pulok was dressed in a black-and-green check poplin shirt with terry cotton trousers. His hair was parted to the right with a little wave in front and he sported a thin moustache. His thoughtful face and dreamy eyes glowed with youthfulness. His entire persona exuded a hassle-free life.

There was hardly anyone who didn’t know Pulok and his team. They were all good football players. The superintendent of the Doom Dooma Tea Company, William Addison, who was a patron of their Seven Star Club, had personally offered him the job.

None in this area was as good in making customized shoes as the Chinese. Though the shops were small, the Chinese shoemakers were well-off. They had their own house and land in Cheenapatti. One of the shops belonged to Lee Chang’s father. Lee Chang had joined the family business two years ago. He had his own shop in Tinsukia. He looked after this shop in Makum in the morning and went to Tinsukia in the afternoon.

‘Hey Pulok. Come, come in.’ Lao Thien Lee, the middle-aged owner of the first shop called out, smiling broadly. His small bright eyes were buried in his plump, rosy cheeks.

‘How are you, ako?’ Pulok asked.

‘Very well, very well. Have you eaten?’

‘Yes. What time did you come back from Narayan’s house last night?’

‘About eight o’clock. Do you know that it is Chinese New Year tomorrow?’

‘Yes, yes, of course. I’ll come over tomorrow.’

‘Have dinner with us. In fact, after bringing my wife from China, I haven’t had the opportunity to invite anyone over for a meal. You all must come tomorrow.’

Lao Thien Lee started discussing football with great enthusiasm, leaving his customers to be handled by his Chinese employees who could speak both Hindi and Assamese.

‘Has Robin come home on leave?’ he asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Well then, Seven Star will be champions again. Because of him we were able to score four goals last year, remember?’

‘Robin didn’t score a single goal. Liang scored one, Lee Chang two, and Tung Chin scored one goal. Don’t say it was because of Robin that our club scored four goals, Lee ako – Tung Chin and the rest will thrash us.’ Pulok chuckled.

‘Ah ha! Who is going to say it in front of them? You also don’t understand?’ Lao Thien Lee whispered, laughing heartily.

After some time, Pulok left for Lee Chang’s shop.

‘You had quite a chat with the old man, ha!’ Lee Chang laughed. ‘It must have been about football, right?’