The next month, Enumerator A retained his pursuit of how people spit into round holes. He found a logical loophole. Young had not said ‘how or why people spit’ but ‘how and why people spit’, permitting him to do one of the two tasks, not both. It sufficed. His own enthusiasm was necessary although not sufficient for his persistence. What truly excited him was the small local following he had mustered around this hobby. Some had started betting.

‘Who’s leading?’ the customers would enquire.

In a few weeks a small board was hung outside the paanwala’s shop. On it, Enumerator A listed the top three scores. He also invested in his own red notebook to list the names of the contestants. Within two months, Enumerator A had purchased a small wooden cabinet from the proceeds of his commission. It had become a norm for the winners and the speculators to offer him a small percentage of their winnings.

17

Dear Dibu,