‘But Thompson Sir never speaks to Banerjee,’ Battisi returned to his doubt. ‘Can you read  . that much?’

‘A week later Banerjee’s father wrote again. That the teapot fell and broke because Dada’s soul was in the house sending all sorts of coded messages. Banerjee didn’t go.’

‘The old man’s cycle of reincarnation must have been punctured. Ha, ha!’

‘The crow becomes human. The human becomes the crow,’ Natwarlal responded.

‘Ha, ha! This is mischief. This is play.’

‘What else is there in this small world, tell me?’ They walked quietly for some time.

‘Banerjee has a son? If I ever get to see my great grandson it will be a miracle,’ said Battisi.

‘Last week Banerjee’s father was very angry. He ordered Banerjee to come right away and sign some property papers,’ Natwarlal continued.

‘Did Sir Thompson allow?’

‘Sir Thompson asked Banerjee what would happen if Banerjee went and the crow didn’t touch the rice. Banerjee said that then it was not his fault. Sir Thompson argued that the old man was dead anyway and wouldn’t know whether Banerjee was there or whether the crow touched the rice.’

‘Sir Thompson has not been properly informed. It is not for the dead man to know whether the crow touched the rice. It is for those who remain to know that the dead have travelled safely to the other side,’ said Battisi.

‘At that moment Sir Thompson told Banerjee, “Crows don’t eat rice. They eat insects and small animals.”’

‘Doesn’t Sir Thompson know about Hindu crows? Hindu crows are vegetarian,’ said Battisi.

‘Whatever these crows eat, they are resilient, I tell you. It could rain for days, there could be thunder and lightning or the sweltering heat of summer could transform people into dried mangoes, but these crows hold their ground. They shake themselves dry. They may lose their feathers and look miserable, but they endure and survive. True spirits of Bombay.’

‘Whoever heard of that? True spirits,’ responded Battisi. ‘What wrong did the parrots do? And the pigeons?’

‘Oh! They’re loafers, freeloaders, hundreds of pigeons flock around statues and roofs. Never do a day’s work. Besides who will pay to clean those dirty statues. Crows are clean.’

‘Yet no one keeps crows as pets.’

‘Crows have self-respect.’

‘Did Banerjee go to Calcutta?’

‘No.’

‘His grandfather’s soul must be running around in the house by now.’

‘His father is cunning. It must be about the property,’ said Natwarlal, keeping his eyes on the officer who was listening to the street theologian.

‘You have a devious mind.’

4

Dear Dibu,