As Mumbles prepared lunch the next day, he asked Govinda if he would remember him in Australia. Govinda told him to mind his own business. After lunch all the servants came to say their final goodbye to the family. Was this really it? For a moment Govinda forgot about the violence taking place outside. He imagined never seeing his home again and felt very sad. The servants brought presents. Ashok’s trousers appeared to sit on his waist better than they normally did. He arrived with incense. Tenzing appeared sober, his eyes were not bloodshot, and his wife brought cauliflower and potato, for Mumbles to make into a curry. Govinda shook hands with them all except for Mumbles. He did not like the secret understanding they had, the way Mumbles seemed to get so much of Gitanjali’s attention. The flowing tap, the lowered voices, the accidental hand brushing. His mother was not supposed to be so open with the cook, and in front of him, but Govinda said nothing. Instead he sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. Hahhhh! The servants flung themselves before his family and begged them not to leave, crying that if they left they would be without a good household. Govinda’s father was clearly distracted as his eyes searched into the distance. ‘C’mon, let’s go,’ he finally said.

They all drank tea together and then their cups were refilled and left standing as a symbol to bring about a quick return. The servants and their families stood weeping. Govinda hated saying goodbye, but his mother consoled him saying they would all meet again one day. No one mentioned the riots taking place outside.

Before they left, Ashok lit a coconut and circled the car three times with the smoking husk before smashing it on the concrete. At that Nitesh appeared. He looked different. He appeared older. He was without his glasses. He said he had new contact lenses when he hugged Govinda. He then bowed before the headmaster and draped a garland of yellow flowers over the steering wheel. Govinda hugged his friend. The chauffeur sprinkled holy water from the shrine of Ganesh over the car’s bonnet while reciting a mantra from the Hindu Vedas. He finished by flicking droplets of red kumkum, an extract of turmeric, over the front of the car and dabbed a bit on the forehead of everyone taking part in the ritual. Then under the front wheel he placed a lime, which was crushed when the car rolled forward on its auspicious journey.

A Stone’s Throw

A Stone’s Throw