‘You can’t do anything about people like that.’

‘But there are all these other boys, always hanging around him and treating him like royalty. It’s like a gang …’

‘He is popular because of his father. But you can’t punish him because of who his father is, or what he does. And you can’t yell at your classmates to show some interest in the Gonds. Yes, it would have been nice if they had shown some concern for all the things that have been happening. But you can’t change everything, Anchita, and you certainly can’t change things just by getting angry. So hang on in there, and try not to lose your temper, please?’

A goat stood right in the middle of the road and refused to move as the car approached it. Anchita’s father slowed down and drove around it before picking up speed. Anchita could see the goat staring at them in the rearview mirror as they sped away. There was hardly any traffic.

‘But why is everyone here ignoring the Gonds? Except the other tribes, that is. Why don’t my classmates care?’

‘Maybe they don’t know. Maybe they don’t read newspapers, or watch the news, or talk to other people. Maybe their parents don’t talk about it at home. That makes a lot of difference, you know. Or maybe your classmates are just not interested.’

‘That is not right, is it?’

‘No, it isn’t right. But that is how it is. And you can’t fight it like this. You see, an honest person doesn’t have many friends. But an honest person who speaks her mind, she has no friends. I am just saying this because you will have to be in class for some time, with these kids. You can’t fight with them every day. So maybe you can try explaining things to them in a gentle way. Who knows, perhaps some of them will agree with you? But please, don’t pick fights with them.’

Anchita, who was quite willing to fight anyone all the time if she had to, was silent. Then she thought of something else.

‘You said I have to be in this class for some time. Does that mean you will be transferred soon?’

Now her father was silent.

‘Again?’

‘You know how it is. I’m not sure when I will be transferred, but it could be soon.’

Anchita’s father was transferred a lot, because he was honest, responsible and did his work in the right way.

‘I like this place,’ Anchita said, looking out of the car window.

‘Of course you do. But you will need to be in a good school for your Class X exams. Till then, as long as you are here, will you at least try not to pick fights with the children?’