‘We could tell him about what is happening here. I’m sure he will help, or talk about it, at least. Anything will help. Maybe he can get other important and famous people to talk about us and support us. What do you say?’

Korok smiled and said yes, it was a good idea. Although he then immediately thought the man who made this movie must live at the far end of the world, so if they posted a letter to him, it could take, who knew, years and years to reach him …

‘Uff, no Korok. We will email him.’

Korok nodded. A letter through the kompitar. Okay. He knew of that from Anchita. She had even shown him her Facebook profile and explained that a number on the screen was the number of friends she had. He could count a bit, and was amazed. She had more than 640 friends! Almost as much as a small village. But Anchita explained all of them were not really her friends in the way he understood the word. Then she said some of them were people she hadn’t even met. Korok nodded and didn’t tell her he didn’t understand how it worked. It must be a city thing.

‘So we will mail him, on behalf of everyone in the villages, and ask him for help. He must be a busy man, but I am sure he will reply.’

Korok nodded and smiled. Anything that helped them was good, wasn’t it?

He hadn’t smiled so much in a long time, so it was good to do it.

And then the Red Brothers arrived, and Korok stopped smiling.

12

DECEMBER-JANUARY

Gardening is waiting. The good gardener waits patiently for the plant or flower to grow, taking its own time. She knows most of what really matters happens deep underground, among the roots sucking in food and water from the soil. She waits for nature to do what it knows best, and just helps things along, a little at a time.

Korok had no idea about the Supreme Court or the complex mechanism at work in far-off Delhi. He would only know from whatever the mahji explained to him. So he waited patiently for things to happen, and for the results. He was good at waiting.