Paban was the helper at Kishore's tea stall just outside my college. Perhaps he was about 12 years old. Very lively. Only thing I knew about him was that he was not Kishore's son. Once I asked him, "Where do your parents stay?"
With the usual grin while still working on the cleaning of the glasses, he replied "My village is near Palla road sir! Take a train to Palla road, about a couple of hours from Howrah station. Then take a bus or a cycle van or you might even walk sir. It is very close to the station ..just 6 or 7 miles!"
"Is it a nice village?"
-"Why, of course sir! Would you like to come? Next time I go home I'll take you with me".
I never went to Palla road. With my lower middle class background, with our single room rented house, I had always hesitated even to invite my closest friends to my house. This boy Paban defeated me hands down! I could not have accepted the invitation.
With the usual grin while still working on the cleaning of the glasses, he replied "My village is near Palla road sir! Take a train to Palla road, about a couple of hours from Howrah station. Then take a bus or a cycle van or you might even walk sir. It is very close to the station ..just 6 or 7 miles!"
"Is it a nice village?"
-"Why, of course sir! Would you like to come? Next time I go home I'll take you with me".
I never went to Palla road. With my lower middle class background, with our single room rented house, I had always hesitated even to invite my closest friends to my house. This boy Paban defeated me hands down! I could not have accepted the invitation.
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