The God of Small Things - Get a Free Blog

though they had successfully concluded a business deal.
“Bye-bye!”
He slammed the skyblue door shut Baby Kochamma
wobbled. The crowd around the car unclotted and went on with its
march.
Baby Kochamma rolled the red flag up and put it on the
ledge behind the backseat. She put her rosary back into her blouse
where she kept it with her melons. She busied herself with this and
that, trying to salvage some dignity
After the last few men walked past, Chacko said it was all
right now to roll down the windows.
“Are you sure it was him?‟ Chacko asked Rahel.
`Who?” Rahel said, suddenly cautious.
“Are you sure it was Velutha?”
“Hmmm…?” Rahel said, playing for time, trying to decipher
Estha‟s frantic thought signals.
“I said, are you sure that the man you saw was Velutha?”
Chacko said for the third time.
“Mmm… nyes… m… m… almost,” Rahel said.
“You‟re almost sure?” Chacko said.
“No… it was almost Vehitha,” Rahel said. “it almost looked
like him…”
“So you‟re not sure then?”
“Almost not.” Rahel slid a look at Estha for approval.
“It must have been him,” Baby Kochamma said. “It‟s
Trivandrum that‟s done this to him. They all go there and come
back thinking they‟re some great politicos.”
Nobody seemed particularly impressed by her insight.
“We should keep an eye on him,” Baby Kochamrna said. “If
he starts this Union business in the factory… I‟ve noticed some
signs, some rudeness, some ingratitude. The other day I asked him
to help me with the rocks for my scree bed and he–”
“I saw Velutha at home before we left,” Estha said brightly.
“So how could it be him?”
“For his own sake,” Baby Kochamma said, darkly, “I hope it