1gQ4hRW

You break something and you’re out of a job. No exceptions. Our
merchandise is far too valuable to allow our workers to afford
more than one mistake. These foreigners—their perfume bottles
cost more than my manager’s quarterly wages! I would be bankrupt
within the week. Oh, and speaking of money, your salary
will be four hundred rupees a month, okay It’s not much but I
hope you can save enough to fulfil your dreams, whatever they
might be. I’ll send Tyagi to explain the details. Good luck.”
“Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it, I promise,” Akash
breathes. Aeroplanes, his heart replies.
It is a wet morning. Akash opens his eyes and out of habit
looks up at the sky. Naturally the clouds have hidden it, but he
can hear the faint drone of the twin engine glider circling above.
“Always waiting for his turn to land, poor sod.” He shakes his
head, sits up, and gathers the bedclothes into a rough pile. “First
day on the job, better not be late.”
By the time the rest of the world is dragging itself blearyeyed
out of bed, Akash and his new colleagues are already hard at
work.
“So where do you come from” asks Shanker, a sandy-haired
youth with an air of disinterest. His jaw is busily working
at chewing a matchstick.
“Originally from Vikhroli. Now I live in Chiragnagar,”
Akash replies as he hefts a large brown case. “Oof. How heavy
this stuff is!”
“Nice shirt. Yours”
“No, I borrowed it from a friend. I don’t have any of my
own. Do we have to wear shirts every day It’s so hot.”
“Of course! You want the customers to think we live in the
slums or what”
“But we do live in slums. Aargh! Whew! Good thing my
back is strong. What do people carry in such large boxes How
long have you been working here”
“A year. And this is my own shirt. I’m from Dharavi.”
Akash grunts in reply. He really must save enough to get
February 2014 71