Half Girlfriend (1)

I folded my hands to wish both men, each in their fifties. ‘I will be
joining the school too,’ I said.
My mother’s staff looked at her in surprise.
‘I thought you went to a top college in Delhi,’Akhtar said.
‘So?’ I said.
‘You can get a good job anywhere,’Akhtar said.
‘This is not a good job?’ I said. Everyone grinned.
MLA Ojha reached us. He had a thick moustache, upwardly mobile
on either side.
‘Congratulations, Rani Sahiba,’ he said.
'Ojha ji, thank you so much for coming,’ my mother said.
He folded his hands to take permission to leave.
‘But what about lunch?’
‘I have two other functions in Buxar. Please excuse me,’ he said,
hands still folded.
My mother looked at me. She wanted me to persuade him to stay.
‘Ojha ji, stay a little while. We can eat together,’ I said.
‘No, Rajkumar ji. Besides, you won’t be done soon. See, the line
has built up.’
I turned around to find a queue of about fifty villagers waiting to
seek my blessings. A few kids came up to me. They wanted to touch
the sword attached to my waist. I guess if you look like a clown, you
do attract some attention.
'If only voters loved their netas like they love you,’ MLA Ojha said
before he left.
One by one, I blessed the villagers.
‘Is he a real prince? Like those in stories?’ I overheard a young girl
whisper to another.
‘Of course he is,’ her friend said.
‘So where is his princess?’ the young girl said.
I smiled. My princess had moved to another faraway kingdom.
‘What time is school tomorrow, Ma?’ I said.
‘Seven in the morning. Think about work later. Enjoy being the