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wondered if they had basketball courts in London. I was pretty sure<br />

they did. I wondered if she still played. And If she did, did she think<br />

of me?<br />

‘Shoot, bhaiya,’ Parth said.<br />

I threw the ball. It not only missed the basket, but also the entire<br />

frame. My laziest and worst shot ever.<br />

Parth looked at me, shocked.<br />

‘What level did you play, bhaiya?’ Parth said. His hopes of joining<br />

Stephen’s went up. If someone as sloppy as me could get in through<br />

sports quota, so could he.<br />

I smiled at him, I ran across to pick the ball. I took a shot. I missed<br />

again. I passed the ball back to Parth, ‘I guess I’m not much of a<br />

player anymore,’ 1 said.<br />

‘Should I call my other friends? We can play a game,’<br />

I shook my head.<br />

'I'll just bring down your level,' l said and left the court.<br />

*<br />

‘Why has the MLA called us? This can't be good,’ my mother said.<br />

‘Let's find out. Why are you getting so stressed?’<br />

My mother and I walked from our house to MLA Ojha's residence,<br />

‘Useless fellow,’ Ma said.<br />

‘Shh, we’re here,’ I said as we entered the compound of Ojha’s<br />

bungalow.<br />

*<br />

A freshly shaved Ojha in a sparkling white kurta-pajama received<br />

us with folded hands.<br />

‘What an honour, Rani Sahiba,’ he said, beaming.<br />

‘You ordered us to come. What choice do we have, Ojha ji?’ my<br />

mother said.<br />

’It was a humble request, Rani Sahiba,’ Ojha said. We followed<br />

him to his huge living room and took our seats on red velvet solas<br />

with huge gold embroidered flowers. His dutiful wife, her head<br />

covered, arrived with a tray of water and juice, My mother took the

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