Half Girlfriend

20 'Speech?’ my mother said. 'In English? To goras? Have you gone mad?' ’The state of the school has driven me mad.’ She sat up ...

kinds of children, I continued, '...boy children, girl children, and many, many children,’ I heard my mother snigger. ‘What?’ I ...

‘So what do I do?’ ‘You work that out. I have to take a class.’ My mother collected her notebooks and left. Half an hour later, ...

21 'Six thousand for three months.’ He pushed a brochure towards me. I had come to Patna’s Pride English Learning Centre on Bori ...

hotel called Nest, provided I didn't ask for a receipt, * Ten minutes into my first class at Patna Pride, I had a sinking feelin ...

Industrial Revolution had taken place here, there would be Indian ex- colonies around the world. White men would have had to lea ...

‘I’m Madhav,’ I said. ‘All the best, Madhav,’ he said. Private classes seemed much better at Patna’s Pride. I explained my situ ...

‘Give it a few weeks. We can decide then. Now stand up and speak your fears out loud.’ ‘Fears?’ "Yes, open up and face them. In ...

22 I returned to Dumraon after my Patna weekend and resumed duties at the school. I also coordinated with MLA Ojha’s office for ...

He shook his head and took out the shade card. I entered the Chamkva lobby at 7.47 a.m. I mention the exact time because it cha ...

I looked around. I wondered if I should have eaten some more. That was when I spotted a tall girl, her back to me, at the other ...

‘Can I help you, sir?’ a young hotel staff member at the concierge desk asked me. ‘The lady who left just now. You saw her? Must ...

lobby, my eyes fixed on the entrance. I waited for twelve hours. I didn’t allow myself to use the bathroom lest I miss her again ...

‘I am a Bihari. This is Patna. My hometown is not far away. I should ask you what you are doing here.’ ‘Work. My company sent me ...

23 We sat at a corner table and had our first meal together in three years.The effect some people’s mere presence can have on yo ...

She became quiet. 'You want anything sweet? They have kulfi and gulab jamun,' I said, desperate to change the topic. ‘We got div ...

‘Nestle. I am in sales, for their yogurt brand.’ ‘Ah,’ I said. ‘What?’ she said. ‘Nothing.’ ‘In case you’re wondering what the h ...

‘I’d rather not talk about it. At least, not now.’ I clucked impatiently. ‘What?’ she said. ‘Nothing. This is so you. The freezi ...

‘What?’ ‘Ask me things. I will reply if and when I can. If I don’t, please don’t ask me again.’ ‘Really?’ I said. ‘Yes.That is w ...

24 'Oh, I love this place,’ she said.‘Look at the balcony.’ ‘Stop it. If you praise it so much, he will never give us a good pri ...