"Oh, Mummy!' wailed Suri. Shut up!' said Ranbir.

The road twisted and turned as

much as it could, and rose a little only to fall more steeply the other side. But
eventually it began to even out, for they were nearing the town and almost in the
residential area.
The run is over,' said Somi, a little regretfully. 'Oh, Mummy!'
'Shut up.
The boy said: I must get off now, I live very near.' Somi skidded the cycle to a
standstill, and Suri shot off the handlebar into a muddy sidetrack. The boy slipped
off, but Somi and Ranbir remained on their seats, Ranbir steadying the cycle with
his feet on the ground.
Well, thank you,' said the boy.
Somi said: Why don't you come and have your meal with us, there is not much
further to go.'
The boy's shyness would not fall away.
Tve got to go home,' he said. I'm expected. Thanks very much.'
<Well, come and see us somne time,' said Somi. »If you come to the chaat shop in
the bazaar, you are sure to find one of us. You know the bazaar?
'Well, I have passed through it-in a car.'
'Oh.'
The boy began walking away, his hands once more in his pockets.
'Hey!' shouted Somi. You didn't tell us your name!' The boy turned and hesitated
and then said, Rusty .''Seeyou soon, Rusty,' said Somi, and the cycle pushed off.
The boy watched the cycle receding down the road, and Suri's shrill voice came
to him on the wind. It had stopped raining, but the boy was una ware of this; he was
almost home, and that was a miserable thought. To his surprise and disgust, he
found himself wishing he had gone into Dehra with Somi.
He stood in the sidetrack and stared down the empty road; and, to his surprise and
disgust, he felt immeasurably lonely.