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two grand-daughters update an age-dried
couple on school tales.
like a bus speeding on a bumpy road
ajoba shakes when they hopscotch from
earth to moon and back;
roller skate on gulab jamuns hand-crafted by aji.
aji is no more.
ajoba seeks moksha on the market road;
40 years ago, missed it among the family-owned
chikku and mango orchards --
now the market road.
his feet stammer, pause; nods standing.
niranjan, the vegetable seller from benares,
helps ajoba to a plastic chair;
after business hours walks ajoba home, marred by
an upturned god and a self-willed tv on the wall.
grand-daughters are searching stars in american labs.
niranjan is all.
,