"BARI THEKE PALIYE (Adventures of the Runaway Kid)" "Kanchon" "What a riot all day." "I thought you must've fallen asleep by now" "Oh you've been studious enough." "Come on, eat dinner" "Now what is it?" " You always scold me" "Why are you always naughty?" " Sometimes, I like to be" "Serve dinner for Kanchon" "Come on" "Ma, when I become a big boy I'll go far away and I'll be rich" "That'll be the end of my sorrows." "And I'll find a pretty bride for you" "Please, give that back to me." " Still reading trashy stories?" "Not trash, adventure." " What if your Baba comes to know?" "You won't tattle?" " Dinner is ready" "And don't you fall asleep, I'll bring you your plate" "Sit" "You stole the offerings to the gods again" "He's supposed to have his dinner now." " No dinner for him tonight" "You come with me." " I know nothing about it" "Baba..." " You come along" "Please, don't lock him up in there." "Torment me if you will, not the boy" "You'd rather give him an urban upbringing?" "But that urban decadence isn't for my family" "I'm warning you, one more complaint and the whip is out of the old chest" "The only thing that'll work on these boys, is the iron rule" "Who squealed?" " I don't know" "Neither does Baba." "And he's Head Master at the Kajol Dighi High School" "Stop talking and eat" "I'll fix the tattler." " Not again" "Why...?" " You try tattling once more" "If there be god, may you fail every year" "I curse you..." "Goodness!" "I tore my thread" "How dare you curse me!" "I'll fix you too" "Hi Kanchon!" "Now I got you" "Kanchon, you won't do this...?" "Either you pay your taxes, or else" "Little master..." "little master..." "Hello little master..." " Hush, they'll hear us" "Who...?" " The warrior tribes of the river" "Which river?" " The Amazon basin, in South America" "They're war-like, cannibals" "Don't try to scare me." " Listen..." "What's your problem?" " Your friends are complaining" "About what?" " You tore his sacred thread" "And the pot of yoghurt on his head." " How dare he?" "Your father is angry." "And you never went to school" "The whip is out of the chest." " What about my Ma?" "She'll cry, what else?" "Go away." " If you don't come with me..." "I'm supposed to drag you home." " Get lost" "Your father said, he'll find you." " Cut out that grin" "You tattled." " Yes damn you" "For you" "Hurt you in the head?" " Yes, I was hurting." "You always hurt me" "Your father beats you all the time?" " Always." "Iron rule, say the sages" "If I ever find one sage, I'll shave his head" "How will you go home?" " I won't" "Never...?" " Let's see how things turn out" "What will you do now?" " For now..." "I'm going to Kolkata." " Kolkata...?" "City of wonders!" "Where the nights are as bright as day" "Out there, I'll make money!" " Money?" "Yes because Baba never lets my Ma buy anything, no dresses, no jewellery" "He says, it's extravagance." "I want my Ma to be a bit extravagant" "When she's extravagant, my Ma looks so beautiful" "Are you coming with me?" " I'm afraid" "Afraid?" " There are kidnappers out there... they wear big black beards and fierce eyes... always looking for kids to kidnap" "Got to be there" "That's where the real fun is" "Hurt?" " Yes" "You're lucky to be alive." "Where do you live?" "Where are you from?" "You've run away from home?" " Yes" "Why, why did you run away?" "To earn money." " At your age!" "For whom?" "For my poor mother." "She is unhappy" "You have no one else?" " Yes, my father is also there" "If your father is there why is your mother unhappy?" "That's just why." " Really?" "Come along." " Where?" "Just come along" "Those are ships" "Sailing to London." " You want to go?" "After I grow up" "So what will you do for money?" " Whatever" "A friend of mine runs a shop." "Can you sit there and do the selling?" "Sure, selling what?" "Sweets" "Of course I can!" " You sound glad" "But no eating" "If he catches you eating sweets, he'll whip the skin off your back" "That won't happen" "Sure?" "Get lost kids, song over" "Come" "Will you please pick up the books" "I hope I haven't hurt you?" "Wort do" "What did you say?" "You don't look ferocious enough" "For what?" "For a kidnapper" "Kid...!" "You think I don't know why you picked me off the streets?" "That beard tells me, you kidnapped all those kids" "Your name is...?" " Kanchon" "Kanchon... such a nice name" "If you aren't a kidnapper then what are you?" "I...?" "My name is Horidas" "You kids won't come anywhere near me unless..." "I resemble a bearded grandpa." "So I wear a beard" "What do you do?" " I'm a peddler" "I'm always walking the streets" "Once, I used to be a schoolmaster." " You could never be!" "Fathers and schoolmasters are strict, unlike you" "Makes me a silly schoolmaster, that was my undoing" "So I ran away from home" "You ran away from home?" "Just like you" "The country was partitioned, became Pakistan" "I escaped" "Ten years afterwards, I still didn't find a job" "Maybe this country doesn't need schoolmasters" "So now I walk the happy streets, peddling peppy snacks" "Never knew it could be so much fun" "What about your mother?" "When I was so little... my Ma went away somewhere, she too escaped" "Even your mother escaped?" "I hope she did." " And she never came back?" "One day, guess what I see?" "Right here, in this city of joy..." "I found her standing stock-still dusty, dirty, dumbstruck" "Ever since, I'm always seeing her, in every lane, everywhere..." "Damn, I'm hungry." "Wort you give me anything to eat?" "Oh, you mustrt have eaten in a long while now" "Stay here, I'll be back" "But never step out, you never know in this city of mazes... a real kidnapper might just be lurking, looking for a catch" "So never venture out" "King of ghouls, I'll snare your Soul" "Will you do whatever I bid you?" "Yes, he promises" "Now watch how to kill the ghoul" "Get inside" "King of ghouls, I'll snare your Soul unless you show us a miracle" "Applause for the king of ghouls" "No, don't kill me!" " Stop" "Wait my boy" "Finished" "Not to worry, he'll come back to life" "Music" "Stop" "Applause" "Come out my boy" "Out of your ears... an egg" "Applause, please" "Listen... will you teach me magic?" "Where are you from?" " My village" "I can teach, only if if you can travel with me" "All right" "And you'll wear a magic-maker's dress, like me" "I will" "Come sundown, come to my den, straight down this road to Khajuria" "And just ask for me by the name of Yusuf, the magic-maker" "Welcome" "Welcome... sit" "What can I order for you?" "What's here?" " Omelette" "Omelette...?" " Or poached eggs?" "One of each" "Salt and pepper?" "Both" "Double omelette" "Good appetite" "Anything else for you grandpa?" "Listen..." " Yes grandpa?" "What was that?" "Grandpa?" "That grandfather is mister for you" "Kolkata is a dead city, dead city" "I hate this talk" "First they split the country into two" "Annada Shankar was right about criticising the partition" "The elders who'll scold little girls over broken bottles of hair oil... are the same grown-up kids who break in two our homeland soil" "That's Kolkata-culture for you!" " What did you say?" "Kolkata-culture." " Ruminate over it" "Where is lost our old Kolkata?" "As a kid I ran away from home, because I wanted to become a self-made man" "That was when old Kolkata was a city of charms" "Life had it's own... how to say it?" " Rhythm, life's rhythm" "And then it decayed" "Are you forgetting to pay?" "How much?" " Twelve annas" "Goodness!" "I don't have any money." " What do you mean!" "Really, look here" "Boy!" "After all you ate...!" " I'm no boy." "Why did you serve me?" "Grandpa, you heard this scoundrel?" "Very well, it's a loan." " You expect a loan?" "I'll pay, put it on my account." " No acting smart" "Find a guarantor, then go and get the cash" "What's guarantor...?" " Guarantor is someone... who'll stand in here for you while you go and fetch the cash" "He's my guarantor" "What!" "Did he escape?" "Watch the virgin blossoms bloom" "I've lived all my life in Bengal, I've even learnt Bangla songs" "Watch the virgin blossoms bloom" "Damn" "I'm in a spot..." " What kind?" "Over this sweet little boy..." " Not sweet, just saw a smooth-talker" "When last seen, he was speeding away." " Striped shirt?" "Yes, and he owes me eleven annas" "You think you can escape?" "Long live the revolution" "Isn't it fun screaming in unison?" " For you, everything is fun" "What's this procession?" " Rich mars wedding, maybe" "Where's he gone?" "How are you related?" "What is your name?" " My name is Kanchon" "What class do you read in?" " I won't say" "You must say." " Never" "What's up brother?" " He's trying to hit me" "I'll tell him off" "Spell "maintain"" "Tough spelling that one" "Go on." " It's easy" "Meaning?" "Ten men" "My foot!" "Men ten, ten men." "Same thing" "My eye!" "It's spelt MAINTAIN" "It means, to preserve" "He doesn't know!" "OK, Let's see you spell ogress" "Ogress?" "It begins with 'O'?" "My foot!" "Can't spell your own name, ogress" "Gosh, just hear him" "If I'm an ogress, you're a monster" "I may be a monster but you are an animal" "Let's see you spell your name, duffer" "I'm no duffer." "My name is Suprakash" "Brother, this boy has insulted me" "What's happening?" "Mini asked him to spell 'maintair, and he's talking rot" "I'll test him" "What is your name?" " Kanchon" "What's English for Kanchon?" "You don't know" "Kanchon means gold and if you sneeze, you got a cold" "To cast, you need a mould and what's used up is old" "See, you know nothing" "Okay, construct this in English" "Owning a donkey, as expressed in past tense" "Tell us, don't be shy" "Send this donkey to a zoo" "He was pointing at Mini and asking 'Who's she?" "'" "Maybe he likes Mini a lot" "Mini, would you like to ride donkey-back?" "Dinner is served" "Don't fall asleep, boy." "Eat" "Another helping for him" "Not another!" "I hope I don't get indigestion" "Ma, look what I've brought home" "She's a real beauty!" " She is Mini" "Boy... turn over" "Boy, you are forgetting your wrap" "Where?" " Over here" "Not mine." " Not yours?" "I guessed as much" "Then it's mine" "Why are you beating him?" " It's eating" "But the leftovers are for dogs." " What about hungry men?" "What will you do with that?" " Eat" "There's no other food for you?" "Food?" "Where is food?" "We barely escaped the scourges of famine" "He can't speak?" " The gods silence his tongue" "God has given him the art, but taken his speech" "God be praised" "You make lots of money..." "will you teach me sketching?" "I don't make any money." " You can speak?" "Yes." " Why were you mum out there?" "Because he says so." " Says who?" "How much?" " Eight annas" "Only eight annas?" "Who's he?" " Wants to work with me" "You aren't hiding any money?" " I swear" "I can't survive on so little food." " Screw your hunger" "If he's hungry, he can't eat?" "Don't you dare..." " Arert you ashamed to steal from kids" "Now what?" " Have fun" "What if they catch me?" " They'll never catch up" "You don't know them, their gangs are all over Kolkata" "They have kidnapped so many kids" "Oh, so these are the kidnappers?" "I tried to hide money but then they caught on" "I'll learn how to sketch, then we'll make lots of money" "Then we'll buy us a trip to London." "There we'll learn more about sketching" "Then we'll come back and then I'll go home and you..." "Where's your home?" "Nowhere" "I don't even remember the times when I was a baby" "You remember nothing?" " All hazy-hazy" "Never mind, come to my home once we're back from London" "Ma would love to have you" "Run" "Listen..." "Are you a beggar?" " No, son" "What were you looking at then?" "I'm looking for someone like you." " Like me?" "Yes." "Where is your home?" "Not in Kolkata" "In the village?" "Where do you live here?" "Nowhere." " You have no where to stay?" "Havert you eaten all day?" "No" "Come home with me, I live beside the ditch" "What'll you give me?" " Puffed rice and sugar candy" "I love puffed rice" "Who are you looking for?" "Yes son?" " Whom do you look for?" "It's long story." "I had an only son, about your age" "He never came back?" "One day he asked for food." "I was busy" "When I'd finished my work, I found the room empty" "He was very sensitive." "He never came back" "He'll come back." " Yes, I'm living in hope" "I keep vigil on the streets, looking for boys your age" "Water...?" " Yes" "The world is drowning in the sins of men" "I'm full." " I know... you're saying it to make me happy" "Are there many others like you?" " Like me?" "Others like you...?" " No one as luckless as I am" "I'll make the bed, you can sleep" "I know you for the vagabond that you are, you aren't one to stay at home" "You relax, I'm off." " Where are you going?" "I work as a housemaid." "That's how I manage" "Son, you haven't run away from home?" " No." "Who said so?" "For losing a son like you, a mother would weep till she is blind" "Like my Chandan." "How can a son be so cross with his poor mother?" "Men spurn us, the gods are cruel." "Even our own flesh and blood..." "Soap, hairpins, clips, face cream" "Let's see what you have." " Everything." "Soap, hairpins..." "What would you like?" "Here you are... here and here and more" "What all do you want?" " I want everything." "For my mother" "Then take me to your house, where is it?" "The house?" "It's in our village" "Village?" "If you didn't mean to buy, why did you bother me?" "Baba won't buy cosmetics for Ma, so I got to buy" "How will you pay?" " When I earn my first pay" "Can these be sent by post?" " Sure." "You'll have to pay first" "Fine, but wonder how surprised Ma will be." "It'll be great fun" "Sure, great fun" "What do you want?" " Parcel delivery" "For the lady" "Such a huge parcel for her?" "Such a parcel has never entered this house." "When it does, it's for her!" "My limbs are aching" "Give it to me." "She's my wife." "No harm in giving it to me" "Can't do that." "It's registered." "She must sign for it" "Come here, lady" "He won't give it to me" "God, such a huge parcel!" "For me?" "Who sent it?" "What's inside?" "So many things... soap, face cream powder, safety-pins, hairpins" "But this is extravagance!" "Extravagance, nothing more" "Kanchon paid for these with his earnings" "My Kanchon" "Why do you wear a moustache?" " I like twirling it" "Get out" "Kanchon has shown you!" "He has shown you" "What happened?" "You...?" " Yes, this is where I live" "On the top floor" "Were you sleeping with your eyes open?" "That day you went away before I could talk to you" "Come to my home" "Is your father at home?" " He's away at work" "What's your name?" "Your proper name?" "Kanak" "Kanak also means gold and if you sneeze, you got a cold" "And what's used up is old" " Oh, my cousirs rhyme" "Your cousins are weird" "Since our names mean the same shall we be good friends?" "Perhaps." "Who's there upstairs?" " My Ma." "She's been ill for a long time" "Let Baba come home, you can make friends with him" "Can fathers be friends?" " Why not?" "How often does your Baba give you a spanking?" "What a strange thing to say!" "Why should he thrash me?" "How else would you imbibe a good character?" "The iron rule is a must." " What are you saying?" "Spare the rod and spoil the child, that's what my Baba says" "My Baba only loves me." " The iron rule is tough" "You'll become a spoilt child" "Come on" "Who is that?" " Kanchon." "He's a friend" "I met him at a wedding" "He's very hungry now" "Come here" "You haven't eaten for long?" "Where do you live?" "You don't want to tell me?" "Let it be" "Wonderful" "Beautiful view, isn't it?" "Go closer to the balcony" "It's lonely being all by yourself all day" "After the sun has passed overhead I come up to sit here" "After sunset, the electric lights will come on" "Lights by night, then it's supposed to look like star-filled skies?" "Oh yes, you feel like you're dangling between two skies" "From this rooftop, you can't hear the bustle and the din down there" "Kanchon, have you run away from your village?" "No one else will know" "I'm from a village too." "I married and then I saw never my village ever again" "I've been sick ever since Mini was born" "How I wish I could be a little girl once again, playing in my village" "Kanchon, you remind me of my childhood" "If only I could laugh, play with you, like my daughter" "Aunt..." "But I'll never be well again" "I'll go on sitting like this until one day..." "So this is Kanchon?" "Nice boy" "Mini told you about him?" " Just now" "I've brought the books you wanted to read" "Kanchon, come and eat" "The sun is setting, you'll catch a chill." "Come down" "What are you gaping at?" " That is your father?" "Yes." "He doesn't beat me or my mother." " Then your Baba is secretly like a Ma" "Look at this, it's even funnier" "I can't take it anymore!" "The pace at which you read..." "Let it be, then." "How does it matter?" "I only want to keep you happy" "Stop gaping like a fool and eat up" "Baba, you promised to show me a movie." " Yes, darling, we'll go tomorrow" "It's a holiday, I'll be home all day" "In the evening I'll take you and your Ma to the Riviera" "The doctor suggested an occasional outing" "You're better now, a little outing will do you a lot of good" "So tomorrow we'll see if you're up to the trip" "So long since I saw a river" "Baba, we'll take Kanchon along" "If he comes in the morning and stays all day, he can return after the outing" "Fine darling" "Kanchon, where do you live?" "Sinduriapatti" "But that's a slum" "No, there are houses" "What does your father do?" "He's headmaster of Kajaldighi High School" "Kajaldighi?" "Where's that?" "Mini, please turn on the radio" "Somehow I don't like listening to the radio anymore" "Do you like the radio, Kanchon?" "I'll come tomorrow" "Will you remember to get here the first thing in the morning?" "This is Palash Bagan and we're at 7 A" "Okay" "Kanchon, why are you crying?" "Get lost" "Don't hit me, I'm not a thief" "What's happening there?" " A kidnapper, I believe" "Kidnapper?" " Damn you" "Don't hit me, I didn't steal anything" "Old mother..." " Who calls me... who?" "I didn't steal, I'm not a thief" "Where are you taking me?" "She's not a thief" "Lay off kids, get lost" "I come here every day to see a little girl who lives down the lane" "Where did you disappear?" "Horidas, why is there so much unappiness here?" "The little bird of the Nile and the Happy Prince, you know their story?" "One day the little bird flew all over town asking..." "I want to go to Aunt" "Aunt?" " Aunt and Mini." "My friend Mini" "They live at 7 A Palash Bagan." "Will you take me there?" "Sure, I'll take you there." "Come." "And on the way..." "I'll tell you the story of the Happy Prince and the little bird" "He too was asking, why is there so much unappiness in this city?" "Why so much misery?" "Come" "The birds from the land of The Nile still fly over this city" "At the first feel of winter, I go out to look for them" "They're wonderful birds" "Where can I see the birds?" " In the zoo." "You want to see them?" "I want to go!" " Someday, I'll take you there" "This house!" "You're so late." "I've been waiting" "What a weird beard he's wearing." "Who is he?" "My name is Horidas" "I roam the streets all round the year" "I'm nice and one bad habit is all I got, sometimes I wake up with a nasty start" "Then I'm off with my sack, calling the kids around" "Kanchon, Ma has been talking of you all morning." "Let's go upstairs" "Come, Horidas." " No, I won't come in" "Don't go away Horidas, I like you so much" "I can come again in the afternoon." " But we're going to the Riviera" "See that Kanchon doesn't run away." "It's one bad habit he has" "I've been meaning to show you what's in the papers." "Look" ""Kanchon, your mother seriously ill." "Come back at least to see her"" ""Inform me if you need money." " Your Father"" ""Advertisement inserted by:" "Headmaster, Kajaldighi High School"" "What do we do now?" "Wire his father to come and fetch him tomorrow morning" "Today we won't let him alone." "Let me go and call him" "Don't go now." "Sit with me for some time" "Are you feeling unwell?" " I've never felt better" "Will you promise me something?" " Yes?" "Leave this city and take the girl away if anything happens to me" "Nothing will happen to you" "I'll go to England in a ship like that." " It'll cost lots of money" "Not for me." "I'll make friends with sailors" "Once we're at sea they can't get me off." " What fun!" "More fun than buying a ticket." " I'll stow away too" "Not for girls, running away from home is not a joke" "Where is that ship going?" " Japan" "Mini, Fujiyama!" "Where is it from?" " From Norway." "See the flag?" "The land of the midnight sun." "If they'd let me touch the rails..." "My name is Horidas" "Wort you meet Aunt?" " Aunt...?" "My Ma" "Runaway kid's aunt!" "Do you know, he's a runaway boy" "His mother must be in tears." "Go home" "My father won't spare me" "Little do people understand that young minds must be nurtured with love" "Kids who aren't good at studies." " Who says I'm not good at studies?" "I don't fare so well in arithmetic but I scored highest in Geography" "How many marks in arithmetic?" "Three out of hundred" "Kanchon, please go home right away" "I'll go home after I've made it rich" "Silly boy" "I can't?" " You can't" "What if I can?" "Don't be dense" "How can a little boy like you make money in such a big city?" "You're both bad." "I don't care for you." "I won't stay with you" "I'll show you" "Where are you going alone?" " I came to Kolkata all alone" "Your mother is ill" "Come back to Mini's place" "We've lost Kanchon!" "Kanchon, you don't know any other place" "Hey no!" "Not my shoes" "Something stolen?" "My shoes" "Kolkata is full of thieves." "You won't get them back" "What do I do now?" "Why are you roaming around?" "In search of work?" "Yes, but where do I get it?" " Where indeed?" "Can you clean and sell coal?" " Where do I get it?" "I'll tell you." "There's a big yard down this road" "Lots of coal lies around there." "You'll get twelve annas to a basket" "Will you take me?" " You can go alone, but if you insist..." "Hey over there... get lost you vagabond" "How can you enter our territory without making friends with us?" "This is your territory?" " Sure it is" "We've been stealing here for years." " Stealing?" "What did you think?" "Reading the scriptures?" "You got a fresh face." "Go and beg." "You'll get something" "After you've got a little tougher you can try other lines." "Understand?" "Boy... come here" "Who's in there?" "Who's there?" "Why don't you answer?" "Kanchon... have you been stealing?" " I feel hungry, don't I?" "But you just ate a full meal." " I'm hungry in the afternoons" "Not up on the terrace!" "It's very hot, you'll scald your feet" "You mess up everything" "I can't keep up with you" "My darling" "Hey, boy" "Hungry?" "Come." "Come on" "Where's your home?" " In the village" "No relatives here?" " An aunt" "Aunt?" "Where?" " 7 A, Palash Bagan" "Take your money" "If I had money I'd put you on a tram, but..." "I have no money" "It's a long way." "Will you be able to walk?" "I won't go" "This is Kolkata" "Try all you will you'll find no one cares" "Here it's a fight" "You're a kid." "What will you do here?" "Go home" "If you go straight you'll find a cinema hall" "Ask there" "This is Kolkata, city of riots." "What will you do here?" "Go home" "Ticket?" "I have no money" "Where do you want to go?" " Palash Bagan" "You know the way?" " I know the house" "Okay, I'll put you down there" "Aunt..." "Aunt" "She is dead." "Mini's father has gone away" "Kanchon, you go home too" "It says here that your mother is ill." "Go to your mother" "But my father is at home!" " I've sent a telegram" "I can't go, Horidas." "There's Baba!" "Come with me, don't abandon me!" "Please" "Silly, I can't go anywhere" "There'll be other runaways like you, who'll look after them?" "Why don't you... take my beard and my bag" "Why?" " You came to Kolkata to earn" "This is what you've earned" "What about you?" "I won't dress up anymore." "Now it's your turn" "Go, explore new lands" "And I... shall sit here and watch the migrations of the Nile birds" "In the bush!" "Behind you!" " My God!" "No one else has come?" " No" "Let's go" "So in the end, you're home again" "The house is in an uproar" "Your father didn't come, so your Ma couldn't come" "Is Baba very angry?" " Of course... what all happened after you left..." "I'm tired of walking and walking." "And your Ma cried and cried... and she sent me everywhere looking for you" "Your mother nearly went mad" "There... who are those at the jetty?" "Must be your father and mother" "Put me down" "Why aren't they here yet?" "Take a look, it's taking too long" "If he sees me, he might run again" "Once he's here, I think I ought to go away, he might be afraid" "You go, get him off the boat" "I wonder how long he hasn't eaten" "Oh my Kanchon, has become so lean" "And he's tanned" "So you've been to Kolkata." " What a place, Kolkata!" "Did you see all of Kolkata?" "The Victoria Memorial, the zoo, the Museum...?" "Did you go to Kalighat temple?" "I didn't see anything" "What have you brought for Mother?" " Here" "This is Horidas' bag" "Horidas...?" " Yes, Horidas." "And here's his beard" "He says he won't dress up anymore" "Listen!" "Look..." "See, Kanchon has brought these" "Sit" "Saw lots of things, didn't you?" "Which did you like best?" "Baba" "Home is the best place"