I climbed the stairs and entered the shop as a person was crouching and inspecting coffee beans. When he realized I had entered, he stood up and welcomed me, asking how he could help.
Hari (12 years old, never attended school) mentioned in one of our conversations that his father was very proud the day he handed him his first earning. “I will never forget how proud Baba looked when he took that money and he said I have now become a man. That was the best day of my life.”
However, Mamu still insisted that I deserved full credit. I even asked her specifically, “So the one who puts the masala gets the credit, ho?”
“Ho ni,” she said [of course]. Then lunch commenced.
