Heal Me Anyway

hate the evening before

m afloat on the water. Fishermen's wives did it for their husbands at sea. Children did it for no reason excep

cause his father had shut himself in the back

had said, knocking twice

tod

mise. You can't say a thi

day, Sh

of stock. So Shubham had tied Meenu's plaits, put on a clean shirt

dy dead. A man sold roasted corn from a cart. A hand-cranked Ferris wheel creaked around with four screaming childr

want a

the l

Not the green.

he lamps

to keep up with his long steps. "Mr. Gopal has a

ed, and wish

ucose biscuits, mosquito coils, a tray of balm tins, and a hand-lettered sign that said FREE B

p of bandage around an o

so tight it looked painful. She said something to the old woman th

oked back down at the bandage as if h

ugly turned over i

sleeve. "Dada, that's the girl. The paper-b

N

ut

her by the shoulders, away fro

n the steps when some

oy! Hey!

a lit lamp in each hand. He had clearly been at the festival for som

er usually does the first lamp for Meera. Where is he? Poor man. I wan

t well t

eeling bad about the clinic business. Final notices, deadlines, it all looks cruel on paper.

ld you d

wn leaves at nine. Half this crowd would be at her door by midnight if their children r

ody else was gentle with him tonight, and his father had locked a

e out of him

able. But do not ask me to cry because a woman

irs wen

anging from her fingers. Two fishermen turned. On the st

en as he kept going, the way you know you

at festivals for the rest of her life," he said, "t

body else laughed onc

back. "Shubham, that

ubham s

hand. She had heard it. Every word. He could tell from how her shoulders had drawn up,

he old brave speech about grief and shouting. Instead she simply set the bandage down o

e walke

Ferris wheel, past the lamps. She did not run. She did not hurry. She

one slack in his. "Dada, w

is mouth. N

n," Meenu sai

enu

ea

own on his shoul

th me,"

tight, eyes cold. Dev Menon had known Shubham since they were

stay with

a minute. She is right there." Dev did

se, until the bulbs were far behind and only the wa

e when you sai

what I

Did you notice that? A girl says nothing, does nothing, doesn't even raise her chin, and

mean

s holding the bandage so hard her knuckles were white. When she s

lamp floated past, small and or

angry,"

e alway

ry at some

did she ha

ted out toward the dark, and somewhe

uttered. "I'll find

Dev agree

the thinning crowd. Mrs. Pillai's son was standing

ng. "A minute ago. She said she need

e fair went fla

ham

He shouted her name until his throat burned. Then, at the edge of the temple compound, behin

nd Meenu's shoulders. The child was crying hard, in great wet g

ault. Nobody is angry w

. "He is mean to everyone. I

ow. I

ead and looked directly at him. Her eyes were red

She came looking for the

take

she stops

hing he had not expected. She dug into her pinafore pocket, pu

mpled scrap of pap

Meenu whispered. "Under his p

complet

Shubham stop

aper in her finger

t him, and her face