thrilled that Hamida was sure he had not thought things over in detail. It bothered Hamida but he was so excited about it that she didn’t have the heart to say anything to him. If Nawab had any misgivings they were swept away when he received Iqbal’s letter and a banker’s draft for seventy-five thousand rupees in the mail a week later.
Iqbal called a day later to check if we had received his letter and the bank draft. ‘That was just the first instalment, Ammi.’
‘Bless you, my child. May Allah shower many more successes and happiness on you.’ Hamida was more moved by the pride in her son’s voice than by the money. She didn’t tell him that of course. ‘So tell me more about this job. What company is it? Where are they sending you?’
‘Oh Ammi, I’ll call you once I get there. Now I have to go. We are leaving tomorrow. I will call again soon, Ammi.’
But he didn’t.
Barring those two phone calls there was no word from Iqbal for the next five months. Hamida was starting to get worried when the second bank draft and another short letter from him arrived.
‘My training is almost over. All going well. I should be in Delhi in a month or so. I will make sure I take some time off to come to Lucknow before I join duty. We will have lots of fun. Give my love to everyone. Tell Navaz I think of her all the time. Miss you loads. I will be back soon.’
It was at Navaz’s behest that the two of them took the train to Delhi the week before Eid. ‘Come on, Ammi. It will be such fun. Iqbal bhaijaan will also be coming back soon. Won’t it be great if we are there in Delhi to surprise him?’
Nawab was unable to accompany them since school holidays had not yet begun. While Ashraf dismissed the whole idea with a disdainful, ‘All you will do is drag me from one shop to the other.’ So, in the end it was just Navaz and Hamida who found themselves on the train to Delhi with Eid and Diwali less than a week away. It was the first trip the two of them were taking on their own and both were totally excited. Navaz was a bundle of energy throughout the journey. ‘You don’t need to keep peering out of the window at every station, child. Delhi is the last halt. We will be sure to know when it arrives.’ But nothing Hamida said convinced that girl to stay away from the window. Navaz did not sleep a wink that night.
When the train pulled into the New Delhi Railway Station early next morning the two of them could not stop gawking and exclaiming at everything. Despite the early hour the station throbbed with energy.
The first few days passed in a blur as they visited the Jama Masjid, the Red Fort, Qutab Minar, some dargahs, the Lotus Temple and India Gate. Despite the crowds and the rush Hamida and Navaz could not get enough of sightseeing. When they weren’t touring the city, they ate and chatted ceaselessly with Rashid’s wife and kids. Even though Navaz had never met them before, she got on famously with all her cousins.
Time flew the way it does when one is on holiday.
That morning Hamida was quite surprised when Navaz said, ‘Ammi, do you realize Eid is just four days away? We have to go back to Lucknow the day after that. When exactly are you planning to take me shopping?’
Hamida was amazed by the speed with which time had passed. She immediately got after Rashid. ‘We need to go shopping, bhaijaan. Will you take us please?’
‘There is no way I am going shopping with you, Hamida. I have no desire to run from shop to shop looking at things I have no intention of buying.’ Rashid had the typical male lack of enthusiasm for shopping. ‘But I can drop you off and pick you up.’
‘Sarojini Nagar is the cheapest market around here; you can get just about anything,’ Rashid said as he drove them down to the market. ‘But it is always very crowded. You need to be very careful about pickpockets…and don’t buy anything without bargaining first. They will rob you blind otherwise.’
On entering the
Iqbal called a day later to check if we had received his letter and the bank draft. ‘That was just the first instalment, Ammi.’
‘Bless you, my child. May Allah shower many more successes and happiness on you.’ Hamida was more moved by the pride in her son’s voice than by the money. She didn’t tell him that of course. ‘So tell me more about this job. What company is it? Where are they sending you?’
‘Oh Ammi, I’ll call you once I get there. Now I have to go. We are leaving tomorrow. I will call again soon, Ammi.’
But he didn’t.
Barring those two phone calls there was no word from Iqbal for the next five months. Hamida was starting to get worried when the second bank draft and another short letter from him arrived.
‘My training is almost over. All going well. I should be in Delhi in a month or so. I will make sure I take some time off to come to Lucknow before I join duty. We will have lots of fun. Give my love to everyone. Tell Navaz I think of her all the time. Miss you loads. I will be back soon.’
It was at Navaz’s behest that the two of them took the train to Delhi the week before Eid. ‘Come on, Ammi. It will be such fun. Iqbal bhaijaan will also be coming back soon. Won’t it be great if we are there in Delhi to surprise him?’
Nawab was unable to accompany them since school holidays had not yet begun. While Ashraf dismissed the whole idea with a disdainful, ‘All you will do is drag me from one shop to the other.’ So, in the end it was just Navaz and Hamida who found themselves on the train to Delhi with Eid and Diwali less than a week away. It was the first trip the two of them were taking on their own and both were totally excited. Navaz was a bundle of energy throughout the journey. ‘You don’t need to keep peering out of the window at every station, child. Delhi is the last halt. We will be sure to know when it arrives.’ But nothing Hamida said convinced that girl to stay away from the window. Navaz did not sleep a wink that night.
When the train pulled into the New Delhi Railway Station early next morning the two of them could not stop gawking and exclaiming at everything. Despite the early hour the station throbbed with energy.
The first few days passed in a blur as they visited the Jama Masjid, the Red Fort, Qutab Minar, some dargahs, the Lotus Temple and India Gate. Despite the crowds and the rush Hamida and Navaz could not get enough of sightseeing. When they weren’t touring the city, they ate and chatted ceaselessly with Rashid’s wife and kids. Even though Navaz had never met them before, she got on famously with all her cousins.
Time flew the way it does when one is on holiday.
That morning Hamida was quite surprised when Navaz said, ‘Ammi, do you realize Eid is just four days away? We have to go back to Lucknow the day after that. When exactly are you planning to take me shopping?’
Hamida was amazed by the speed with which time had passed. She immediately got after Rashid. ‘We need to go shopping, bhaijaan. Will you take us please?’
‘There is no way I am going shopping with you, Hamida. I have no desire to run from shop to shop looking at things I have no intention of buying.’ Rashid had the typical male lack of enthusiasm for shopping. ‘But I can drop you off and pick you up.’
‘Sarojini Nagar is the cheapest market around here; you can get just about anything,’ Rashid said as he drove them down to the market. ‘But it is always very crowded. You need to be very careful about pickpockets…and don’t buy anything without bargaining first. They will rob you blind otherwise.’
On entering the
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