Translated from the Original Hindi by the Author

Bunty was making a living by cooking momos, maggi, and omellete with chai-pakora in a small kiosk in an even smaller corner of Dhalpur Maidan in Kullu town. He only had one table, on which no more than four people could sit; more than four customers used to eat while standing outside. Bunty used to earn about five to seven hundred rupees a day.
For a few days, an Israeli girl, Grace, had been coming to eat bread-omelette at Bunty’s kiosk. She would talk to Bunty, but he could not understand much. Mostly he had to work with gestures. But Grace had learned some Hindi vocabulary and also knew some daily conversational sentences. For this reason, Bunty used to be happy to talk to her. In situations where it was difficult to understand, both had also started resorting to Google.
Grace was visiting India on a tourist visa. One day she said to Bunty, “Will you accompany me to Manali?”
“Sure, let’s go tomorrow…” Within two weeks, both had grown closer and started to like each other. Grace was running out of money. She asked Bunty for help. He took her to his house and lodged her in a room there. Bunty exulted inwardly over his friendship with Grace; he felt proud while walking with a white girl.
One day Grace told Bunty, “I love Kullu… and I love you. I don’t want to stay away!” Bunty remained speechless for a few moments. Grace also said her mind. Seeing the opportunity, he also said, “I lobe (love) you, Grace… Bill (Will) you marry me.” Grace said yes, but Bunty’s mother, brother and sister-in-law all started saying there is no trace of the girl’s background… Who is she? Where is she from? What does she do?
He asked Grace, “Mother asking… What are you doing in Israel…?”
“I was a Pross…” Grace clarified it.
Bunty got confused, what she said. He could not understand. His mother was illiterate, and his brother and sister-in-law were also under-matric. No one understood.
“What?” Bunty only asked Grace.
“I was a sex-worker…”
Bunty understood but was so keen to marry a foreign girl and he did not want to lose her. In the whole village, in the market, he used to brag about his company with Grace.
Looking at Grace with unease well-pronounced in his eyes, he said to her, “Not again, please. That is sin here…” Grace gave him a compliant nod.
Forthwith, he turned to his family and said, “Whatever she did there, she will not do it here.” Next, he went to court and got married to Grace.
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Dr Kanwar Dinesh Singh
Poet, Storyteller, Critic and Translator
Associate Professor of English & Editor: Hyphen

3, Cecil Quarters, Chaura Maidan, Shimla: 171004 HP India

Email: kanwardineshsingh@gmail.com
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