Outlaw in India Read Online Free Page A

looked
     so different from everywhere else, and felt so different. And the feeling was
     pleasant.
    I had to find a bank and a hospital. And we had to find
     Seaweed. Well, actually, Seaweed would find us. There was no way in the world we
     could find him. All we had to do was stay out in the open until he spotted us.
     Seaweed could find a speck of rice on a sandy beach, and it wouldn’t take him
     long.
    I followed the boy down the road. We passed more empty warehouses and some
     houses. It was early but there were people outside already. Mothers were washing
     clothes and their children. The children stood naked while their mothers
     scrubbed them down with soap, then emptied buckets of water over their heads.
     Some kids were using the bathroom outside in front of everyone. That was weird.
     Then I noticed some people waking up on the ground. They had slept underneath
     blankets and newspaper. They stared at us as we passed. I tried not to stare
     back. But some people waved and I waved back. Hollie stared at everybody.
    I asked the boy his name but couldn’t figure out what he was saying, even when
     I tried to read his lips. I asked him if he knew where a bank was. He nodded.
     Was it open early? He shook his head. How about a hospital? He thought about it
     for a while, then nodded. I asked about a restaurant. His eyes lit up and he
     grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I freed my hand and followed him.
    He led me to a corner in the road where a group of men were standing around a
     small portable food stand. I saw steam rising from a stainless steel container.
     The men looked old and tired but they smiled at us. They greeted the boy in afriendly way and wanted to shake my hand. One man slapped me
     on my shoulder in a warm and welcoming way. I pointed to my ear and shook my
     head. They looked sorry and nodded their heads. Then the man behind the stand
     took a ladle and scooped a hot brown liquid into two small cups. He offered them
     to us. I watched the boy take one with two hands, bring it to his mouth and sip
     it. He closed his eyes and smiled. So, I did the same. Then I smiled too because
     it was probably the best drink I had ever tasted. It was hot tea with lots of
     cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg and milk. It was so rich!
    I asked the boy to tell them that I would return with money after we went to
     the bank. They shook their heads and said no, no money. The boy looked at me and
     shook his head too. I wondered if these were the friends he had smiled about. I
     thanked them and we followed the road to where the Chinese fishing nets
     were.
    There was something hypnotic about watching the big nets swing down into the
     water and rise with fish in them. Half a dozen men worked each one while other
     men just stood around and watched. The nets never came up empty. I looked at the
     faces of the men who were watching. They must have seen this a thousand times
     yet they seemed fascinated still. I noticed there were no women here. I had seen
     women only at the washing. I tried to imagine my grandfather here. He wouldn’t
     do it because he liked to work alone. He would respect it though, because it was
     a good method. It produced results. He just wouldn’t want to do it
     himself.
    When the bank opened, we were the first ones there. I put
     Hollie inside the mesh tool bag and hung it over my shoulder. He liked it and
     was used to being carried in it. It had a wooden frame and was just big enough
     for him to ride inside comfortably. He could see out but no one could see in
     unless they stood next to him and stared closely.
    But the boy was nervous and didn’t want to come inside the bank. I insisted
     because I needed his help. I couldn’t hear. So he followed me in but a man
     stepped in our way, smiled at me but frowned angrily at the boy and pointed to
     the door. He barked something at him; I saw his mouth. I held the boy’s hand but
     the man looked at me and shook his head. He ushered the boy outside,