Randhir: Ayah-ji’s arrow
1979
The morning of his departure, he threw the bottle of pills in the rubbish dump.
That evening, he told Arnav, ‘Listen, keep an eye on Mallika, OK?’
He knew Arnav would, but he needed to hear him say it.
Instead, Arnav said, ‘Meaning what?’
‘Meaning exactly that,’ he said, taken aback.
‘I’m not you.’
He couldn’t believe it. ‘I thought you and Mallika were friends?’
‘We are. But not in the keeping-an-eye-on-her sort of way. That’s you.’
‘What’s your problem, yar, you know what I mean?’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘I mean, like, if she’s stuck somewhere at night, or something like that.’
‘Obviously.’
‘That’s what I meant.’
‘But how on earth would I know if she’s stuck somewhere at night? I don’t keep tabs on where she goes.’
What was wrong with the guy?
‘Sho
