Mallika: Taking it with us
August 1980
We were in the air.
This was my first time in a plane, and Arnav’s second. I couldn’t figure out the seatbelts, air-conditioning vents, lights, nothing. Arnav figured out everything. It was five a.m., and the plane had taken off half an hour ago. My stomach growled so loudly that Arnav took out a big bar of Toblerone from the seat pocket in front of him and gave it to me. I opened it and broke two pieces, my mouth watering.
‘Where did you get it from?’ I asked. You couldn’t get foreign goods at Indian airports.
‘It was lying at home, my sister bought it when she came.’
‘I thought you didn’t like chocolate,’ I said.
‘You do.’
‘You’ve got it for me?’ I asked.
‘Who else?’
‘Thank you.’ I broke myself another two pieces. Chocolate and Arn
