‘That Boy’ a short story by Sandipan Chattopadhyay (1933-2005)

- Hey, do you have parents?
- No.
- Both dead?
-Yes
- Sisters?
-No
- Are you alone?
- yes
Silence.

- what do you do?
-i beg
- how much do you get every day?
- 20 paisa. 30 paisa.
- is that enough?
- yes
- What do you eat?
-MuRi, mostly
Silence.

- how much did you make today?
- i haven’t begged today
- why?
- didn’t feel like
- feeling sick?
- no.
Silence.

- Nice shirt. Chains and all! did you buy it?
- No
- Did anyone give it?
-No
- Where did you get it from?
- The drain
- O
Silence.

- and the pant?
- mom gave this
silence.

- Saw your mom die?
- yes
- what happened?
- she was sick
- where did she die?
- there. there.
- what was her name?
- Gouri
- And dad’s?
-Suryaprasad Singh
- Ever seen your dad?
- No
- Mom told his name?
- Yes
- how long back did he die?
- many days
- what’s your age? Seven?
- many days.
Silence.

- Are you sick?
- No
- Do you feel any pain?
- No
- Can you sleep?
- Yes
- Where do you sleep?
- Here
- On this rug?
- Yes
-If it rains?
- Let it
- do you dream?
- yes
- can you recall?
- no
- did you dream your mom?
- yes, once
- can you recall?
- no
- how’s your shit?
- hard and sticky
Silence.

- heard of Jyoti Basu?
- no
- Indira Gandhi?
- no
- Shakti Chattopadhyay?
- no
- Uttam Kumar?
- I don’t know Uttam Kumar
- Never seen a movie?
- No
- Where does the sun rise from?
- Here, there, everywhere!
- Do you know the name of your country?
- Country?
- This, the land, the soil where you are sitting?
- BT Road
Silence.

- Aren’t you scared?
- No
- Of no one?
- I’m scared of the police
- You didn’t beg today. So, what did you eat?
- That pipkin of curd
- The one there that the shop has thrown away?
- Yes
- So, you scraped the curd stuck inside?
- Yes
Silence.

- You know that dog?
- Yes, it is my dog!
- Your dog?
- My mom used to take care of it
- What’s its name?
- Robi. Oi Robi – Ooss. Ooss.
Silence.

- Remember what I asked you first?
- ‘Do you have parents?’
- One of your eyes is huge and red – do you know this?
- No
- Don’t you look at mirrors?
- Looked at one long ago
Silence.

What’s your name?
Ganesh.

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Bangla text first published by Tarzan Minibook – 11 in 1980 and reproduced by Ripan Arya through his facebook profile on 21st January 2015