True Detective, the Silence of the lambs and over-kill

Caution 1: Spoilers Alert! You shouldn’t read this if you haven’t watched True Detective (sitcom), Prisoners (movie), The Silence of the lambs (movie) yet.

Caution 2: Long Post!

A gruesome crime premised upon the collective gist of inter-connected sub-plots, oozing with a tremendous amount of shock-value, captivating and sometimes equally excruciating progression of the story during tense moments, and then the haphazardly conjured up climax scene. All adjectives in the opening line are elegantly interlocked except haphazard – because any crime-thriller sitcom has to maintain a self-imposed pace to build the tension, fan it with surprise or revelations and in the end at the climax all hell has to break lose to make it a worthwhile watch for audiences. No matter how good the main plot or sub-plots are – ultimately it’s the climax that gets etched in the memory of the spectators forever. A minor let-up here and there in the plot, some loose ends in the story are happily ignored or condoned by the audiences, only if the climax scene lives up to the expectations.

I am starting the second paragraph by writing something obvious - a television crime drama TV series can afford to be lot more complex and extravagant than a crime-thriller movie because in a TV series, you have enough time and space to stretch the story in sub-plots. Yes, same can be done with movies, but here the director has to keep the running time in mind and sub-plots can’t be stretched beyond a point.

Recently I finished watching all the eight episodes of “True Detective Season 1.” The story starts with former Louisiana State Police detectives Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey )and Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson) being questioned by two currently deployed detectives separately, regarding a few murders – happened way back in 1995. The major events in the story are shown in the flashback versions of the former detectives. All the episodes were so engaging that I finished watching them all in two days, but the climax left me in the lurch.

Photo Courtesy: tv.com

As a big fan of suspense-thriller sitcoms, I want convincing and moving plots complemented with a mind-boggling climax. In the first episode, when the first murder happened, there were apparent hints or signs that the crime was related to religious passion or motivated by some satanic customs or nefarious voodoo practices. And, as Cohle and Hart further unearthed some interesting details, audiences got conclusive proof that the gruesome crimes were committed by some people indulging in some necromancy or voodoo practicing. As the plot thickened, I thought there could be another angle than just voodoo and black-magic shit, but that was not the case.

A writer or director gets too many options to show crimes happening in different stages and committed in the most grotesque manner or there could be many ramifications – if the plot is based upon some magic shit or superstitious beliefs. Any sort of absurd, hilarious or exaggerated imagination does not need any justification and things could be exaggerated to a great extent and fittingly termed as flimsy and bizarre – if they are based upon superstition. As a writer or director of such sitcoms, you can be as creative as you can in depicting the modus-operandi of the criminals and the motives of the perpetrators of the crimes – because their (perpetrators’) actions could be based on something – we can’t comprehend because that something is based upon a belief or superstition. And we as audience would never know that because all would be based upon superstition! Give me a break!   And, same happened with True Detective and in the end whole idea looked flawed. Why did they do that? Yes, they (perpetrators of crimes) did horrible things to those people before killing them but why? No need to go after the answer, because their actions were motivated by some shitty rituals. There goes my imagination for a toss!

Let’s talk about characters now. Throughout the story, as it flows, Cohle (Matthew McConaughey), the main protagonist looks eccentric and indomitable - a man who is too much attached to his job that he just does not give a damn about other things in the world. At times during his interaction with other guys, Cohle preaches his self-styled philosophy like a stubborn bloke who is just too good for this world. No doubt, he appears rationalist and different from others. In a way we all want to be like him. Such characters instantly find appeal among audiences because they look rational and larger than life. You can’t help liking these characters because they don’t crave for that sense of belongingness to the worldly things and usually appears detached from this mortal and ever-changing world and yes we also crave for that feeling and at times also behave like that – at least to look different or to get that vicarious pleasure that we don’t give a damn about the problems afflicting us and those who belong to us. Well, McConaughey’s character is simply portrayed in that manner. He is not normal – suffers from insomnia and behaves as if he is just at the breaking-point. He doesn’t snap!

As expected, Cohle’s partner Martin Hart (Woodly Harleson) is reduced into a sidekick who appears like a lot more believable character. He is your everyday guy with typical family issues and desires. Till the very end, McConaughey’s character shines in his hubris of being different and when he looks vulnerable or behaves like a common man, he talks – but, whatever he talks does not make much sense. Exaggerated sense of eccentricity made McConaughey look like Nana Patekar of 90’s, when the Maharashtrian actor featured in Partho Ghosh’s films, where roles were written specifically for Nana. What Nana did in “Krantiveer” earned him many admirers, but then he overdid it by replaying the role of a disgruntled self-styled preacher, on burning issues, plaguing the society, again and again until his whole act or acting-effort was labeled as stereotype. The preaching is fine if the end could have been better, but that did not happen in True Detective.

The clever dialogues are written really well and McConaughey delivers them with his usual panache. The only thing that makes me feel sick is that why these guys come to the religion or voodoo magic or other old customs to create chaos. Every day we read in newspapers about so many incredible crimes of passion. Come on, the world is full of crazy people, who raise hell every day and commit horrible and incredible crimes – yes they appear surreal at times. So, there is enough fodder out there to churn out stories devoid of any religion-based or superstition-based angle. Yes, writers or directors don’t need to connect them with religion.

McConaughey’s character portrayal couldn’t have bothered me much only if the ending would have been better. You got to justify the motive behind crime. How can a specific group of people go on a killing spree – without getting noticed by others? Here I would like to give a perfect example of motive of a killer in “Silence of the lambs.” The killer Jame “Buffalo Bill” Gumb had a traumatic childhood. Bill is described as not really transgender, but he merely believes himself as being one, because he "hates his own identity".

Photo Courtesy: zulm.net

The entire plot of the “Silence of the lambs” movie was ripped off by Tanuja Chandra to make a Bollywood film Sangharsh in 1999 – starring Akshay Kumar and Preity Zinta. The plot was almost same except the motive of the killer. Tanuja Indianised (altered) the motive of the killer Lajja Shankar (Ashutosh Rana) by bringing in superstitions on the fore – this guy believes that he can achieve immortality by sacrificing (killing) the children. Not same but once again religion based shit was shown in Prisoner movie (starring Hugh Jackman). In Prisoners, the killers, which are an old couple, wage a war against God by killing children – because they lost their only child to illness and they blame God for that.  The dialogues, conflicts between main characters and other factors were too good in the movie – except the motive of the killers – because once again it was based on religion or some crappy belief. Every moment haunts you and keeps you on the edge of your seat in such stories, but as you begin connecting the dots towards the end – things fall apart because everything looks so absurd because a superstitious belief of the perpetrator is forced upon the spectators – they have to believe in that. Now, I must tell the writers of such stories - guys it’s overdone or you just over-killed it – time to come up with something different. Enough!

Kiss Warriors of Delhi: Kiss of Love Campaign

It started in Kochi as a protest and managed to get some decent media coverage, but the Kiss of Love protest had to reach Delhi to qualify as a National Movement. Any protest or movement can’t be called a movement until it touches the heart of a nation or knocks on the door of our national capital Delhi and above all, earns takers in JNU Campus. Picture those Kutra clad folks chanting slogans in a chorus at the top of their voices as they are ready to make an instant change, just wow – anyone who wants to experience the ephemeral fervor of student power – JNU is the place to be. Well, I am not going to write about JNU here because nothing can be considered more serious or important, when you compare it with the topic of physical intimacy, the most interesting subject in the world. And, here I am going to talk about – Kissing.

Here at the start, I am asserting one thing straightway that I don’t agree with these Kiss Warriors of Delhi or those who are indulging in this Kiss of Love protest.  Actually, I don’t want them to do this publicly or kiss in public. Come on, this is out and out cruelty. Yes, this is nothing less than utter cruelty. Now you have to read the entire post to get my point. Obviously, I would include Bollywood in it.

Photo Courtesy: metrovaartha.com

First full-fledged or convincing kissing scene for the silver screen was performed by none other than Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan in Raja Hindustani - and the sincerity personified like never before. Before that we had seen many Bollywood rain sequences, which led to love-making, but love looked ethereal for the first time when Karishma Kapoor closed her eyes in submission. Rain, a beautiful girl and a tree – well, there was a lot to dream about for people of my generation at that time. Imagination plays the most important role in the lives of us – Indians, when it comes to Sex or intimacy and Bollywood fuels that imagination. In one way or another, it reaffirms our faith in miracles. A beautiful girl absolutely drenched in rain, a tree and then Magic – yes, this notion has all the attributes of a perfect miracle, but nothing like that ever happened to me and not even to my Stud Friends.

You just can’t give up on Magic of such proportion and we didn’t. We hoped that Magic would happen when we would go to college. God will be kind to us and lead us to heaven – just like what was shown in Karan Johar’s “Kuch Kuch hota hai” but that did not happen either. I studied in Delhi University and yes I saw a few glimpses of the so called movie modernism in college but nothing in reality happened to me or to my friends or our Bollywood inspired dreams never fulfilled.

So I would like to reiterate again that guys if you want to indulge in Public Display of Affection or PDA or kissing – you are not propagating obscenity but doing some serious harm to many. Think about those uncles and aunts, who never had that freedom – and like we all wish to bring back our old days or grow up once again, they would wish that again. You make them feel awful.  And, what about those boys who study in Delhi’s Government Schools in the afternoon shifts. Let me point out a fact here that most of the government schools in Delhi function in two shifts – morning shift for girls and evening shift for boys. You know their number, I mean how many boys are there in these schools and how many of them get admission in Delhi University or in a regular college?  Yes, a few really hardworking folks manage to get admission in DU, where they might get the opportunity to talk to girls or indulge in something like kissing in public but many of them don’t manage to make the cut. Actually, it is because Delhi University does not have many seats and that leads to the outrageous surge in cut off lists for admission. So, more than half of these guys or aspirants get admission in Delhi University’s correspondence courses and though, they attend a few regular classes during a yearly session – they just don’t get the real feel of a Campus Life. And, I must tell them that its OK folks because anything like Karan Johar or Yash Chopra’s version of campus life – happens to a chosen few only.  

Now think about this, more than 2 lakhs students study through correspondence because they do not get admission in any regular course of the prestigious Delhi University. Think about them. Many of them  also want to kiss someone. They also want to spread their arms like Shah Rukh Khan and tell the whole world that they are truly blessed, but they can only dream about it. It was OK earlier, when people used to kiss or indulge in intimacy in DDA Parks or secluded places or malls, but now they are kissing in Public. Imagine the plight of these guys who can’t do that – because of many reasons.

In India majority of the men get the opportunity to kiss or even touch a girl when they get married. Yes, in 80% cases, it is arranged marriage. Two strange people get married and finally get the approval of our society to have sex. So, if you would kiss in public, what would happen to those men who don’t have that license – they are also a part of Modern and progressive India. Mind it, you are trying to divide India. Yes there is an ever-widening gulf between poor and rich here and now you are creating another divide of Kissers and Onlookers. We already have thousands of divides in India – in the form of cast, creed and religion and now you are creating another one – which would hurt us the most. I must tell you that biological urges don’t discriminate between a SRCC Student and a 12th fail guy, who would appear in the next year’s exams through open school. So, what you are doing is unethical, absolutely unethical because you are so less in numbers. How can you kiss a girl in public as a bachelor when majority of the men can do that only after getting the approval of our society and they can only do that behind closed doors?

How can you not think about those men, who try to push others at Rajiv Chowk or any other crowded Metro Station just to get an opportunity to rub their shoulders or genitals or body parts against women or what about those who let their hands slip to touch the part of a woman’s body, whenever possible – in buses, malls or anywhere, you can imagine. These guys don’t get successful every time – still they try to do it every day with same vigor and zeal – what about them? How can you be so reckless and make them feel so low. They have to jostle with others for that quick touch and you are kissing in PUBLIC – now, this is inhuman. You think we have come a long way as a country to do kissing in pubic – guys, give me a break. No, you can’t torture India’s sex-starved men by kissing in Public.

Now, some words for those who say that by kissing in public, girls would invite rape or it is attack on our Indian Culture. First of all, if you think it would invite rape – and you are a woman who is saying that then I must tell you. You always wanted to have that sort of freedom, but you could not get that. Get over it and if you can’t then you can curse your fate like you must have done for other things in your life. If a man is saying that then I must tell you. Look, if you are not married then there are ways to release this tension, you must be aware about that. And, if you are married then look, you should be content with what you got because that’s what Indian Culture teaches us. And, yes – dude, please tell me what is India Culture? Yes, it is all about those rules and regulations – which are convenient to us. I mean, my Indian Culture can be different from you – if it suits me. That’s it. So, if you want to kiss or whatever. Get a room. Kissing in public is not against our Indian culture, but it is against our Indian Conditions.

British ruled us for more than 200 years and then left us with a colossal inferiority complex, which has been further bolstered by many factors over the years or the way this country has progressed since 1947. Now our nation is all about those who have and those have not. Those who can kiss or hug a girl in Public are minuscule in numbers than those who just can’t. So, Majority Rules! And, forget about the change, only time can change the things – and it would take a lot of time for that.

The Joys of Delhi (Delhi ke Majje)

Contrasting views on some common village issues or matters of importance at times led to some animated verbal-fights between Pyar Chand and Jaisi Ram. Other boys in their group always enjoyed that but those fights never turned into physical bouts. Others in the group always coaxed and tried to manipulate Pyar Chand and Jaisi Ram to pave the path for some action but that never happened. They were not close-friends, but one factor that worked as a cohesive force between them was that they were used to each other’s company. Every day they had to walk together three kilometers to reach their school and three kilometers back home.  Though they tried to join other groups, ultimately the two were left to seek each other’s company, because in other groups they never had anything to say. They studied together till 8^th class and knew a lot of secrets about each other, which somehow bound them.

While Pyar Chand was more of a dreamer, Jaisi Ram had a practical outlook towards life. While many youngsters of their age were fascinated by the world and things around them as they were contemplating the changes in their lives according to their age, our protagonists never paid much attention towards anything. Things were not going to change till they were in school – that’s what they believed.

Pyar Chand was indifferent towards his image as a dull-headed boy in the eyes of teachers and other students and it did not affect him ever. Jaisi Ram was slightly better than Pyar Chand and that notion of superiority kept him content. Rarely did they talk about studies, but whenever they did, Jaisi Ram compared himself with Pyar Chand and the matter settled quickly. They were in eighth class and somehow things took a drastic turn. Everything started to look so colossal, as they were going to appear in the board exams. Initial fervor and discussion at home and school made Pyar Chand a bit alert towards exams, but gradually he lost interest.

Jaisi Ram cheated well in board exams and got the passing marks, while Pyar Chand could not do that. Things did not change for Pyar Chand for the next two years and finally he gave up and mustered enough courage to tell his father that he was not interested in studies anymore. Jaisi Ram passed his tenth exams and during one of his discussions with Pyar Chand, he said then that he wanted to become a professor. Pyar Chand looked in bewilderment and said, “but for that you need to study a lot, what you say. They say that these professors are half-mad.” Jaisi Ram, “oh, you know better than anyone else, they earn a lot of money and once I will become professor, I will buy a big car.” Pyar Chand shook his head in his typical approval-giving style.

Jaisi Ram’s dream of becoming a Professor could not take off as his elder brother thought otherwise and sent him to Delhi to work with his maternal uncle, who was a mechanic in an iron-casting company. His brother made it clear that Jaisi Ram could study further but meanwhile, he would have to work to support the family like he was doing. And, Jaisi Ram was sent to Delhi.

Pyar Chand’s drunkard father took his son to work as a daily laborer on road. It appeared a harsh decision for many but Pyar Chand’s father had a big vision in his mind. In those days if you worked for PWD for 10 years, there was every possibility that one day you would be confirmed as a regular government employee – a dream job that would ensure fixed salary and pension. Six months passed quickly and one fine day our protagonists met.

Pyar Chand was returning from his work. While Jaisi Ram waited for an hour at the same place to meet Pyar Chand, he acted as if he was going somewhere, when he actually met the daily-wage laborer.

Pyar Chand, “Good to see you Jaisi. You are looking good, so how is Delhi?”

Jaisi Ram, “Delhi is very good, so you are working as a laborer, how are you doing there. I am here for three days as there is a lot of work in Delhi.”

Pyar Chand did not say anything for a while, and then he said , “see you yaara.” Meet me tomorrow morning at the pond, where we used to take bath and tell me about Delhi City.”

Jaisi Ram had a lot to say, but Pyar Chand just left. More than Pyar Chand, Jaisi Ram was excited to tell his old pal about Delhi but now he had to wait till morning. When they met early morning at the pond, Jaisi Ram spoke a lot until he felt satisfied – as usual, Pyar Chand listened to him patiently.

 Pyar Chand carefully tried to weigh in every word that his friend had said and then he could comprehend that people enjoy a great life in Delhi. Big buildings, trains, lot of cars, - a city where Prime Minister and President of India live. For the first time in his life, Pyar Chand felt really bad about his condition. And then he wanted to go to Delhi.  

After three days, Jaisi Ram went back to Delhi. Usually engrossed in his routine work, Pyar Chand could not focus on anything for the next few days. While cleaning a ditch near the road during his work, Pyar Chand hurt his leg badly. He could not hold it for long and finally shared his thoughts with other colleagues, who were working as PWD daily wage workers. They listened in amusement as he vividly described everything to them and felt relieved.

The same thing happened again after six months when Jaisi Ram visited the village. Once again, he told some elaborate stories about Delhi and Pyar Chand felt more and more longing for the capital of India. Jaisi Ram did not shut up until he felt satisfied that he had said everything that he wanted to say at the village pond and then left in a hurry.  

This World had become a dreary place for Pyar Chand – every day he dreamt of going to Delhi to live a great life. If there was a heaven – it was in Delhi. Pyar Chand thought. Oh, I am not intelligent like Jaisi Ram, but I also deserve a good life. I just want to go to Delhi. And then something good happened for the PWD worker - Jaisi Ram came to village for a couple of days and besides telling compelling stories about the city, he also gave a phone number  to Pyar Chand with an important note that he could only call him on Sunday – every week.  

Well, Pyar Chand had something else in his mind, he waited and saved some money after three months and booked a ticket to Delhi. He knew his father would never agree to send him away to Delhi. So, he told his mother that he would find some decent work in Delhi and rest would be taken care of by his friend Jaisi Ram. Though, Pyar Chand waited for the next Sunday and made a call on that number which Jaisi Ram had given him. He dialed that number with huge anticipation and carefully queued up all the words in his mind he wanted to say over the phone.  He called up and a woman on the other side picked up.

Woman with a hoarse voice said – “Hello, who.”

Pyar Chand was speechless for a while but then he managed to say something and said, “Madam Ji, please call Jaisi Ram, I am his Friend from village.” The Woman instantly snapped – “oh, Jaisi Ram is not here, call at Nine in the evening.”
“Madam Ji, give me his address,” said Pyar Chand quickly.

The Woman did not waste much time to give him the address. Well, Pyar Chand could see his dream was coming true. With hopes and aspirations, he left the village.

He boarded the bus two hours before it was supposed to leave the bus stand. As the bus started for Delhi, his heart sank, he was leaving his home-district for the first time in his life. He did not talk to anyone on the bus and did not go outside to drink tea or to eat anything, when bus stopped for breaks. And when everyone slept in the bus, Pyar Chand managed to beat ill-thoughts and apprehensions by painting some exquisite pictures of the city in his mind – consequently, he managed to sleep peacefully.  Finally, he reached Delhi and saw a big crowd and a lot of vehicles – as told by Jaisi Ram. With a mixed feeling of happiness and apprehension, he boarded an auto.

There was so much to see – Pyar Chand dodged curious glances at everything – from ugly DTC buses to yellow autos. Riding high on his train of thoughts, his reverie was disturbed by the stench erupting irrepressibly from the rotting roadside garbage. He put a handkerchief on his nose and continued with sight-seeing.  At times he forgot to blink as he did not want to miss a single scene. He was new to the city, but did well by hiring an auto after a reasonable bargaining on fare.

Finally, he reached the colony, as written on the address. It was a congested housing complex and as the auto penetrated into the narrow street, Pyar Chand saw a few piglets playing in a small ditch. Kucha road made it a bumpy ride and Pyar Chand had to hold tightly to the roof supporting rod of the auto to maintain his balance on the seat. The pungent stench which caught up with Pyar Chand in the halfway after he left the Bus Terminal grew stronger in this colony. 

With address note in one hand and other hand on his nose to counter stench, Pyar Ram reached a shop. He wanted to buy something for his friend – just then he saw jaisi Ram. Well, Pyar Chand looked thrilled and absolutely overjoyed to see Jaisi Ram there. He rushed towards his friend and shook Jaisi Ram’s hands. Both couldn’t say anything for a while. It was a feeling of sheer joy which kept Pyar Chand silent for a while and he expected his friend Jaisi Ram to say something, who could not move his limbs or lips and it appeared as if he had suffered an instant stroke of paralysis.

They exchanged a few words and then Jaisi Ram bought bread and four eggs from that shop and did not say anything on the way as Pyar Chand followed him. Finally, Jaisi Ram said, “how did you reach here? you left your job, your father will kill you now. Who gave you the money to buy bus ticket?”

With a big smile on his face, Pyar Chand said, “No no..I saved some money and like you said then that if you want to do something big in life, you need to leave that village, so I am here now.”

A storm of thoughts and words was heaving inside Jaisi Ram – he wanted to puke it promptly on his patient listener, but he could not say much. Finally, they reached near a house. Pyar Chand felt a bit surprised that Jaisi Ram was not saying anything- something he was not used to. They entered a narrow staircase, which led towards the terrace of the house. Well, the walls of the stairs were stained with red color – displaying different shapes of obscure images created by Paan and Gutkha spit. Stairs finished on the Terrace of the building. There was a small room on the terrace with an adjacent bathroom – Jaisi Ram unlocked the room and invited Pyar Chand inside.

It was the month of April and anyone who has ever spent time in Delhi during this period of the year must be aware about the treacherous summer, which begins to show its ugly face in this month and then turns into a sadistic monster in the forthcoming months of May and June. Jaisi Ram, who used to dominate and initiate the conversations between them, did not speak a single word for the next half an hour.

They entered the room, which looked big as there was not much in there, except a bed, a table fan and a few other things. Pyar Chand just sat in front of the fan and continued with observation – his favorite pastime, which he had not been able to enjoy since morning.

Suddenly, he saw that there was a medium-size suitcase there and he clearly remembered that – that was the one suitcase Jaisi Ram used to bring to the village. Finally, Jaisi Ram said, “if you want to take bath there is a bathroom.”

He gave three slices of bread to Pyar Chand, some tea and half of the egg omelet, he cooked quickly. Pyar Chand had a lot of questions in his mind, but failed to get the start. So, it is Delhi…ok the same Delhi. What…lost in his thoughts, he did not realize that Jaisi Ram was ready to go to work.

He spoke again, “look I will come in the evening.” Pyar Chand nodded in approval. And, then Jaisi Ram left.

Pyar Chand, tried to sleep during the day but could not. He tried to increase the speed of the table fan but could not. As the day progressed, Pyar Chand found that heat had turned into something really worse – well, he couldn’t find the right word for that. The overhead roof was burning and it seemed that fan had literally surrendered to the situation, as it was blowing hot air. He drank enough water from the pitcher that Jaisi Ram had placed in the corner, but just could not get any relief. Next four hours were spent in gulping a few more glasses of water. Pyar Chand felt that he had turned into a machine, which was drinking water and producing sweat as a by-product. Finally, he decided to go downstairs but then changed his mind quickly.

It was an extraordinary day in the life of Pyar Chand who experienced every minute of it – in a way he couldn’t have imagined ever, he had a lot of time to ponder over a few important things. Finally the day  ended. And then Jaisi Ram returned from work.

It was just another day of April in Delhi, but Pyar Chand was looking enervated. He had a whole day to think about Jaisi Ram and Delhi and above all Delhi ke majje (the joys of Delhi). Jaisi Ram did not look at Pyar Chand since returning from work. Before he could say anything, Pyar Chand asked, “Yaara, do I need to go for advance booking to book my tickets for Himachal or can I get them directly, when I would board the bus.”

Jaisi Ram swiftly replied, “No, no, you can get when you would reach there. There would not be much rush these days.”   Well, Pyar Chand saw that old glow and smile on the face of his friend Jaisi Ram for the first time since he came to Delhi.

Both slept on the terrace and shared a single mattress – hardened by the overuse. Jaisi Ram gave mosquito repellant to Pyar Chand, who applied it and slept peacefully. Next day, he gave 100 Rs. to Jaisi Ram and said sorry for all the trouble. And just when Jaisi Ram was leaving for his work, Pyar Chand picked up his newly bought bag and followed him. Pyar Chand did not say anything. Both reached the main road, where Pyar Chand hired an auto. Just then Jaisi Ram said, “Why are you going so early – the bus will leave in the evening?” Pyar Chand did not look back, he did not say anything. He looked at the  Auto-driver and said  - let’s go.