[ Reminder: Mess- This word originally means "a building or room providing meals and recreational facilities for members of the armed forces." However, it is used as an umbrella term here.
A dormitory.
A certain sort of flophouse/dosshouse. But it's a bit better than the flophouse because people here are on a monthly rental agreement. However, the monthly rent is comparatively very low. Much like a flophouse. It's the less fortunate rendition of the lodging. Or, the poorer version of the hostel. Cheap hostel.]
"Why?"
"The woman has a brain defect. The ultimate suspicion obsessed woman. What is there to suspect a man of my age, you tell me? There is no difference between a man of my age and a vegetable from Newmarket's raw bazaar."
- "But Khala (Aunt) knows you came here to jog."
Mr. Khalu sighed with a long breath and said, "She doesn’t know. I told her I wander around Dhanmondi Lake."
I said, "Mr. Khalu, have another cup of tea. Light another cigarette. Then you cough very clearly. Whoop whoop cough like a whooping cough won't do. You have to clear cough. Cough clearly."
Mr. Khalu did not cough clearly. The gist of what he said was - one day he foolishly told his wife that prostitutes start coming to Sehrawardy park in the evening. One of them is a beautiful girl. Moreover, her name is in English-"Flower".
Khala (aunt) turned furious when she heard this- "How do you know the name of that girl?"
Mr. Khalu said, "I heard from far away that many people are calling by the name of Flower."
Khala (aunt) said, "You went to run, what do you have to do with so much hearing? Never go to that place again. If I hear you've gone there, I'll break your leg. The jogging ends for life.
I said, "Yet, you are still coming to this place regularly?"
Mr. Khalu said in an annoyed voice, "I see you too are suspicious like your aunt. Why should I come every day? Sometimes variation is needed. Does it feel good to visit the same place regularly? Can you regularly eat hilsa fish and rice twice for thirty days?"
"Have you met Flower today?"
" No."
"Met her yesterday?"
"Can't keep this talk off? It was wrong of me to tell you."
Mr. Khalu got up. I stayed. I have to find out the news where Bazlu mia's whereabouts is. I have to ask the tea sellers. [ Note: Cheap tea stalls are abundant in the city. Tea stalls can be found in every corner.]
Finding an address will not be too difficult, nor will it be easy. The topic of Miss Flower must also be kept in mind. If seen, a cup of free coffee for her.
Bazlu Mia was not found, but Miss Flower was found. She lives in a slum in Kawranbazar; Behind the fish market. The shed is lined with lumber trees. They say that finding it out should be easy.
Himu wears a yellow panjabi that does not have a pocket and lives a mostly nomadic life. He walks barefoot on the streets of Dhaka without a certain destination. Himu walks around with not much to do, barefoot, in a city that actively despises people like him. Never being able to hold down a job in his life, Himu does not quite fit into this city that celebrates obedience.
He does not have a job and, therefore, no source of income. He prefers the life of a beggar than that of a hard worker, often praising begging. However, Himu walks endlessly–using no form of transportation. The wanderer is decidedly eccentric and unorthodox in outlook.
He has a cult following for his spiritual power of predicting future events of anyone, including those of police officer, beggar, neighbor, relatives and tea stall proprietor. Most of the time he indifferently speaks unpleasant truth about the person with whom he talks.
Author: Humayun Ahmed (c)
Translator: Fenir Roy (Roy Nishan) (c)
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