A Heart of Stone with a Coat of Gold

The Man in White

Sahib - Master/Sir

Uncle - In India, generally an older man is referred to as uncle, irrespective of social status or relation.

Bete - Son/Daughter. It can be used by elders affectionately to refer to a younger person,irrespective of social status or relation.

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A white mountain. The Himalayas, or the Alaska ranges. Or something.

That's what the driver reminded Anu of. Anu had never got the chance to go north and see a mountain for real, but she had seen them in the pictures, and the old man standing across her seemed like an absurd personification of those pictures.

The man was tall, almost equalling Neel, with a lean face, his eyes smaller in proportion; a trait of the peoples of the hills. Countless wrinkles ran along his fair skin, like little rivers dissecting the plain white landscape, with two small pearl-shaped eyes twinkling intermittently when he blinked. He was ancient - crossing sixty at least, maybe even nearing seventy. His snowy hair parted neatly to the left, and he sported a matching grizzled stubble and whiskers. To add to it all, he was clad in clean sparking all-white Kurta and Pyjamas.

But it was his smile that completed the whole picture. It was not an animated gesture, nevertheless, it had a warmth to it, complemented by his slightly bent posture as he bowed to both of them. Like the serene mountains, it emanated a curious sense of tranquillity. A moment later Anu realised the reason - his poised breathing. Calm. Even. Like the dripping water from a tap.

Without thinking, like clockwork, Anu's lips twisted into a cordial smile, in reply to his beaming gesture.

Neel, however, had his mind set on other things. He was staring down, a wide frown adorning his disgruntled face. His shiny black boots, which he had laboriously polished for half an hour in the morning, were now peppered by oval brown drops of grime.

It had happened all of a sudden. A few minutes earlier, he had been cursing aloud the cab driver, who was late. Out of the blue, a red Toyota had swerved inside the yard gate, halting abruptly a mere metre ahead and splashing a wave of mud towards him. Neel had pulled himself back just in time to get out of the way. The wave, although had narrowly missed, but not before imprinting its marks on his shoes.

The driver had stepped out in the pouring rain and hurried to the shade beside them. Despite his age, his gait had been quick, and energetic.

He was not young, Anu now mused. No, he was old, but he seemed full of life. She glanced at her husband standing alongside her with a tinge of sadness. He who was now staring fixedly at the driver without mirth.

"You are late," Neel commented.

"I am sorry Sahib. It was raining heavily and I missed a turn." The old man grinned as he checked his watch, "It's a miracle that I am only late by three minutes."

The humour in his voice only exacerbated her husband's annoyance. His voice turned harsher.

"Not only do you arrive late, but you don't even show an ounce of regret. Being on time is a part of your job." He hmphed before continuing. "I would have complained and booked another cab if I had the time. Also look," Neel pointed down "You have messed my shoes."

The driver's voice, which had been cheerful up to that moment, seemed to droop. "I'm sorry, Sir." He mumbled apologetically. It sounded genuine to Anu and she felt a slight pity arising for the man.

Neel shook his head disapprovingly and then proceeded to wipe his boots with a dirty rag lying nearby, before finally heading to the car. Both Anu and the driver, who gave her another smile, proceeded to follow his lead.