A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Author:Rohinton Mistry [Mistry, Rohinton]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
ISBN: 978-1-55199-138-2
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Published: 1997-04-04T16:00:00+00:00

Heavy rain had fallen during the day, submerging much of last night’s debris in muddy little ponds. Pieces of plywood or metal rose through the water like sails and shipwrecks. Seagulls screeched over the transfigured slum. Some former residents were wandering outside, gazing at the land, but Rajaram was nowhere to be seen.

“Maybe he found out there is no chance of building here again,” said Ishvar.

The portly Sergeant Kesar was not in evidence at the moment. Six constables from his new enforcement squad were guarding the field. They approached the tailors and the others hanging around, and warned them, “If you try to put up any new jhopdis, we’ll have to take you straight to jail.”

“Why?”

“It’s our assignment – slum prevention and city beautification.” The constables returned to their post at the corner.

“I think we should go back and tell Dinabai the truth,” said Ishvar.

“Why?”

“She might help us.”

“In your dreams,” said Om.

A work crew was erecting two new hoardings, one on each side of the road. They pasted the Prime Minister’s face over the boards, then debated about the accompanying message. There was a variety to choose from. They unrolled the banners and spread them out over the pavement for consideration, using stones to hold down the corners.

The workers were unanimous concerning the first slogan: THE CITY BELONGS TO YOU! KEEP IT BEAUTIFUL! The second was posing some difficulty. The supervisor wanted to use FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY! HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS! His subordinates advised him that something else would be more appropriate; they recommended THE NATION IS ON THE MOVE!

The tailors waited around till the displays were completed. The crowd clapped as the huge frames were raised. The posts were embedded in holes, buttressed with diagonal braces, and the earth tamped down. Someone asked Om if he could please read what the two boards were saying. Om translated for him. The man contemplated the meaning for a moment, then went away shaking his head, muttering that this time the government had gone completely mad.

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