Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

Author:Salman Rushdie [Rushdie, Salman]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf

PART TWO

Voices — Midnight's Children– Saleem ‘s face picked out in the dim light.

Pickle factory.

Saleem, disconsolate, head bowed, slumped.

Music: like an eerie dream.

Wee Willie Winkie, hammer in hand, passes a couple of cripple beggars and approaches his sleeping son Shiva, guiltily. He pulls back the sack from the boy's legs, exposing his massive knees. Shaking, Winkie raises the hammer high above his head, about to bring it down on Shiva‘s knees.

Winkie God forgive me.

At that precise moment, Shiva‘s eyes pop open. Blackout. Then:

Pickle factory. Saleem wakes up with a start. The door opens. It is Padma . She's back. She goes to put her arms on his shoulders. He leans back against her body and sighs deeply, happily.

Padma O, mister, what to say? I have come back to make you better.

She produces a delicious-looking thali of food and sprinkles herbs on it, then presents it, with green Braganza Pickles chutney, to Saleem . She looks on fondly as he eats.

Food is good? Enjoying it?

Saleem Very much.

Padma kisses his head. Saleem smiles.

Saleem Mmm…

Padma I went to a holy man in the hills. He gave me one secret herb with which your manhood can be awakened from its sleep.

Saleem pauses: he begins to look a bit peculiar.

Padma Then I ground the herb in water and said: ‘Thou potent and lusty herb! Give my Mr Saleem thy power.’

Saleem looking woozy now.

Padma ‘O herb, thou hast powers of Indra and the lusty force of beasts.’ And this I have put in your food! Soon you will be well!

Padma beams. Saleem collapses, unconscious, face first into the thali.

Film.

Newsreel Announcer Radical reorganisation of India's family of states! Bombay State to be chopped in two! Relations with Pakistan ‘severely strained’, PM reveals! England's cricketers are here! India welcomes the famous MCC!

Pickle factory. Saleem is delirious (in bed).

Saleem Radical reorganisation of family… chopped in two… they sent me away… Pakistan… yes, relations, strained… yes, yes… the MCC…

Padma (panic-stricken) Oh, mister! What to say? Everything is my own poor fault!

Saleem The Midnight's Children Conference… yes, yes. My personal MCC…

Padma (despairs) You and your stories! All day, all night! Stop some time, how can it hurt?

Saleem (shaking his head, taking her hand) Padma, my Lotus Goddess. Padma, Guardian of Life…

Padma (bemused, but pleased) Such fancy talk.

Saleem Let me tell it, Padma. How I was banished frommy own home.

Amina, Jamila, Ahmed (whisky in hand), and Mary Pereira.

Amina Oh, my boy… my little Piece-of-the-Moon…

Jamila So. You're off, then.

Young Saleem Yes. No more shoe-burning.

Jamila tuts.

Young Saleem (with feeling) I'll miss you.

Jamila (without feeling) See you, then.

Ahmed implacable, thunderous.

Saleem I was sent to stay with my auntie Emerald in Pakistan, the Land of the Pure.

Journey: ship, the blast of its horn as it docks — the train — the car with the army chauffeur — film: unglamorous late-1950s Pakistan, contrasting with earlier images of Bombay — until:

Rawalpindi. Northern Pakistan. Zulfikar ‘s house. Emerald, Zulfikar (now a General) and their son Zia greet him.

Zulfikar Welcome, little hero.

Emerald Saleem. Right-o. This is your cousin Zia. He'll show you the ropes.

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