The Days Toppled Over by Vidya Madabushi

Author:Vidya Madabushi [Madabushi, Vidya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781761049552
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

At 4.35 pm, Joe walks in. His usually inviting face is folded in, his bright eyes are dulled and he is emanating a don’t-come-near-me aura. Surya and Samir give him a wide berth as he walks straight past them purposefully through to the till, without acknowledging their mumbled ‘hey’s.

Joe takes off his leather jacket, hangs it over the chair, then logs into the computer. He is wearing a new denim shirt over jeans, his chosen attire for the celebration this evening, not the white and black combination they are meant to wear to work. Samir and Surya exchange glances. Samir realises before Surya what has happened. He doesn’t dare go near Joe in this mood, so instead, he walks over to Surya and puts his arm around him. Then it strikes Surya, and it feels like an actual blow to his stomach, that if Joe has turned up to work, there can only be one reason. Bobby isn’t coming in. Something must be very wrong for her to take a day off on Joe’s birthday. She’d have known Joe would have to work in her place. She’d also have known it was an important occasion for Joe with Laura’s family. There was no one else whom Narsing would trust to take over Joe’s shift but Bobby.

From their end of the dining room, Surya can feel the kitchen quieten, the voices inside subsiding suddenly. They have all become sensitive to each other as if they were parts of the same body.

Behind the counter is the restaurant’s bar, and Joe swivels in his chair to browse the small selection in the glass cabinet. He knows every bottle inside. Apart from Narsing, he’s the sole holder of its keys. He grabs a six-pack holder of an expensive local craft beer and nods in the direction of the kitchen to indicate that Surya and Samir should follow him.

Surya sets aside the tray of cutlery he is carrying and goes in silence. In the Bermuda triangle, safe from the cameras, Joe hands out the beers. There isn’t a beer for Taran, who returns to washing potatoes at the sink. No one asks any questions. Joe raises his bottle. Silently, they raise theirs to his and sip their beers, like criminals, afraid to drink, afraid not to drink given Joe’s mood. When they are done, Samir fetches a black rubbish bag to collect the bottles and takes them to the recycle bins discreetly.

This entire behaviour is uncharacteristic of Joe, who is stealthy by nature, prizes his reputation, and is always careful not to leave clues of his activities behind. This type of rebellion is what they have come to expect from Ramana, who tends to speak his mind and displays a blatant disregard for rules. At this moment, they know that joining Joe in a drink is tantamount to standing with him in his fight, whatever it may be and whomever it may be with.

They are running behind schedule and everyone returns to their duties. Joe goes upstairs to get changed into his uniform.

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