Abdul served the breakfast on my table . I was staying put in the Comilla Club in Bangladesh along with my father while in the search of my roots. While we are both slow eaters and also could manage without much , Abdul was keenly intent to fill us up .
"You are from Calcutta ? " he asked with an excited gleam in his eyes . 'Yes,we do " I said .
Abdul then began his long story of how they had been well settled in the British Capital City , how his grandfather had built up the business of garments steadily , how during one fine morning scores of Hindus were found waving swords and executing Muslims. His fellow neighbour a Bengali Hindu hid them under the bed and then helped his grandparents and young father escape at night to Bangladesh in a train from Sealdah .
Abdul forced a plate of mutton sandwich on my table again . " You Hindus are poor eaters " he smiled and said . "Me and my brother usually eat up one goat and share it within ourselves " .
I was literally shocked . I asked him how they manage the diabetes thing . "Easy" Abdul said. "There are no shortages of diabetes hospitals in Comilla , so why should be worry . "
As I sipped the last bit of my cup of tea , Abdul handed me over his visiting card . "I am always at your service , Sir . Call me anytime of the night " .
As I shook hands and trudged my way out of the dining room , I could see a small teardrop and some unfulfilled aspiration in the corner of his eye .
"Calcutta is my dream city , a beautiful city " he said .
"You are from Calcutta ? " he asked with an excited gleam in his eyes . 'Yes,we do " I said .
Abdul then began his long story of how they had been well settled in the British Capital City , how his grandfather had built up the business of garments steadily , how during one fine morning scores of Hindus were found waving swords and executing Muslims. His fellow neighbour a Bengali Hindu hid them under the bed and then helped his grandparents and young father escape at night to Bangladesh in a train from Sealdah .
Abdul forced a plate of mutton sandwich on my table again . " You Hindus are poor eaters " he smiled and said . "Me and my brother usually eat up one goat and share it within ourselves " .
I was literally shocked . I asked him how they manage the diabetes thing . "Easy" Abdul said. "There are no shortages of diabetes hospitals in Comilla , so why should be worry . "
As I sipped the last bit of my cup of tea , Abdul handed me over his visiting card . "I am always at your service , Sir . Call me anytime of the night " .
As I shook hands and trudged my way out of the dining room , I could see a small teardrop and some unfulfilled aspiration in the corner of his eye .
"Calcutta is my dream city , a beautiful city " he said .
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