Family Matters

In the present, 10 days of Nariman’s bedrest pass at Roxana’s family’s apartment. Yezad can see the toll that caring for Nariman is taking on Roxana. On that 10th day, he makes his way to work at the sporting goods store, where he is the store’s manager. When he arrives, he sees Vilas, who works at a nearby bookstore. In addition to working at the bookstore, Vilas helps write letters for people who cannot read to send to their families. Most of his clients are dockworkers or construction workers, and the letters are the only communication they have with their families back home in distant towns. Vilas charges those people a nominal fee to write the letters, but mostly he just enjoys the work.

At the sporting goods store, Yezad sees the store’s other employee, Husain. The store’s owner, Mr. Kapur, hired Husain three years ago as part of a measure to try and help victims of the Babri Mosque riots (which occurred when Hindu nationalists destroyed a mosque, and thousands were ultimately killed). Husain is sometimes too depressed to work, and today seems to be one of those days. While at work, Yezad thinks more about that morning. He knows that Roxana has been bending over backwards to maintain the family’s morning routine. That morning, Jehangir told Yezad that he’d seen Roxana crying in the kitchen. Yezad then went to try and comfort her, and Jehangir went to talk to Nariman. Nariman told Jehangir that things would improve for Jehangir’s parents when he (Nariman) returned to Jal and Coomy’s house. Jehangir then told Nariman that he would miss him when he left.

Mr. Kapur comes into work in the afternoon. Mr. Kapur’s family first came to Bombay as refugees following the partition of India in 1947. Mr. Kapur has said that because he came to the city as a refugee, and the city took him and his family in, he feels a profound love for Bombay. When Mr. Kapur arrives at work, he tries to comfort Husain. At the end of the workday, Yezad gives Mr. Kapur the money from cash payments. Mr. Kapur doesn’t keep tax records for those payments and puts the money directly into a suitcase.

After the workday is over, Mr. Kapur, Husain, and Yezad drink beer together. Over beers, Mr. Kapur laments that Bombay is being overrun by criminals, and the police are no help and are not much better than criminals themselves. Husain recalls how the police murdered people during the Babri Mosque riots, in which Husain’s wife and child were killed. After Husain leaves, Mr. Kapur tells Yezad that he wants his advice about something.

When Yezad first began working at the shop, he tried to maintain a strict employee/employer relationship with Mr. Kapur. But over the years, Mr. Kapur and Yezad have become friends and confidants. At the store, Mr. Kapur tells Yezad that they’re going to start celebrating festivals and creating window displays for every religion. Kapur then says he’s considering running for office in the next municipal election. He also describes a scene he witnessed earlier, when passengers on a train all worked together to lift other passengers onto the train car. There was something beautiful to Kapur about people working together across political and religious lines. Kapur says that’s his vision for Bombay. Yezad says Kapur has his support for his political ambitions. Kapur adds that when he runs for office, Yezad will take over his role at the store.

Meanwhile, at the Chenoys’ apartment, Jehangir and Murad sit near Nariman’s bed and listen to him tell stories. Nariman recalls when a childhood friend’s dog died. He also tells the boys stories from their religion, Zoroastrianism. Yezad then returns home from work, and he talks to Roxana about her day and speaks with Jehangir and Murad as well.