"How can I help you?" a grumpy-looking old man dressed in a neat, impeccable coat muttered from behind the counter. The provision shop reeked of cigarette smoke and the floor had a visible layer of dust. Huge towering shelves of goods for sale stood in a corner, reaching up all the way to the ceiling. Hari replied with a smile,"Sorry for interrupting. I'm just here to collect my tools." The old man reached for a bag hanging from the wall with some difficulty, and handed it over to Hari. "Goodbye! Have a nice day!" Hari thanked the old man before heading for the exit.
"Hey! Wait! Watchmender! Can you help me to repair my old watch? The hour hand seems to have stopped moving," the old man's voice stopped Hari in his tracks. "Don't worry too much. It should be fixed by tomorrow," Hari smiled as he received the watch from the old man's wrinkled fingers. As he left the store, he thought he heard the old man sigh,"I'm not getting any younger..."
The streets were bustling with people, the honking and screeching of vehicles filled the air. The dark, gloomy chimneys of the factories loomed in the distance, huge clouds of smoke billowing from them. "Fresh fruits for sale! Fresh from the farm! Come and buy now!" a grocer hollered at the top of his voice. Lila wondered,"I guess I should buy some fruits for Father before he comes home from work." A shout interrupted her train of thoughts. "Hey, Ma! Look! Isn't that Uncle Hari?" Lila's son, Najib, shouted in ecstasy as he tugged at his mother's sari. Lila put her fingers to her lips and signalled for him to keep quiet. As she searched the sea of faces, she caught sight of Hari. Hari looked back at her, and she waved. She hoped that he was not too exhausted from work, and business at the watch repair shop would be good. After buying some fruits, she made her way home, with Najib tagging along behind her.
Hari could not help but feel how time flies when he saw Lila with her son, Najib. After just a decade, she had started to have a family. Hari stopped to look at his own reflection in a shop window. He sighed,"Would the time come for me to get married?" As he continued on his journey back to his shop, a huge group of men in blue uniform brushed past him. He could tell immediately that they were workers from the factories. When he looked at their gleeful expressions as they drank the bottles of beer in their hands, he was reminded of the time when his father was still a drunkard. All those bitter memories made him grit his teeth. After he regained his composure, he checked to make sure the tools were still with him, and resumed his journey.
Lila was relieved when her house came into view. Najib was pestering her to let him play in the playground near their home. Although their house was only a small brick hut compared to the de Silva's bungalow, it was definitely more comfortable than living in the streets with all those beggars and filth. Soon, the high-rised buildings would be complete, and many people would come to Thul to stay. Lila felt a wave of nostalgia as she reminisced about the past. There had been many happenings in Thul. From a small, humble fishing village years ago, it had become an industrial estate and busy town. Furthermore, the people in Thul were proud of their little port. It was owned by Biju, who was the pride and joy of the town. However, Lila could not suppress her anger when she was reminded of the fact that the ships had to sail far out to sea in order to catch any fish at all. It was all because of those pollutant-releasing factories. What was the point of selling fertiliser when the factories poisoned their land and sea? However, no one could do anything now. It was too late. The rich land of crops and plants had long been replaced by the industrial estate. They were gone forever. Lila sighed.
As Hari entered his watchmending shop, he was surprised to see Sayyid waiting for him. "Is everything going well for you?" Sayyid asked. "Oh, yes. Father's doing well at work, Lila has a son," Hari beamed, but from out of the blue, a thought struck him,"But, Mother..." He tried to hold back his tears. He was reminded of that horrible night, when his mother died after being poisoned by the fish she ate.
"What has happened is already the past. Remember what I told you?" Sayyid said. Hari felt a weight life off his heart. He had to adapt. How he missed the old village of Thul, when birds still sang and flew freely in the sky...
"Hey! Wait! Watchmender! Can you help me to repair my old watch? The hour hand seems to have stopped moving," the old man's voice stopped Hari in his tracks. "Don't worry too much. It should be fixed by tomorrow," Hari smiled as he received the watch from the old man's wrinkled fingers. As he left the store, he thought he heard the old man sigh,"I'm not getting any younger..."
The streets were bustling with people, the honking and screeching of vehicles filled the air. The dark, gloomy chimneys of the factories loomed in the distance, huge clouds of smoke billowing from them. "Fresh fruits for sale! Fresh from the farm! Come and buy now!" a grocer hollered at the top of his voice. Lila wondered,"I guess I should buy some fruits for Father before he comes home from work." A shout interrupted her train of thoughts. "Hey, Ma! Look! Isn't that Uncle Hari?" Lila's son, Najib, shouted in ecstasy as he tugged at his mother's sari. Lila put her fingers to her lips and signalled for him to keep quiet. As she searched the sea of faces, she caught sight of Hari. Hari looked back at her, and she waved. She hoped that he was not too exhausted from work, and business at the watch repair shop would be good. After buying some fruits, she made her way home, with Najib tagging along behind her.
Hari could not help but feel how time flies when he saw Lila with her son, Najib. After just a decade, she had started to have a family. Hari stopped to look at his own reflection in a shop window. He sighed,"Would the time come for me to get married?" As he continued on his journey back to his shop, a huge group of men in blue uniform brushed past him. He could tell immediately that they were workers from the factories. When he looked at their gleeful expressions as they drank the bottles of beer in their hands, he was reminded of the time when his father was still a drunkard. All those bitter memories made him grit his teeth. After he regained his composure, he checked to make sure the tools were still with him, and resumed his journey.
Lila was relieved when her house came into view. Najib was pestering her to let him play in the playground near their home. Although their house was only a small brick hut compared to the de Silva's bungalow, it was definitely more comfortable than living in the streets with all those beggars and filth. Soon, the high-rised buildings would be complete, and many people would come to Thul to stay. Lila felt a wave of nostalgia as she reminisced about the past. There had been many happenings in Thul. From a small, humble fishing village years ago, it had become an industrial estate and busy town. Furthermore, the people in Thul were proud of their little port. It was owned by Biju, who was the pride and joy of the town. However, Lila could not suppress her anger when she was reminded of the fact that the ships had to sail far out to sea in order to catch any fish at all. It was all because of those pollutant-releasing factories. What was the point of selling fertiliser when the factories poisoned their land and sea? However, no one could do anything now. It was too late. The rich land of crops and plants had long been replaced by the industrial estate. They were gone forever. Lila sighed.
As Hari entered his watchmending shop, he was surprised to see Sayyid waiting for him. "Is everything going well for you?" Sayyid asked. "Oh, yes. Father's doing well at work, Lila has a son," Hari beamed, but from out of the blue, a thought struck him,"But, Mother..." He tried to hold back his tears. He was reminded of that horrible night, when his mother died after being poisoned by the fish she ate.
"What has happened is already the past. Remember what I told you?" Sayyid said. Hari felt a weight life off his heart. He had to adapt. How he missed the old village of Thul, when birds still sang and flew freely in the sky...
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