Suman has a Cell Phone!

This morning I had to drag myself out of bed. I slept like a log all night. Yet, in the morning when Suman came to wake me up, I had trouble getting out of bed. But I'm ok. Nothing wrong with me. It's just that it's unusual for me not to be alert in the mornings. Usually I'm up before anyone else.

School was ok. The class 4 kids did a good job of translating their assignment into English. Not perfect. Sleep was pronounced as "slip" and spelt accordingly. We also got sentences like "the sky flew into birds". But they did manage to express themselves. On Monday they have to submit their new assignment. They have to imagine they are a Neem tree on the project. What did they see from dawn till dusk?

I promised that I would put up their work on the internet. Sharad too promised his kids that if they wrote nice poetry they would be published. So let's see what the kids do. I had asked the class 4 kids to make a list of trees they knew. Each one wrote down the names of almost 50 trees! Some of them I haven't heard of! Or perhaps I don't know their local names. I've told them they have to plant one of each on the project this monsoon. Some trees I know are rare and almost extinct from this region. Maybe we will be able to preserve some this way?

We've hit rock! 20 feet without any problems and now we hit rock! Fortunately, it's not a huge one -- at least that's what it appears at the moment. It covers only 40% of the well area. The diggers are confident they will break through and water is just below it. I hope they are right. But what's bothering me is that the remaining bit will take twice or thrice as long and cost twice as much! My estimate for the well is now out the window! Sharad is praying that the well will be completed before he leaves next Friday. The well-diggers are confident they will have the well ready by next Friday. I don't believe them! I am upset that they wasted 5 days. Our well should have been ready now! I had expected it to be ready by last Wednesday. I told the diggers that if they don't complete this well soon I will not let them work on the other two wells I have in mind. Let's see if that acts as an incentive.

Today the team visited Gandi Tola. They went to Boila Kisku's house. His father had gone to the market. His mother was there. They chit-chatted with her for a while. She has more children and Sharad wanted the only Santhali-speaking member of the team to tell her to also send her other kids to school next year. But for some odd reason known only to him, he was extremely reluctant to tell her this. Sharad was somewhat put off by his attitude. This person is still very reluctant to go on visits. The others think it's great fun.

Suman now wants to go on village visits too! He's really opening up. He now talks rather than mumbles. Nilambar's influence, I'm sure. This evening I heard Nilambar reading out the newspaper to Suman. By the way, Suman now has a cell-phone too! He was thrilled when I gave it to him. I think he really deserves to have one. He is the first to wake up and the last to go to bed. Besides, he takes an interest in all that's going on in his quiet way. He does his work quietly and efficiently. And even in the afternoon, when everyone is resting, Suman is up and about and working. I have always been fond of him, but now I'm really beginning to appreciate his worth.

Yesterday I "interviewed" Khagen Dutta, a young man from Devdand. Another of Bhola's contact. This boy (he looks like one even though he's in college!) comes from a very poor family. He managed to work and study despite being impoverished. I liked his enthusiasm. He said he will be joining from tomorrow (Sunday). If he does, it would be great. He is a former student of Nilambar. And Nilambar spoke highly of him. Let's see.

Tomorrow is Sunday. Sharad's last Sunday on the project this trip. We will have aloo-paratha for breakfast in his honour. Suman and Nilambar were boiling potatoes after dinner. My mouth is watering.