| Pink on the outside and shiny white on
| |
| | choking in the aftermath of her
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| the inside, the little olive-shaped
| |
| | happiness. We pulled all the windows of
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| radishes glistened in the bowl that the
| |
| | the carriage open and walked as far away
|
| laoban's (boss's) wife placed before me.
| |
| | as we could from her when the second burp
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| I dithered for a moment before I picked
| |
| | followed and then a third...She couldn't
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| one and placed it gingerly into my
| |
| | stop burping and all we could do was
|
| mouth.Radishes have always brought back
| |
| | choke...and since that memorable day
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| bad memories and for years I haven't
| |
| | radishes have been a strict no-no for me
|
| touched anything that included them. I
| |
| | and my brother. My sister fell prey to
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| mean, I wouldn't touch any food that had
| |
| | its seductive charm some time ago but
|
| the faintest hint of radish.I must have
| |
| | still desists from letting herself go
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| been ten and I was on a train with my
| |
| | after it, choosing to restrict herself to
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| younger brother and sister on our way
| |
| | a small share.Brother and I have been
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| back home from school in Jaipur in
| |
| | unrelenting in our resolve to keep far
|
| western India. Our mother's aunt was on
| |
| | away from anything radish.But, today, I
|
| the train with us. Each time the train
| |
| | fell prey to its olive-shaped, pink-hued
|
| stopped at a station she would buy
| |
| | avatar in far-away China. I must have had
|
| something from the hawkers - fruits, tea,
| |
| | a bit more than my mother's aunt did that
|
| the odd snacks and radishes. We sniggered
| |
| | fateful day on a train from Jaipur. And,
|
| each time she got off, her ample derriere
| |
| | I am burping, too...but, thankfully,
|
| on her short frame swinging wildly from
| |
| | there are no children around to kill me
|
| the exercise, a picture that her sweetest
| |
| | with a disgusted look nor is there any
|
| smile cannot erase from our joint
| |
| | one else who will learn from me never to
|
| memories - in part because of itself and
| |
| | indulge in the pleasures of radish-flesh.
|
| in part because of the radishes.She
| |
| | I wonder if the air around me smells as
|
| bought a bunch of squeaky white, nearly
| |
| | poisoned as it did on that train...i
|
| foot long, juicy-looking radishes. And,
| |
| | wonder if Chinese radish is as sweet to
|
| before that train started from the
| |
| | smell as it is to taste...Rajesh Kanoi
|
| station, she had buried her teeth into
| |
| | (Jack) is a published writer, now living
|
| the juicy flesh of one. The three of us
| |
| | and working in China. Many of his
|
| politely declined her offer, preferring
| |
| | short-stories, poems and articles have
|
| more interesting food than those
| |
| | been published, including a book of
|
| radishes.Minutes later she let go a very
| |
| | short-stories, 'From China With Love'
|
| satisfied burp and we all gasped, almost
| |
| | (Lipstick Publishing).
|
