yet another small change

...And one day, they disappeared. Just like that.

He, his wife, their little son and two daughters were familiar sights just around the corner. One of his daughters would come and knock on our door every Sunday at precisely 7.30 a.m. The first time she did that, I scurried out of my bed, looking for my glasses and when I peered out of the peephole, I didn't find anyone there. I open the door, and there I see her, with her two long pig-tails.

"kapde. istri," that's about how much Hindi she spoke. But enough to pass the message across.

I asked her if she came from near the park. She nodded. I went back to my room and returned to the living room to find her happily humming. I asked her if she would be able to lug the entire pile of clothes all the way from our 4th floor home to her father's istri table. She gave me a look that said, "dont underestimate me!" From then on, she and her family became a regular feature for us.

But one Sunday, she never turned up. Neither did she come the following week. I went up to their stable, and found that the tables and the chair were still there, but none of the familiar faces.

It's been over a month now. Nobody knows where they are. Nobody knew where they lived either, so none's bothered to go in search.

I am hoping they are somewhere safe, surviving,...but safe.