“Yes.”
“You don’t even practice medicine regularly. How can you have so many patients across Jammu?”
“I redirect them to specialists when they come to KDP camps, but the first line of treatment is mine.”
“So, you are the unofficial GP of Jammu?”
He rolled his eyes, putting the car in first gear and turning the wheel to merge into traffic.
“Can we go see your eye patient?”
“Hmm?”
“Panditji’s ice cream.”
————————————————————
They reached Panditji’s shop so late that he was winding up.
“I hope it’s not all over.” Amaal opened the car door and ran to the curb. The streets were lit brilliantly now, the lights all bright after Atharva’s first 100-day initiative to power all major roads and highways with solar.
“Panditji!” She called out. “Ice cream hai?”
“Haan?” He stared up at her from his crouch. The lights were better now, but his eyesight wasn’t anymore, she noticed, as he nodded, his mouth moving unintelligibly. He did not recognise her, of course. But as soon as Samar came to stand behind her, his squinted eyes began to widen.
“Daaxsaab hai?”
“Ji, Panditji.”
His wrinkled face broke into a grin, eyes going milky. He quickly opened his packed basket and began to fill a leaf with a small leftover slab of ice cream.
“Itna hi bacha hai.[106]” He cut the slab into tiny pieces and offered it up to her, two spoons inserted. She scooped one cold piece and popped it into her mouth, offering the leaf to Samar. He shook his head.
“Eat.” She pressed.
“You eat.”
“Eat, I am not going to eat it all.”
He scooped one piece and popped it into his mouth.
“Saalon pehle waada kiya tha Kashmir lautne se pehle aaoge.” Panditji rose to his feet. “Ab aaye ho?[107]”
Amaal smiled — “Aapko yaad hai?[108]”
“Phir?” He grinned. “Abhi bhi saath mein kaam karti ho?[109]”
The ice cream in her mouth melted and froze her brain all at once.
“Ji.” Samar answered for her. “Aapki tabiyat kaisi hai?[110]”
“Badhiya.[111]”
“Aankhein kamzor hoti jaa rahi hai.[112]”
“Maine bohot sambhala, phir bhi ab tak chal rahi hai![113]” Panditji joked, making even Samar chuckle.
A bike stuttered to a stop beside them. “Lo, mere pota aa gaya. Yeh bhi daactari kar raha hai. Aapki tarah dactar banne wala hai.[114]”
