Chapter 32

It was nearing 9:00 PM by the time I neared my colony, and as I slowed down the bike, I muttered to myself “Sorry, pal ... looks like you’ll have to make do with my hand tonight...” addressing my cock, which was still throbbing painfully inside my underwear. Just as I was approaching the lane of my house, I spotted a solitary woman, wearing a Gujarati saree, walking ahead, clutching two plastic bags in her hand that seemed to be filled with vegetables, and some rice.

Noticing something familiar about her, I slowed down, and as I came closer, I realized that the woman was none other than Alkha bhabhi; that lovely Gujarati housewife, whom Mayuri ben had introduced me to. Slowing the bike down as I came next to her, I pushed up the visor of my helmet, and said “Hello, bhabhi...” smiling at her through my helmet.

Startled at someone coming up suddenly by her side on the road, she looked at me with alarm on her face. It took me a moment to realize that she probably couldn’t recognize me in the dark, especially since I had the helmet on.

She was frightened at being accosted by a stranger on the street at this time of the night, and had begun to walk away quickly, when I called out to her “Bhabhi, it’s me ... Jignesh...” even as I stopped the bike and took off my helmet.

“Ohh ... Jignesh bhai ... I thought...” she exclaimed, the relief writ large on her incredibly fair face, when she saw that it was me.

“I’m sorry I scared you, bhabhi...” I said with a little laugh, causing her to laugh too, the relief evident in her body language now.

“Come, bhabhi ... I will drop you...” I found myself saying automatically.

“Oh, no ... It’s OK ... I can walk...” she replied, a trifle embarrassed at my offer.

“Oh, come on, bhabhi ... It’s late ... and I promise I won’t make you fall...” I said with a little laugh, eliciting a smile from her. Awkwardly, she somehow managed to clamber on my bike, clutching both her bags, and holding on to the grab rail behind her for dear life.

As I rode slowly, I asked “How come you came out to buy grocery so late in the night, bhabhi...?” wondering why she was out at this time.

“Oh, my husband ... he came late ... and he did not want to have rotis ... and he said he wanted to have pulaav...” she replied, referring to an Indian dish made by cooking rice along with some vegetables, and spices. “And there was nothing in the house ... so I came out to buy it...” she finished.

“Hmm...” I muttered, wondering what a jerk her husband was to send her out to buy grocery at this time of the night, especially when she had a 7-month old infant to take care of.

As I stopped the bike in front of her house, she clambered off the bike with some difficulty, and said “Thank you very much, Jignesh bhai...”

Aroused as I was, I found myself looking her over, admiring the heavy swell of her swollen breasts under the Gujarati-style saree that she was wearing. As I mumbled something absentmindedly, she asked “Have you had your dinner yet, Jignesh bhai?” smiling at me nervously, as she was distinctly uncomfortable with me being there especially when her husband was in the house.

Before I could answer, the door swung open, and a man’s voice called out “Who is it?” the tone challenging.

The man, who stood there, was a thin scraggly fellow, probably in his mid-thirties, with unkempt stubble on his face, and wild disheveled hair that was in dire need of both a cut and a wash. His face was lean, with hollow sunken cheeks, and a crane-like neck, with a prominent Adam’s apple.

He wore a tattered sleeveless vest, and a pair of loose baggy trousers that had definitely seen better days. By the scared expression on Alkha bhabhi’s face, I could quickly make out that this was her asshole of a husband.

“Uhh ... this is Jignesh bhai...” I heard Alka bhabhi explain to her husband, her voice trembling.

“Who Jignesh bhai...” her husband demanded, staring at me angrily, before turning on his wife again.

“Jignesh bhai...” Alka bhabhi repeated her voice a plaintive plea “didn’t I tell you about him?” she continued earnestly, walking up to him. As she walked up to him, I saw her saying something in a fierce whisper to her husband, her eyes blazing with fervor.

Suddenly, some sort of realization dawned upon the man, and his scraggly face creased into a broad grin, displaying a set of yellowed and tobacco-stained teeth.

“Arreee ... Jignesh bhai ... why didn’t you tell me before...” he exclaimed, chiding his wife, as if she’d not said that before. Opening the gate of their verandah, he practically ran towards me, and grabbing hold of my hand, shook in enthusiastically.

As he came close to me, I could make out that man was reeking of some cheap country liquor, the offensive smell mixing with that of the paan masala that he seemed to have his mouth filled with.

“I am Kamlesh...” he said grinning from ear to ear, continuing to pump my hand, even as Alkha bhabhi stood there with a pained look on her face.

Looking at him, I wondered how such a filthy man had managed to marry a lovely woman like Alka bhabhi.

“Arree ... why are you standing outside, sir ... please come in ... please...” Kamlesh bhai said, sounding so eager to please that I wondered what the hell was going on.

“Uhh, no thanks ... I better go...” I answered with a polite smile.

“Oh no, how can we allow that ... for so many years we have lived in the neighbourhood ... and this is the first time you have honoured us by your presence ... you must at least step in for a glass of water...” he went on effusively, bobbing his crane-like neck to and fro.

“Arree baba ... let Jignesh bhai be ... he must have work to do...” Alka bhabhi spoke up from behind, gauging my discomfiture, and trying to help me out.

“You shut up, you silly woman...” Kamlesh bhai snapped at his wife “what work will he have at this time?” dismissing his wife.

Turning to me again, he grabbed hold of my hand, and said “At least come in for some time ... have a glass of water please...” his tone so subservient that I could not refuse him.

“Oh, OK...” I answered with a smile, as I put the bike on its stand and followed him into their house. Alka bhabhi’s husband was a tailor by profession, and they ran their little business from the house itself. As a result, the living room was converted into a makeshift tailoring shop, with a battered old sewing machine in one corner of the room, while pieces of cut cloth were lying scattered all over the room. There was practically no furniture in the living room except for single diwaan with a couple of old bolsters, and a few cheap plastic chairs.

The floor was strewn with little pieces of cloth, some cheap toys, and a battered old black and white TV was perched on top of a wobbly stool in one corner, the only channel available being Doordarshan. A little girl of about 3-years was sitting on the floor, watching TV, and upon seeing a stranger enter their house; she got up and hid behind her mother’s saree. There was an old wooden cradle, with a cloth tied across it, and I presumed Alka bhabhi’s second baby, was sleeping in it.

As I entered the room, Alkha bhabhi began to hastily clear the diwaan that also doubled up as a single cot, making place for me to sit. Today too, she was attired in a simple pale yellow cotton saree tied the Gujarati way, with a matching blouse under it.

As she bent forward to pick up the junk strewn across the cot, the pallu of her saree fell forward, and I was once again treated to the sight of her disproportionately large swollen breasts straining inside her blouse, her milky white fleshy belly, and those hips flaring out into a heavy voluptuous ass, so typical of Gujarati housewives especially after they have given birth to children.

I noticed that she was no longer wearing those red glass bangles that I’d seen adorning her milky white hands the other day. Instead they were replaced by a thick black plastic bangle on one hand; the other wrist being bare save for a red thread tied to an amulet. Flashing me a nervous smile, she muttered “Ohh, Jignesh bhai ... I am so sorry ... our house is in such a mess...” embarrassed at me having to see the condition they lived in.

Her husband had gone into the single bedroom in the house, and using the moment, I asked her softly “Bhabhi, your husband ... umm ... how does he know about me?” still unable to figure that out.

She glanced at the bedroom door nervously before answering in a low voice “Oh, Jignesh bhai ... I am sorry ... I didn’t want to tell him about you ... but what could I do ... he searched through my purse ... and found the money you had given me ... and demanded to know where I had got it from...” her words coming out rapidly, as she kept herself busy with picking up the stuff lying around in the room, and keeping an eye on the bedroom door at the same time.

Pausing for a breath, she continued “If I hand’t told him ... he would have accused me of God only knows what ... and made life miserable for me ... so I told him that I had approached Mayuri ben for help ... and that she had spoken to you ... and that you had agreed to help us ... and that you had given her the money ... which she gave to me...” finishing her explanation.

I rolled my eyes, as I thought to myself “Great ... now not only does this scumbag know about it ... but also the gossipy old Mayuri ben...” my annoyance evident on my face.

Seeing the expression on my face, Alkha bhabhi came up to me, and said “I’m very sorry, Jignesh bhai ... I’m very sorry ... I could not think of what else to tell him...” in a voice so apologetic that I instantly felt sorry for her.

Smiling, I replied “Oh please, bhabhi ... why are you apologizing ... I was just curious...” putting a soothing tone to my voice. Just about then, Kamlesh bhai came out, buttoning up an old shirt.

As soon as he came in, he ordered Alka bhabhi “Arre, what are you doing here ... go inside and get some water for Jignesh seth...” making it a point to refer to me a seth.

As Alka bhabhi went into the kitchen quietly, he invited me to sit on their diwaan, while he himself sat on one of the plastic chairs. As Alka bhabhi came out carrying a glass of water in a tray, he said “Saheb ... Alka told me about the big upkaar you have done for us...” putting on a sufficiently subservient tone.

As I took the glass from Alkha bhabhi, I just smiled wanly at him. “At first, I scolded her for troubling you ... but then later I thought ... after all, aren’t neighbours supposed to help each other ... what to you say, seth...?” he continued, continuing to grin like an idiot, annoying me further. “And Bhagwaan has sent big people like you to this world ... to help small people like us only, na ... what do you say, seth...?” he continued.

I nodded my assent, and mumbled something in assent.

After the heavy meal, I was feeling very thirsty, and asked Alka bhabhi for another glass of water. As she went into the kitchen, Kamlesh bhai slid his chair closer to me, and leaning forward, said “Seth ... why don’t you do one thing ... why don’t you buy this house from our landlord ... then you can get the rent, na ... instead of that haraami...” dropping his voice to a conspiratory level.

“What do you say, seth...?” he prompted for the umpteenth time; something which was beginning to get on my nerves.

“What a conniving, bastard...” I thought to myself. Before I could respond, Alka bhabhi came into the room, and I used the opportunity to change the topic. Looking at her, I said “I am sure you to have start your cooking now, bhabhi ... so I will take your leave now...” rising up from where I sat, and handing her the empty glass.

Before she could say anything, her husband jumped out of his chair, and catching hold of my hand said “Arre ... how can we let you go so soon, saheb ... after all this is the first time you have come to our gareebkhaana...” trying his level best to hold on to me for some more time.

As I began to protest, he cut me off by saying “Nahi, nahi ... how can I allow that ... I am a poor man ... but my wife cooks well ... and after all ... you are alone also now na, seth ... what will you go home and eat now...” dragging me inside once again.

I protested again and told him that I’d eaten out and was not at all hungry, but he was in no mood to listen to me.

“Arre, seth ... you are a jawaan mard ... I am sure you will have some place in your stomach for our simple khaana...” he insisted, smiling ingratiatingly again.

Perplexed, I looked at Alka bhabhi, who was also looking at me with a helpless expression on her face. I felt sorry for this lovely woman, who was cursed to live with this useless son-of-a-bitch for the rest of her life.

As both of them looked at my face, waiting for my answer, I quickly made up my mind, and said “OK ... but only if Alka bhabhi promises me that she will not make anything else apart from the pulaav that she was planning to make...” looking in the direction of Alka bhabhi with a smile.

“Arre ... how can that be...” her husband began to protest, but I cut him off.

“I will stay back only on that condition, Kamlesh bhai...” I said with a smile, but in a firm tone that let him know that I was not going to entertain any more discussion on that.

“Sure, seth ... sure ... whatever you say...” agreeing to me immediately, as he ordered the poor Alka bhabhi to go in and start cooking immediately.

“Asshole...” I muttered under my breath, hating the man more and more with each passing moment. Before Alka bhabhi went into the kitchen, she gave me a grateful smile that conveyed more than words ever could. I sat down on the cot once again, and began to play with their shy 3-year old daughter, trying to befriend her. Kamlesh bhai had followed his wife into the kitchen, and I could hear him arguing about something with his wife, but I couldn’t make out the words.

I could hear Alka bhabhi whispering to him fiercely, and he responding to it angrily. After a few moments, he came out of the room. I ignored him, and continued to play with the little girl, who was still too shy to be comfortable with strangers.

From the corner of my eyes, I could make out that he was fidgeting around, as if wanting to speak to me about something. But I continued to igrnore him.

Finally I heard him clear his throat, and say “Umm, Jignesh bhai ... I ... umm ... was wondering if you would be kind enough to ... errr ... have a ... umm ... you know ... a small one ... with me?” smiling sheepishly, even as he made the sign of a small peg with his thumb and forefinger.

Seeing the reluctance on my face, he came forward, and said “I know big people like you drink only the English stuff ... and if you want I can go and get it for you...” grinning sheepishly again. “Umm, no thanks, Kamlesh bhai...” I replied smoothly, smiling at him, and speaking loud enough for my reply to be heard by Alka bhabhi in the kitchen too. His face fell when I declined, and I could see the conflict raging through his mind.

I was sure that he drank his country stuff every night, and was probably wondering how he could drink in my presence. Now that I had anyways agreed to wait till Alka bhabhi prepared the food, I thought that I might as well make it easier for him and me. “But please feel free to have your drink, Kamlesh bhai ... I will give you company with some nimbu paani...” I said with a smile.

A bulb seemed to have suddenly come on in his face, for his face lit up with joy, as he beamed, exclaiming “Oh, that is very kind of you, seth...” grinning from ear to ear again. “I am a poor man, seth ... I only drink desi daaru ... but my man also supplies beer ... can I get some beer for you, seth...?”

His calling me “seth” time and again was beginning to get on my nerves, and just to get rid of him for some time, I said “Alright, Kamlesh bhai ... whatever you say ... just stop calling me ‘seth’ please...” trying to sound as polite as possible. “Oh, ok ... sure ... whatever you say, seth...” her replied, before breaking up into a cackling laugh at his own gaffe.

He hung around; scratching the back of his head, and it took me a while to realize what he was waiting for. Reaching for my wallet, I extracted two five hundred rupee notes from my wallet, and thrust it into his hand. Taking it from me with a sheepish grin, he glanced at it surreptitiously before exclaiming “Oh, I don’t need this much, seth...” once again calling me that.

Pressing my forefinger to my lips, I winked at him conspiratorily, and said “Keep it...” flashing him a knowing smile. He beamed at that, and nodding his head enthusiastically, thrust the money into his shirt pocket.

“I’ll be back in a flash...” he exclaimed as he practically rushed out of the house, checking himself just in time, and not calling me ‘seth’ again. Heaving a sigh of relief, I headed back into the living room of the house. I saw the little girl staring at me wide-eyed, shy, yet curious.

Smiling at her, I searched my pocket for some candy, and finding one, offered it to her. Her eyes lit up when she saw that, and she came forward tentatively. Snatching the candy from my hand, she was about to turn around and run, when I caught her and lifted her in my arms. She squirmed and giggled when I tickled her, and carried her into the kitchen, where her mother was busy preparing a meal for her undeserving husband.

Upon seeing her daughter being carried by me, Alka bhabhi smiled at me warmly, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.

“Has he gone?” she asked me in a resigned tone, referring to her husband.

“Yes...” I replied with a wry smile on my face. She opened her mouth to say something, but then checked herself, and kept silent, shrugging her shoulders.

Walking up to the platform, where she was washing the rice, I said “Bhabhi ... I knew he wanted to drink ... and if I had said no ... I know he would have taken out his frustration on you ... That’s why I agreed...” by way of explanation.

“Oh, Jignesh bhai ... you don’t have to explain anything to me ... I know that whatever you do ... will be keeping my interests in mind...” she replied, looking sideways at me with a resigned yet grateful expression on her face.

Clad in that pale yellow saree, with the pallu tied around her slender yet fleshy waist, her swollen breasts straining inside that blouse, and her milky white skin shining with perspiration, she looked immensely desirable to me.

Visions of her in my house, feeding me her milk-swollen breasts, taking my slimy cock in between them, sucking on my cock, and allowing me to cum in her mouth, flashed before my eyes, and I felt my cock harden instantly. Guiltily, I lowered the child on to the floor, who trotted away into the living room immediately.

With the two of us in the kitchen, Alka bhabhi also seemed to be thinking of the same thing, for she suddenly said “Jignesh bhai ... I haven’t told my husband that ... that I had come to your house...” her voice faltering, keeping her eyes away from mine. “I told him that I have met you only once ... at Mayuri ben’s house ... on her daughter’s birthday...” she added, still avoiding looking at me.

“I understand bhabhi...” I said simply, realizing how awkward it was for her to say this. “A soft heart and a hard cock are a lousy combination...” I thought to myself, as I realized how I was yet again torn between my lust for this incredibly desirable lactating housewife, and my empathy for her situation.

“And I’m very sorry for having put you in this situation, Jignesh bhai...” I heard her saying, turning to look at me once again.

“What situation, bhabhi...?” I asked, daring her to explain.

Embarrassed, she wiped her brow with the back of her hand once again, before replying “Now you have seen what my husband is like, Jignesh bhai ... and all I can do is say sorry to you for his behavior...” her eyes downcast.

“Oh, no ... There’s a lot more you can do, bhabhi...” I replied, chuckling to lighten the mood. As she looked up at me questioningly, and saw me smiling, her lovely pale face lit up with a shy smile.

Glancing at the open door of the living room, I walked up to her, and wrapped my arms around her slender yet fleshy waist. Pressing my hard cock bulging inside my jeans against her ample fleshy bottom, I placed the palms of my hand on her fleshy belly. I saw the color rush to her cheeks immediately, as she threw a nervous glance towards the door of the kitchen.

“Don’t worry, bhabhi...” I whispered into her ear “ ... I was just teasing you...” as I smiled good naturedly. “I just wanted to say thank you for inviting me to enjoy the food cooked by your own hands...” I said softly, as I let go off her belly, and squeezed her wet hands, planting a soft kiss on her flushed cheeks.

“Ohh...” she breathed, as I let go of her, and stepped back, smiling at her warmly. I knew that she would have had her heart in her mouth for a moment, at my bold move, and there was something like relief and immense fondness writ all over her face, as she blushed, and smiled shyly at me; unable to say anything.

“Come on ... let me help you ... I am quite good at cutting vegetables...” I said with a laugh, dispersing the nervous energy in the room.

She protested vehemently, but I eventually convinced her to let me cut the vegetables she needed for the pulaav. I was still in the kitchen, cutting the vegetables, when Kamlesh bhai returned, clutching two black plastic bags under his armpit. He came straightaway into the kitchen, and shoved a few bottles of beer into their antiquated second-hand refrigerator, that was bursting at its seams.

“Arree...” he exclaimed when he saw what I was doing “ ... you have put our guest to work in the kitchen!” chiding his wife.

“Oh, I told him not to ... so many times ... but he just wouldn’t listen...” Alka bhabhi exclaimed in a mock exasperated tone, albeit with a fond smile on her lovely face.

Her husband was quick to open a bottle of beer for me, and pour it into a glass, while he poured a stiff measure of the strong smelling country liquor for himself, grinning at me sheepishly as he did that. I spent the next half an hour or so with him in the living room, sipping slowly on the insipid beer, even as he got himself quite drunk on his own poison.

By the time Alka bhabhi served him dinner, he was quite high, and beginning to get overtly garrulous. He staggered as he went into the bathroom to wash his hands, and when he returned after splashing water on his face, I could see that his sunken eyes were bloodshot. While having dinner, he threw a tantrum at his wife, on the salt being a bit too much in the yogurt-based salad that she’d prepared; to to my shock, flung the bowl to one corner of the room, mouthing obscenities at her.

The poor Alka bhabhi took all of this silently, used as she must have been to his drunken atrocities in the house. However, I could not miss the embarrassment on her face, at being humiliated like this in front of me. Even their 3-year old little daughter was silent throughout, staring at both her parents, in wide-eyed fear. I was anyways full, and therefore did not eat much, and the moment I saw that the little girl was through with her food, I excused myself and stood up.

I carried the empty plates into the kitchen, and got the little girl to wash her hands. She had warmed up to me by now, and was not so apprehensive any more. So disgusted was I by Alka bhabhi’s husband’s boorish behavior that I decided I needed some fresh air. I told them that I would take their daughter out for a stroll, and buy her some ice-cream.

The kid’s face brightened up at the mention of ice-cream, and she willingly came along with me. I saw Alka bhabhi give me a grateful glance, just as I stepped out of the house, even though her eyes were moist with tears.

I walked up to a near-by store that remained open till late in the night, and bought some ice-cream. As I walked back, the 3-year old toddler, clutching my finger, I wondered what the hell I was doing here, with this family, which to me seemed beyond salvation. When we got back, the girl ran up excitedly to her mother, showing off the ice-cream cone that I’d bought for her, eliciting a weak but grateful smile from her mother.

Kamlesh bhai sitting sprawled on the cot, clutching the nearly empty plastic bottle of country liquor. As he saw me, he staggered up, and asked with a stupid grin “Would you ... like ... to have ... some more ... beer...?” his speech slurred, and his eyes bloodshot. “Don’t mind, OK seth ... I will just finish this before I go to sleep...” he slurred, waving his nearly empty bottle of hooch. I just gave him a forced smile, and stretched my back.

I’d been out more than half the day, and my back was beginning to ache. And with half a bottle of wine, and a bottle of beer inside me, I too was beginning to feel sleepy. As I yawned, I heard Kamlesh bhai yell at his wife “O Alka ... go make the bed for Jignesh bhai ... he is tired now ... and he wants to sleep...” staggering up from his cot, and fetching some paan masala from his shelf. Hearing his shout, Alka bhabhi came rushing out of the kitchen, the surprise writ large over her face.

Motioning to her with my eyes to ignore what he’d just said, I got up and said to him “No, Kamlesh bhai ... please don’t bother ... I will just go home and sleep...” His mouth full of that paan masala, he shook his head in his drunken stupor, and said “No, sir ... no way ... you are tired ... and you have had beer to drink ... so it is not safe for you to go home alone now ... so you will sleep here tonight...” staggering on his feet, and his speech slurred.

“But why are you forcing him ... when he doesn’t want to...” I heard Alka bhabhi protest, her voice indignant.

“Shut up ... you stupid bitch...” Kamlesh bhai roared at her, shouting out so loud that their 7-month old baby, who was sleeping in the cradle all this while, startled, and started wailing.

“Oh, God ... help me...” I heard Alkha bhabhi cry out in anguish, as she rushed to the cradle and picked up her wailing baby. Clutching the baby to her bosom, she looked at me through teary eyes, before rushing back into the kitchen.

Staggering up to me, Kamlesh bhai placed a bony hand on my shoulder and muttered “Ignore her, seth ... you please accept my humble invitation ... to give you shelter for the night in my humble abode...” his speech melodramatic in his drunkenness.

As I began to protest, he shook his head adamantly, and folding his hands in melodramatic placation, almost begged me “Please, seth ... I insist ... otherwise I will feel that you do not consider me your friend...” bowing his head in front of me, and being persistent the way drunks could be.

I mulled over it for a minute before coming to a conclusion. I could have chosen to walk out, but I wasn’t sure how much of it this drunken bastard would remember when he woke up tomorrow morning. I did not want to hurt his lousy sentiments much, because I had a vested interest in his wife. Moreover, given what I had seen so far, I was apprehensive of what more he would subject his poor wife to, if I refused his request, and went home.

Letting out a deep sigh, I nodded my head and said quietly “Alright, Kamlesh bhai ... but I’m doing this only because I respect you...” giving him an expressionless look.

“Arre waah...” he exclaimed, his bloodshot eyes lighting up, as he took my hands in his, and kissed it effusively. Disgusted, I pulled my hands away, just as Alkha bhabhi came back into the living room, carrying her baby, whom she’d managed to put back to sleep.

Even though she seemed to have washed her face, I could see that her eyes were red, as were her nose and cheeks. Upon sighting her, Kamlesh bhai announced “Did you hear that, darling...” suddenly transformed into a loving husband “Jignesh bhai has said that he will sleep here ... didn’t I tell you?” he finished, as if berating her for challenging his intellect, even as he gloated at her.

As she looked at me, with that pained look in her eyes, her eyes conveying her utter helplessness, I just nodded at her subtly, and gave her a reassuring smile.

In the midst of all this commotion, the little girl had quietly curled herself into a ball on the floor, and gone to sleep. I shook my head in disbelief, wondering how that girl was coping with the madness in this house. Instinctively, I went and picked her up in my arms gently, taking care not to wake her up.

“Oh, leave her...” I heard Kamlesh bhai call out from behind me. But I ignored him completely, and cradling the child’s head on my shoulder, I turned to Alka bhabhi and asked her softly “Where does she sleep, bhabhi...?” my voice tender.

Alka bhabhi looked at me with a wistful look that conveyed a whole bunch of emotions, ranging from frustration and helplessness at the situation, to immense love and gratitude at my empathy. “Inside...” she said softly, her voice hoarse in her throat, as she silently walked into their bedroom.

The single bedroom in their house was practically bare, save for a battered old metal cupboard, a couple of thin cotton mattresses rolled up in one corner, on top of a battered old aluminium trunk, and one old bed, which was just a little bit bigger than a single bed. Reaching behind the door, she switched on a tiny night lamp that was plugged into a standard socket on the switch board that swathed the room in a pale milky white light, which was just a bit brighter than the light emitted by a mosquito repellent.