Page 133 - Half Girlfriend

My mother knew the political game. Ojha wanted a Lok Sabha

ticket in the next election. He had to do things to get noticed.
'What exactly would you like us to do?’ I said,
’Organise a school function. Invite him as the chief guest. Through

me, of course. I’ll ask the ministry to put the school visit on his

agenda.’
‘No. no, no...’ Ma threw up her hands in the air.

‘What, Rani Sahiba?’ Ojha said.
‘I can barely run the school. I don’t have the resources to organize

a function. Who will pay for the arrangements?’
‘We will,’ Ojha said promptly. ‘I will pay for the function.’

‘I thought you didn’t have any funds,’ I said.
The MLA looked at me.

‘See, son, I am trying to help you. But there has to be something in
it for me.’

‘So you pay for the function. People come, attend and leave. What

do we get in return?’ I said.
‘Your school's name will be in every paper,’ he said.
‘We don’t need publicity, we need toilets,’ I said.

‘We will arrange some makeshift toilets for the day.’

‘Exactly. You are only interested in that day. What about us after
that?’

My mother stood up to leave.
‘We will whitewash the school for you,’ Ojha said.

I looked at my mother. Perhaps there was something here.
‘Toilets?’ I said.

‘Over there,’ Ojha said pointed to a door in the right corner.
‘No, I don’t want to use the toilet. I meant, what about the school

toilets?’
‘That’s a big project. The school doesn’t have plumbing.

Everything needs to be done from scratch. Too expensive and too little
time to do that.’

‘That is what we need. Toilets, electricity and a new roof,’ my