Shivaji Peth

Our house was the biggest one on the street. Three stories with grand balcony. I waited with pony (my dog). She came to pick us up at home. Didi and I ran down the steps and joined the other kids, we walked. It was a 15 minute walk before we reached school. Too close to get there by a rickshaw or bus. We went along with many kids on the street. Good times. Now, when I close my eyes I see white shirts, blue skirts and dresses, red belts and ribbons. Some hair with oil and some with no oil. I was always jelous of the girls with long hair, I too wanted to braid my hair but my mother always kept our hair 'in-style'.

Men standing on the corners, people waiting for the bus to take them to the main part of the city for their jobs, women spritzing water outsdie the main entrance. Girls who no longer went to school put rangoli in the front yard. One grocery store by Dr. Raut's office and maybe 500 yards down the street was Patil Mama's shop. The milk kiosk was so small that only one person could sit inside it, that's where they sold the 'cool' type of milk in those blue bags with air so tight. It said "vaarna" on it. I always wanted to poke a needle and make the milk go "ssssssssss". But I never did it, even once.