I said to Janoo kay chalo let’s go for a little chhutti. After all that war shawr with India, we’ve taken so much tension, let’s go for a break. And miracle of miracles, for once he agreed with me. But before I could even mutter the word ‘Dubai’, he said, ‘I want to go to Xian.’
‘Oho Janoo’, I said, ‘I didn’t mean we should go to Chinese restaurant I meant we should go to abroad’. ‘Xian, China,’ he said. ‘Then Shanghai and time permitting, Beijing’. ‘China?’ I asked, flapperghasted. ‘Voh kyoon?’
‘It’s an ancient civilisation, lots to see, to do. Food is also great.’
‘But why go all the way to China when we can eat beef and chilly and spring roles here only? Dynasty at Avari makes them so nicely, and PC’s Taipan ka beef and chilly is to die for. Also, at Saleem Sons I can buy thaans and thaans of Chinese satin. And crape de sheen. (But I think so crape de sheen is French. Mustn’t give jhoota credit to bossy Chinese for everything.) And all those embroidered Chinese tablecloths sets with small, small flowers and butterflies vaghera that Mummy gave me in my jahez? Those I’ve still got, thank you very much. And two tea sets also with dragons and chrysanthemumps and pugodas. A silk ka folding type fan also’.
Janoo kept looking at the ceiling while I made my speech. ‘Besides’, I continued, ‘the pots and pants in our kitchen are Chinese. And also the lights in our bedrooms and the taps in the bathroom and the sofa you’re sitting on and the TV you’re watching. Tau what’s left to do or see in China, haan?’
‘The buildings?’ he said. ‘The people?’
‘If you have so much shauq to see Chinese people, I’ll take you to Jalal Sons in Main Market. You can watch them buying their meat sheet. And if you want to see them building vaghera, all you have to do is go See Pak Corridor. Aur kuchh?’
‘Oho Janoo’, I said, ‘I didn’t mean we should go to Chinese restaurant I meant we should go to abroad’. ‘Xian, China,’ he said. ‘Then Shanghai and time permitting, Beijing’. ‘China?’ I asked, flapperghasted. ‘Voh kyoon?’
‘It’s an ancient civilisation, lots to see, to do. Food is also great.’
‘But why go all the way to China when we can eat beef and chilly and spring roles here only? Dynasty at Avari makes them so nicely, and PC’s Taipan ka beef and chilly is to die for. Also, at Saleem Sons I can buy thaans and thaans of Chinese satin. And crape de sheen. (But I think so crape de sheen is French. Mustn’t give jhoota credit to bossy Chinese for everything.) And all those embroidered Chinese tablecloths sets with small, small flowers and butterflies vaghera that Mummy gave me in my jahez? Those I’ve still got, thank you very much. And two tea sets also with dragons and chrysanthemumps and pugodas. A silk ka folding type fan also’.
Janoo kept looking at the ceiling while I made my speech. ‘Besides’, I continued, ‘the pots and pants in our kitchen are Chinese. And also the lights in our bedrooms and the taps in the bathroom and the sofa you’re sitting on and the TV you’re watching. Tau what’s left to do or see in China, haan?’
‘The buildings?’ he said. ‘The people?’
‘If you have so much shauq to see Chinese people, I’ll take you to Jalal Sons in Main Market. You can watch them buying their meat sheet. And if you want to see them building vaghera, all you have to do is go See Pak Corridor. Aur kuchh?’