Deaf Christian Friend

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After volunteering in the morning, Padraic ran into his deaf Christian friend. DCF is a local who often spends time with tourists (a red flag, but DCF had never done Paul wrong). DCF used sign language to convey the following message to Padraic: “Meet me here at three. We will take a bus to a place to smoke hash with men who have long beards. I will supply. No money needed.”

Padraic had spent the last six months in India- most of this in Kolkata. He had a sizable beard, and enough Bengali to get into or out of a bad situation. It was a Monday, the Sabbath day for Shiva worshipers. The veneration of Shiva (the highest Deity according to most Hindus of Kolkata) is often accompanied by the consumption of cannabis. Therefore, Padraic assumed he would go to a Hindu temple and smoke with some bearded sadhus. Their journey was as crowded as one would expect of a public bus in rush-hour Kolkata. Paul and DCF headed south for fifty minutes or so. They came to a small mosque at a stereotypically-busy five-way intersection. “Ok. Same difference…..”

Padraic and DCF sat in the courtyard of the mosque. The festivities seemed to be orchestrated by a tall middle-aged man and a genial older fellow a central circle. The younger one looked at Padraic and said “She ekkane kharap”. (He here bad). Olderfellow responded with a “She ekkane khoob bhalo.” (He here very good).

Padraic and DCP sat in the outer circle. Many chillums were passed around. Next to Padraic was an amputee with crutches, who said “Ahh, Apni baba. Shiva-puja”. Padraic responded “Puja, salat, eki eki.” (Hindu worship, Muslim prayer, same same). He was honored to be mistaken for a Sadhu.

In the center circle was a one-foot-tall pile of charras. Many more men came to the courtyard of the mosque. Their pile was constantly diminished and replenished. The sun was setting. When Padraic sat up straight, he could see a Sikh policeman directing traffic in the middle of the five-way intersection. He could only understand bits of the Bengali and Urdu around him. Some words were in English, including whispers of “police, vice squad." The menacing traces of the instinctual fear a foreigner feels upon arriving in India reentered Padraic's mind. He failed at calming himself by focusing upon the Eternal. Specific thoughts bullied their way into his consciousness:

“This is my first time in a Mosque”

“That guy is a cop”

“This is the most weed I have ever smoked in one sitting”

“A uniformed cop can see me”

“Why did Deaf Christian Friend bring me here?”

Padraic, for some foolish reason, began speaking English. He mentioned his nationality. This seemed to scare the regulars. He and DCF got on a bus and headed back to central Kolkata. On the bus, DCF (inexplicably) tried to give Padraic the remainder of his hash. Padraic refused.


http://s7.zetaboards.com/PPooDD/topic/8393101/1/#new

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