store a couple of blocks away back in Dar. As grocers, Nazir’s parents were marginally better off than Walji’s; Nazir recalled a short, frail-looking boy walking to and from school with his brother and sister. The snivelling sort, no guts. Nazir would tease the three siblings sometimes, occasionally throw stones at them, on the way home, for he was the rough type. Now here was the same Walji running a doctors’ syndicate, just as he Nazir ran a hoteliers’ and property managers’, and they shook hands and let’s take it away from here. What a world. What a country. What d’you mean I think only of making money?I am building this country for you and me, I’m paving the road with velvet for you kids to walk on with ease.
That was the problem, wasn’t it; these kids had everything they needed, everything taken care of, all they lacked was ambition and drive. What a disappointment. Same thing for her. So much at hand, time to fritter away, to learn new things, and all she worries about are the kids, and what other people think, and then she feels lonely with nothing to do. Here, he said once, take this round sum of money, play the stock market, make money, or lose it, make life interesting. She bought some stocks; techs were high. But then every initiative, every decision regarding the portfolio—buy this, wait a while longer for that, buy Dell, dump Eli Lilly—had to be his.
Hi, Shaf… calling his son over the mobile. Hi, Dad. You going to tell me where she is hiding herself? Remember you saying once that what you hated most was your mum and dad fighting? I can’t, Dad. I promised. Jesus, where are your priorities? Please, Dad. All right—are you coming home to visit? Maybe.
Maybe. What did that mean? Were the three of them partners in a conspiracy now—against this big bad guy who thinks only of money and can’t spare a moment for them? God, the distraction of family life … and yet you couldn’t do without it, that part of existence needed to be taken care of… like sex. Yes, that too. It seemed he had rediscovered his vigour in recent months, was reliving his pubescence; as if the body had realized time was short and in desperation was cashing in the reserves. And now she’s gone, what to do.
That morning at the business meeting they cameupon a possible stumbling block: a floor or two of an upscale hotel turned into a medical unit, would that keep regular customers away? Who wants to be close to the sick and possibly dying, even if they’re rich? The sites for such units would be crucial. Perhaps have entire hotels dedicated to medical care? More research was needed; meanwhile, the utmost secrecy—from competitors, and from media and the NDP types who hadn’t realized the days of socialized medicine were over. And perhaps Intercontinental or Hilton or the Oberois would have to be brought in for their access to quality clients. Lunch was too heavy, after which a tour of the hotels, then an informal exchange of ideas. A full day, exhausting, just the way he loved it. At night, alone, nobody waiting up for him, except his bottle of Scotch. And
Star Trek
and the outer edges of an expanding universe.
He dreamt. What’s more, he remembered it when he woke up in the middle of the night, heart thumping, in a cold sweat. God God God…. They were on safari in Africa, they were standing with other people in afield of sorts, he saw Zafira running out of the crowd and in front of a pride of lions under a tree, while the others watched fascinated, and only he, he Nazir, could sense the imminent danger, knew the lions were hungry, and he shouted at her frantically, then dashed after her to pick her up just as a lioness came bounding up to take her away…
.
He couldn’t sleep after that. Would half his bed be vacant always, right through old age; would this lovely house be empty; was it a condominium for him after all … or another woman, but he didn’t want to start over again, with another shape, another
That was the problem, wasn’t it; these kids had everything they needed, everything taken care of, all they lacked was ambition and drive. What a disappointment. Same thing for her. So much at hand, time to fritter away, to learn new things, and all she worries about are the kids, and what other people think, and then she feels lonely with nothing to do. Here, he said once, take this round sum of money, play the stock market, make money, or lose it, make life interesting. She bought some stocks; techs were high. But then every initiative, every decision regarding the portfolio—buy this, wait a while longer for that, buy Dell, dump Eli Lilly—had to be his.
Hi, Shaf… calling his son over the mobile. Hi, Dad. You going to tell me where she is hiding herself? Remember you saying once that what you hated most was your mum and dad fighting? I can’t, Dad. I promised. Jesus, where are your priorities? Please, Dad. All right—are you coming home to visit? Maybe.
Maybe. What did that mean? Were the three of them partners in a conspiracy now—against this big bad guy who thinks only of money and can’t spare a moment for them? God, the distraction of family life … and yet you couldn’t do without it, that part of existence needed to be taken care of… like sex. Yes, that too. It seemed he had rediscovered his vigour in recent months, was reliving his pubescence; as if the body had realized time was short and in desperation was cashing in the reserves. And now she’s gone, what to do.
That morning at the business meeting they cameupon a possible stumbling block: a floor or two of an upscale hotel turned into a medical unit, would that keep regular customers away? Who wants to be close to the sick and possibly dying, even if they’re rich? The sites for such units would be crucial. Perhaps have entire hotels dedicated to medical care? More research was needed; meanwhile, the utmost secrecy—from competitors, and from media and the NDP types who hadn’t realized the days of socialized medicine were over. And perhaps Intercontinental or Hilton or the Oberois would have to be brought in for their access to quality clients. Lunch was too heavy, after which a tour of the hotels, then an informal exchange of ideas. A full day, exhausting, just the way he loved it. At night, alone, nobody waiting up for him, except his bottle of Scotch. And
Star Trek
and the outer edges of an expanding universe.
He dreamt. What’s more, he remembered it when he woke up in the middle of the night, heart thumping, in a cold sweat. God God God…. They were on safari in Africa, they were standing with other people in afield of sorts, he saw Zafira running out of the crowd and in front of a pride of lions under a tree, while the others watched fascinated, and only he, he Nazir, could sense the imminent danger, knew the lions were hungry, and he shouted at her frantically, then dashed after her to pick her up just as a lioness came bounding up to take her away…
.
He couldn’t sleep after that. Would half his bed be vacant always, right through old age; would this lovely house be empty; was it a condominium for him after all … or another woman, but he didn’t want to start over again, with another shape, another
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