Week 8: Pradeep

by Andy Smerdon
(Dayboro, Queensland, Australia)

Rosewater dripped from Pradeep’s slender fingertips. He had just finished sweeping his little shop on Rotan Lane in Little India and was now flicking the fragrant water over the terrazzo tiles. The heady aroma of the nag champa incense combined with the water created a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere.

He had moved with his wife to Singapore from his hometown of Chilaw on the West coast of Sri Lanka about fifteen years ago. He had been a fisherman back then and had sold everything; his boat, nets, traps and the small waterfront shack they had lived in. The move had been risky but he was a devout Hindu and believed that his Lord Ganesha would guide and protect this journey.

There had been difficult times along the way, but his original astute purchase of this small shop with three rooms above for his family had been his lifeline. He remained a true Hindu and the small recess in the back wall of the shop which housed the statue of his Lord was always cleaned and well lit with lamps and always fruit and incense filled the small trays at Ganesha’s feet.

There was only one thing that Pradeep had allowed himself to be indulgent with and that was his choice of motor vehicle. His canary yellow two door Lotus Elise was his pride and joy and he firmly believed his Lord would have taken it from him if he did not deserve to own such an ostentatious thing. To further cement this belief that the car was fine with his God – he and his wife Dilini had been blessed with their first child, a boy. He had been named Dilip and already at only two months, he was living up to his name and ruling the house like a King. Pradeep loved to carry his son against his chest and feel his Baby’s Breath warm and gentle against his neck and hear the occasional sucking noise he made.

Yes, Pradeep thought, I am truly a blessed man. He resisted the urge to run upstairs and look once more at his son and wife sleeping peacefully on the mattress under the fan; already he could hear his first customer shuffling impatiently as he awaited the shop opening. With a smile to warm the most impatient sole, Pradeep rolled up his shop door and with a gentle bow, welcomed his first customer.