Translated from the Bengali by Alamgir Mohammad 

Majid is four and a half years old. At this age he is a devoted fan of his father’s talent. Today his fascination has touched the sky. For his father Kuddus Mian has caught a mouse for him. Not only did he catch it, but he also tied its tail with a red thread. When the thread is unleashed, the mouse starts walking on its own. It can be brought closer by pulling the thread.
Majid in his short life has got many surprising gifts from his father. But nothing has been more surprising than this one. Holding the thread of the mouse, Majid nearly feels like crying out with joy.
Kuddus Mian has been watching his son’s joy for a while. Then he lights a cigarette unmindfully. Only three cigarettes today. The day has just begun. By this time, spending one of them aimlessly is mere stupidity. Yet, Kuddus Mian does it for he has become wistful seeing the enjoyment of his son. When his mind becomes wistful, he wants a cigarette.
Seeing his father Majid asks, “Baba, does a mouse bite?
Kuddus Mian nods his head that denotes “no”. He talks less with his son. It is customary to talk less with children. Talking more means indulging them more. It is no good indulging children. Where there is indulgence, there is a decline in fear and respect. Kuddus believes that the best way to bring up children well is not to give them any indulgence. Not to talk to them unnecessarily so that in no way they can feel the love of a father. Love is not a matter of showing off, it is rather a matter of hiding. The more hidden, the deeper the love is. That Majid is playing with the mouse, it sounds pleasant to him. But it will be a great mistake letting Majid understand this pleasure. So, he keeps smoking while looking at the sky. That the sky is seen from his home is also a matter of happiness. But it is unwise to call it a home. Rather it is a pipe house. It has been more than one month since they took shelter in the sewerage pipe. In the beginning, Kuddus protested a bit. Do human beings live inside a pipe? Once the pipe starts rolling, what will happen to them? He wishes to make a serious quarrel with Monoara.
At last, he does not quarrel; what is the benefit of quarreling with womenfolk? They do not understand any logic. Allah has not given them the power to understand. Moreover, Monoara is toiling hard for the family. She becomes happy when Kuddus pays heed to her. There is a blessing in making others happy.
Almost fifteen pipes are stored near Mirpur Electric sub-office. They have taken shelter in one of them. The pipes are small but not as small as they appear to be. During rain it is comfortable here. Not a single drop of rain comes inside. Putting a shade on either side of the pipe serves the purpose. The most remarkable fact is that there is no torture of mosquitoes. On the first two nights they found it a bit difficult to sleep. It felt suffocating. At one stage, Kuddus told Monoara, “O’ bou, it seems we are lying in the grave. Munkar and Nakir have started interrogation here.” Monoara did not reply. She doesn’t speak in reply to her husband mostly. It is a kind of abuse. On the Doomsday, Monoara has to account for this to Allah. Kuddus has planned to share the matter with his wife at a convenient time. He cannot find any such opportunity. Nowadays, Monoara’s temperament is blowing cold and hot.
Although Monoara does not utter anything in reply, Majid asks enthusiastically, “Who are Munkar-Nakir, baba?”
Kuddus feels elated at his son’s eagerness. He starts to talk about Munkar-Nakir.
“They are two angels of Allah. After coming to the grave, they will ask for the first time, who is your creator? Then they will ask, ‘who is your messenger?’ Then…”
Monoara stops him shouting and says, “Go to bed silently. Do not make a fuss.”
This is also a violation of courtesy. Scolding the husband! Husband is the person to be adored the most. He cannot be scolded. For this too Monoara will have to fall in danger on the Doomsday.
At Monoara’s scolding Kuddus becomes a bit indifferent, but he doesn’t get nervous. She who toils so much for the family has to be pardoned for trivial mistakes. That they have been able to settle down in the pipe, was possible for Monoara. Who keeps records of these matters? Last winter, the municipality distributed some blankets. They were not great in numbers though. Monoara collected two blankets. It was an incredible matter. They sold one for forty-two taka. They got a good price. Many people sold at twenty to twenty-five. That forty-two taka is part their savings. One day a rickshaw will be bought. Monoara thinks, if they own a rickshaw of their own, everything will be solved. This is a great instance of how stupid womenfolk can be. Does he have the energy to pull a rickshaw? One of his legs is literally numb. That he sits day and night idle at home, he does not do this willingly. Finding no way, he does remain at home. If, anyhow, his legs are cured, is it possible to cope with the busy traffic in Dhaka? It is a matter of life and death. If it were a baby taxi, it would be better. Taxi is a motor run vehicle. It is comfortable to run a taxi, there is some glory in running it. Everyone regards rickshaw pullers in a mean way. But people show at least some courtesy in regarding the taxiwalas. Prestige is not a matter of less importance.
Of course, Kuddus is silent now in this regard. Let the time ripe. He will talk timely. He won’t make any fuss. Womenfolk are frail in nature, there is nothing good in going wild with them. They need to be made understood. But Kuddus believes he won’t have to make her understand it. It is not a joke to save money for buying a rickshaw. Is there any end of troubles and miseries in life? All of a sudden there might come a danger. Then all money would be spent. Like last Bhadro. Thinking of danger makes him feel awful. They had been more or less happy then in a building. An eight-storied building was being built. For some reasons the construction work had been stopped for some years. People like him rented some rooms of the building with an advance payment. They also took a home on the fourth floor by advancing four hundred taka. There was no railing in the stairs and that had been a problem. They used to feel frightened at night while climbing the stairs. The environment there was not safe; moreover, some flirty women also lived there. It was all noisy; even at night people used to create turmoil. It was not a good place to set up a family. Despite, they stayed there as there was no other alternative. Then their elder daughter fell sick one day. All of a sudden, she fell prey to serious fever. But they left no stone unturned in treating her. Monoara spent every pie of her savings. The flirty women living there also helped them. After the death of their daughter the flirty women also moaned. On the Doomsday, these women will be punished. If it helped, Kuddus would recommend them. He would say to Allah, hey Almighty forgive these girls. They have gone astray being subjected to poverty. This poverty is also given by you. They have failed to pass your intricate test. But they were good-hearted girls.
Kuddus often recalls his elder daughter. Then he feels indifferent about life. The girl was so good-looking. She was an ardent lover of cinema. She used to irritate Kuddus often, “Baba I want to watch cinema.” Watching cinema is a matter of expense; moreover Monoara doesn’t like it.
Kuddus has taken her to the cinema several times secretly. There was nothing to be learned from them. Wastage of money, yet it was the wish of his child. Children are not to be given shelter, but some of their wishes are to be fulfilled. Prophet has given a strong indication to be affectionate to the children.
Kuddus loved his daughter according to the instruction of the Prophet. He loved her more than necessary. It was not a wise task. If he cared a bit less, he would get less hurt. But Allah’s done the right thing. The girl was so beautiful. He would have to fall in danger with this girl when she grew up. He has shown much affection to her. He must lessen affection at any time by scolding her harshly.
“Bapjaan.”
“Yes.”
“What do mice eat?”
“Whatever they get: dried rice, sugar, puffed rice, paper, iron what do they not eat. Mouse and goat are of the same class, boss at eating.”
Majid listens to his father with eyes wide open Kuddus feels so good at this sight. Nowadays Monoara doesn’t pay heed to his words. If he goes to say anything, she replies, “Stop! Do not make a mess.”
Majid desires to talk to her. To live as a family, you need to talk to each other. Talking to each other increases love. If there is no word between the two, how will love form? Monoara doesn’t understand this simple truth. She always thinks of earning, she feels it pleasant to be a beggar in the street. Our Prophet was also in a sense pauper.
“Bapjaan? Bapjaan?”
“Yes.”
“The mouse is hungry.”
“Are you hungry?”
Mjaid produces a shy smile. Kuddus feels pity.
“Let your Ma come, she will arrange.”
Kuddus himself feels a bit restless out of hunger. He is getting terribly hungry. There was some dried rice at home. Majid was served those at noon. Kuddus hoped Majid might keep some for him. But he did not. His elder daughter would have kept something for him. The mother raised the girls such that they cannot eat without thinking of others at home. This also happens by the dictates of Allah. He is omnipresent.
“Are you hungry Bapjaan?”
“I heard it once. It is no good saying the same thing again. Do not irritate me.”
Majid stops talking; he keeps playing with a baby mouse. He keeps it hanging by holding the thread tight. The little animal suffers. Majid gets pleasure at this sight. Kuddus lights another cigarette; cigarette smoke helps in bearing hunger. But he feels a little insecure lest Monoara comes bare-handed. What will he do? She won’t spend from the savings. She is a tough woman. She has to buy a rickshaw with this money. Who will drive that rickshaw around? Nothing can be told to her. It may so happen that she herself will ride the rickshaw. Nothing is impossible for her. She is a tough person. She has possibly gone a bit insane nowadays. She doesn’t find any way out for living. She doesn’t tell Kuddus anything. But he understands it well.
Monoara has returned by nine. Seeing her, Kuddus’ heart trembles—she is accompanied by a gentlemanly stranger; a Punjabi man with a handkerchief in hand. He is using the handkerchief often to hide his nose. He is scrutinizing everything with a suspicious look and coughing frequently. This sight, this use of handkerchief and dry coughing is known to Kuddus. He feels lost.
Kuddus releases a great sigh. He thought that he would enjoy a nice family in Eden; a nice family with Majid, Sharifa and Monoara. If there were a cinema palace, he would go there with his daughter. After dinner, they would start a long chat. Certainly, there would be a moon in Eden. The pleasure of chatting on a moonlit night is really matchless. Now it seems in that heaven there will be no room for Monoara. She will fall into great danger on the Doomsday. Her husband’s recommendation won’t be counted on that day. If counted, he would say to Allah, “This woman loves her family much. Whatever she has done is for her family. As a husband I have forgiven her. You too also pardon her please.”
Looking at Kuddus Monoara says, “Take Majid with you and have a go around.” Kuddus takes Majid on his lap. Monoara keeps standing with her head lowered . Kuddus feels sad seeing her. The baby mouse is hanging in Majid’s hand. At the cruelty of humans, the mouse feels helpless.