The Gang

At age fifteen Mandeep had maneuvered to become the Gang Boss. Eleven boys and two girlsroamed the streets in batches of two or three so as to not draw attention to themselves. Petty thieving onthe streets, in its various forms, was what they did.

The street Police kept a loose eye on the Gang and the Gang was aware that the Police wasconscious of them. They tried never to come in direct conflict with the police and they managed this byworking quickly, snatching only small amounts of money and disappearing down a crowded lane.When a boy made a snatch the other boys would give chase ostensibly to catch the thief, but oncearound the corner they would quickly divide the loot.

Each boy worked part-time finding time from home chores or school. They attended streetschools run by volunteers and retired people where they sat on the floor and where uniforms wereunheard of. This way they could slip out, do a quick job and slip back into school with no one any thewiser. The teachers were used to seeing boys coming and going as they pleased for the school timecovered four hours a day and anybody could attend.

Mandeep, when he attended, sat in the front row and paid attention. The 'back-benchers'slipped in and out of the back door and only learned what they thought they required.By the time he was fourteen, Mandeep could read and write and do a little math's. He waseducated well above the level of the other street rabble and it was thus not difficult to assume a 'gang -boss' position.

Some had homes to go to; some didn't and slept on platforms of railway stations. Mandeep hada sort of home to go to but preferred to sleep mostly on the platform. Roomi, a slick fingered pick-pocket, shared his sleeping-mat most nights though not always. She had other friends and Mandeepdidn't care. That's the way they lived and only a few had more permanent attachments. Roomi had hada few abortions for she had been sleeping with boys since she was thirteen when she ran away fromhome where she was beaten and tortured by a drunken step- father who would have raped her had shenot run away.