"Where have you been all this while?" asked Roomi. "Didn't you want to see your son or me?""Been busy with me own doings... I need money, hon...lots of it." said Mandeep pulling herclose and nuzzling her neck"

"You are always needing money - you've become a spendthrift. What do you need money for?""Need to get married, ol' girl. You are settled now. I need to get settled too. She won't let metouch her unless I marry her."

"Who may you be talking about?" She flashed her eyes at him.

"Maya - remember Maya?"

"Don't be stupid. She's just a child."

"O yeah? Not anymore she isn't. She's got the largest and most beautiful breasts in the wholeworld. And she's bloody, fucking beautiful."

"You're not serious?"

"You bloody bet I am!"

"Did you plan all this...like to get me pregnant and squeeze money out of my husband to marryMaya?"

He grinned, "Think about it."

"How did you get me pregnant? I used my fingers to ensure you had a condom on?""Tricks of the trade, honey bun." But he was surprised and thrilled by the news that she waswith child.

#

"Hey, Gulprasad, old cock, I need some money...heaps of it"

"Fuck off!"

"I will, once I get the money."

"Sun getting to you, is it?"

"Not son, dumb arse, hopefully it will be a daughter this time."

Gulprasad swung around and nearly toppled. He stood there staring stupidly at Mandeep. "Eh,what's that?"

"Your wife, Roomi is pregnant, fart-arse, and you don't even know"A slow smile spread across Gulprasad's face, soon he was grinning with all his false teethshowing. "You swear."

"Go and see for yourself ...feel her up, if she'll allow you to."

And Gulprasad started crying. He was still grinning but the tears poured out and ran down hischeeks. He groped for Mandeep's hand, "I am eternally grateful. Thank you, my dear friend." Mandeepwas touched and struggled valiantly to retain his own tears.

#

The Police arrived in two jeeps just as the sun, a huge red sphere, was setting behind the darkline of low hills in the distance. The Inspector saluted Gulprasad and promptly put his cap under his leftarm.

"Ah, what can I do for you, Inspector?"

Gulprasad appeared to be in an exuberant mood.

"Sir, we would like a word with Mr. Mandeep, Sir."

"I'm afraid you can't, Inspector," he smirked - he was enjoying this, he looked up at the cirrusclouds that were turning pink, he exaggeratedly scratched his belly and brought his eyes back to focuson the Inspector, "Ah, yes...you see he isn't here...hasn't been here since he gunned the engine of hiscar and roared away. God alone knows what brings him here or what takes him from here. A loner ofsorts you know; doesn't tell anyone where he goes. But why would you be looking for him, Inspector?"Oh, just a traffic infringement, Sir."

"You don't say? Heh, heh! The entire Police force of this little town in two jeeps to investigatea traffic infringement you'll have me believe, eh?"

The Inspector smiled and put on his peaked cap, "We'll be on our way then Sir, to do Policework which is our lot. We thought we'd have a quick chat with Mandeep, but that will have to be someother time." So saying the convoy of two jeeps swept away stirring dust whichswept across theonlooker's faces.