Sharon Yeo. Met her in Malaysia, she is with JnJ. A Hokkien Chinese girl. Born and brought up in Malaysia. Devotee of Sir Satya Sai Baba of India. Has a flowey laugh, that spills over all the time. Cheeky, kiddish, absurdly mature, scared of heights, loves cooking. We ate Satay together in Kajung. Her mom expired when she was 5. Mom's been to China, Hokkien, she says.

"Sirji....pata hai kya hai....maza nahin bahar wahar jaane me....". Sonu. 16 years. Drives a rick in Amrtisar. His brothers are abroad (Spain). We bought kites together, and string to fly them. Was my transportation and guide around Amritsar. Felt awkward, conscious when I took him along to upscalish restaurant for a cup of coffee. Held the "charkhi" as I flew kites in a roadside car-park. Fought with the owner/ manager sardarji of the car-park for me therafter. Was even offended. Has recently bought two auto-rickshaws. Plans to buy a taxi (Indica) and drive longer distances. "Pata hai kya hai"...is his favorite phrase. Fiercely possesive of his rick (Didn't let me drive it in spite of various attempts to pursuade him)

avdhesh srivastava. Met him on the train from Villupuram. Benarasi. Works for a shipping company. Laughs a lot. Talks a lot. Heres what he told me:

1. Which is the land where even your fields with full grown crops can be stolen?...while I was smiling in my heart over how gullible these villagers were, one of his fellow Biharis had the answer ready! "Kashmir". In the small window between that the answer came and I turned red-faced I remembered the amazing cruise on a shikara when our guide showed us famous the floating vegetable gardens of the Dal Lake.

2. "Was Gandhi really against non-violence? No. Once Gandhi went to an ashram. when he reached there
he found a snake had entered in the room he was supposed to occupy. After trying to make the snake go away two or three times people asked Gandhiji what was to be done to which he replied...kill him". People wondered how could Gandhiji the perpetrator of Nonviolence could say such a thing. He replied, " It is non violence in its singularity that I preach. The foundation rests in logic that we could never meet the british in force. So why make a foolish attempt?"

Don't know if avdhesh's fables have any truth in them....but even if they arent.....one cant stop wondering how a simple man from the hindi heartland has turned, twisted, adapted Gandhi's principles to suit his cause...guess it works.

Gautham. Driver. 24. Tamil Nadu. Met him while he drove the taxi around Tamil Nadu. His brother's getting married. Smiles a lot. Content. His mom gave me a 5 rupee coin when I touched her feet. Wants to get settled before getting married himself. His brother's getting married, works on the family agricultural land. "Land not enough", says Gautham. Broken English. White Driver's Uniform.