25.12.2013 Views

Chapter 2: Plant response to elevated CO2 - DRUM - University of ...

Chapter 2: Plant response to elevated CO2 - DRUM - University of ...

Chapter 2: Plant response to elevated CO2 - DRUM - University of ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

form a circle <strong>to</strong> stare as the two argue, eagerly anticipating a fist‐fight but then<br />

disappointed and bored <strong>of</strong> the tamasha since they do not see it coming, intervene<br />

<strong>to</strong> placate the two. Bhaveshbhai shuts the window with a BANG!, muttering<br />

angrily <strong>to</strong> himself, “This country has gone <strong>to</strong> the dogs,” and sits down on the<br />

seat.<br />

BANG! awakens Roopaben from her light sleep, which on other days, is<br />

only broken by the milkman’s insistent two ring door bell, but <strong>to</strong>day, perhaps<br />

subconsciously, knowing the significance <strong>of</strong> the day <strong>to</strong> the family ‐ her husband<br />

and mother in law and perhaps her deeyar and derani– she wakes up but lies in<br />

bed, drained already, thinking about the events that await her. She knows the<br />

routine well, having followed it for thirty years: flag hoisting, preparing cha and<br />

nashta for their incoming friends (mostly her husband’s), giving little stamp<br />

sized flags <strong>to</strong> children <strong>to</strong> be stuck as lapels and silliest <strong>of</strong> all, inspite <strong>of</strong> all these<br />

years, wishing “Jai Hind” as she bid them goodbye. Who in the world said Jai<br />

Hind these days? (It always made her feel like she was one <strong>of</strong> the freedom<br />

fighters in the movie Gandhi). But “Jai Hind” she would wish even <strong>to</strong>day.<br />

Some oddities <strong>of</strong> this family — her family — she didn’t understand even<br />

after twenty‐seven years <strong>of</strong> living <strong>to</strong>gether. In fact, over the years in a social<br />

64

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!