Chapter 4 Fabian's Indian friends

As usual the Yap brothers and Fabian were always wandering here and there in the linesite.Whenever the Yap brothers were not out tp play,Fabian will go round alone.

His closest friends were the Veloo brothers,many boys and two girls or so.There was one almost the same age as Fabian.Both got along fine his name was Veloo and studied at St Anthony School.

With nothing to do Fabian will chit-chat with him till late at night,just talking away.One evening Fabian saw lights in the fields nearby.It was small dim lights like lights from kerosene lamps.

"Look,ghosts in the field",said Fabian.Looking at the direction Fabian pointed Veloo laughed and replied,"Those are not ghosts,those are people doing their thing in the field".

"I see,don't they go to the toilets?"asked Fabian.
"No,they prefer the field,one thing the toilets were very filthy,right?".
"Yes,but that is better than doing it in the field,so much mosquitoes?',said Fabian."No wonder those nearby areas stink",said Fabian.

"Estate toilets were filthy all the time and insufficient water provided to wash them and the line sweepers only cleaned them once a day".
Those were the days in the plantation.

There were other group of Indian living in that plantation and they were the Telegu.They conversed quite differently from the Tamils.Fabian is friendly with all of them.All these boys go to school by bus.

Veloo had a brother married to a Chinese Tapper,the brother worked in town.The Chinese wife's family also reside in the same line site.

When they go bathing,all of them went together because there were only two common bath rooms for every body.So whenever Veloo went to bath he often asked Fabian to join in.And all of them shared a bath room making hell of a racket of the whole thing.

One day Veloo invited Fabian for a walk in the field nearby.Veloo told Fabian to walk only on the path people normally used,failing which a miss step will stepped on something very smelly.As they walk farther into that field they were surprised to see two persons ahead of them.

Veloo surprised at what was ahead said,"That is Tangaveloo,I know him but who is with him".He looked at them a little longer and could identify the other person."Aiyo,it is Minachi,they in love",said Veloo.

"Better not meet them,I think we turned into the field and go back.Both of them turned and walk into the field."Aiyo I step on something soft",said Fabian."Me too',said Veloo. Both of them were stepping on human waste."Shit","what luck"they both exclaimed.

It was in the plantation that Fabian and Francis learned how to play football.That plantation had a very tiny field about the quarter size of a normal football field.There was nothing they could but played on it.

Number of players were also limited and they were often forced to to play six or seven a side.One fine day the shop keeper's elder daughter was sitting in front of her house and seeing that Fabian wanted to show off a little bit.

So he requested Veloo his team mate to deliver him that opportunity.Veloo agreed and when the time came he back pedal a beautiful pass for Fabian.Fabian seized that golden opportunity and tried to administer a punishing finish towards goal.

But alas that was not to be,for as he was a little too slow in delivering that kick.For a an extremely fast elder Yap came from behind and stole that ball away from his foot.So Fabian miss kicked the ball by miles,not only that he flew up and landed hard on his back.

Everyone laughed as Fabian struggled to craw up,clutching his backside.Veloo quickly came and gave him a hand."Why you so slow?Want to show off also must be fast",said Veloo."Wah,it really hurt",cried Fabian as he limped away to continue the game.

There were a lot fun all round in the plantation and plenty of activities at night for Fabian and company.One evening they played hide and seek,in very different style.Again they divided into two teams.

Fabian's team was to seek and Veloo's team was to hide."This Indian fellows very difficult to detect them,especially at night"."Don't worry,Yap,there is a way",said Fabian.

As they go about looking Fabian suddenly pulled the elder Yap and siliently told him the location of Veloo.Veloo was hiding behind a tree."See Yap,Veloo is behind that tree",said Fabian."Where I cannot see him in the dark",asked Yap.

"Yes,you can,see his teeth is giving him away',said Fabian."Oh yeah ,I see him now",replied Yap.""I will run straight,pretending not to see him,after I passed him you and the others confront him,okay?"asked Fabian.

So they did as planned and Veloo was caught,Having caught the leader Fabian and team mates won that game."How did you know I was behind that tree?".asked Veloo surprisingly.

"Well,Veloo your teeth gave you away,Ha,aha,ha.",claimed all joking over it.