Inside the park, Suraj (the oldest and most disruptive member of Street Smart) beat up another, younger boy Riyaz. While trying to pacify Riyaz and asking Suraj to leave, we were surrounded by the other kids who demanded that Suraj be asked to leave since he disrupts everything they do. We wrapped up the program as soon as the clock struck 3 and took the kids for lunch, where more drama followed.
Gopi saw his younger brother Mehuna walking towards the thela where we eat lunch and slapped him for attending the program. We later found out that earlier that day, Gopi was beaten by a few other boys who attend Street Smart and so he decided that he would not be part of the program anymore.
As if all of this was not enough, Rajkumar suddenly appeared with a boil the size of a tomato on his left cheek. I exaggerate not! I squealed some more and demanded to know what had happened. Turns out, the genius had cut his cheek while shifting chairs inside the cinema hall where he works and did not tell any of us because he did not want to bother us, given that we do so much for them already! [rolls eyes]
But as the afternoon waned towards evening, the tempers also subsided. I found Mehuna (who was earlier beaten by Gopi for attending Street Smart) harassing a stray dog and whisked him away before the dog decided to retaliate, Gopi decided he was too hungry to be angry and forgave me [rolls eyes some more], Rajkumar agreed to see a doctor on the condition that Gopi would accompany him and knock him senseless while the doctor drained his infected wound [would you mind doing the rolling of eyes while I finish this post?] and Suraj agreed to not attend the program for a few days.
Gopi and Rajkumar had cooled down enough to pose for a few pictures after their time at the doctor’s (Dr. Kalra at Ashirwad Hospital who was wonderful with our boy and dressed his wound free of cost!)
And we lived happily until Monday!
