No Washing Room
Y was frustrated with the ration card he had been issued, which should have been for ‘Below Poverty Line’ but was for ‘Above Poverty Line,’ even though he did not fit the requirements for it. Going to the government offices to get the right card would mean losing a day’s salary that Y could not afford to lose. He worked as a security guard at an institute for vocational studies and had recently suffered a significant pay cut. His wife, J, worked as a seamstress for a tailor nearby, but because of a death in the family the tailor had taken some days off, which had affected Y and J’s finances further.
J had sold some land which she had inherited from her parents, and had spent the past decade building a new house for herself with her share of the money. She and her husband moved into the unfinished house a few years ago. Only one out of the two rooms was fit for use and the family had decided to give it to their daughter, who was 21. N, J and their son slept in the hall outside. Their son was very active on social media and owned a used computer and a television screen. The computer broke down after a few months but the family had held on to it and displayed it next to the television screen.