Summary

On his way to teach his usual Monday morning class in Hindi, Deven is surprised to encounter his childhood friend Murad, who has traveled all the way to Deven’s village of Mirpore from Delhi and who insists that Deven cancel the class and talk with him. The anxious Deven, worried about money and about the many demands of pleasing his wife, offers Murad one of his two cigarettes. As Murad accepts, he teases Deven about not buying a full package, and Deven tells him he buys as little as he does because his wife thinks he will smoke less. Murad continues to insist that Deven leave with him, but Deven, who is increasingly nervous about the attention that the excitable Murad is generating, tells him to go wait in the café. After the class is done, Deven says, he will join Murad there...