Bengaluru ****

Gopi waited in the BMW, speaking on his cellphone. "I have a late evening appointment. I have to be at the airport at 9. Ok, ok. Bye"

He was waiting for little Lavu to come out of school. Soon the school bell sounded, and little kids could be seen all over, racing to their respective cars. Lavu ran up shortly, carrying her Barbie school bag and Hannah Montana water bottle.

"Look, I got 2 stars today," she gushed. "And there will be a school trip next week. We are going to Kishkinta. See my diary."

As Lavu continued to relate all that happened at school that day, Gopi manoeuvred the car through the madness of Bengaluru traffic, smiling at her and grunting occasionally. Soon they were at the posh villa at Bagehalli. Gopi dropped off Lavu, handing her over to Chandamma, the maid.

"Make sure Lavu eats her cereal before you send her for the piano class," he reminded Chandamma. Then he left the 5 crore rupee villa , heading for the Whitefield Business Park, and the Corporate Offices of Raqqis India, the multi-billion rupee enterprise where both Gopi and his wife worked.

***

It was quite late. Jaishri waited in the tiny living room of their one-room flat. Dinner was chapathi and dhall, which Jaishri had brought back. She waited for her husband. He had called earlier and said he would be late.

As she waited, Jaishri was thoughtful. Life was tough, the cost of everything had shot through the roof. But at least they had jobs. Jaishri was a cook at Raqqis.

Just then the BMW drove up, and her husband Gopi alighted.