Bai is running at the speed of light, and working with both hands and legs to send the family to their respective destinations. The pace builds up from half past seven and the fastest sprint occurs from eight to nine in the morning, culminating in each of them rushing out the doorway. Invariably the winner and the first to exit would be the master of the house with his tie half tied, breakfast half way down his throat, and shoe laces dangling. These are assumed to reach their positions by the time he reaches his office. The lady of the house would be shoving food down the throat of her son as he gets late for his school bus and untangling his shoe-laces and combing his hair. He is the second one to exit, as he gets pushed out the door unceremoniously, in the direction of his impatiently honking bus. The Memsahib begins her activities next, with a rush in and out of the bathroom to complete what she calls her shower, another quick entry-exit into the prayer room, dab of makeup along with the breaking of her fast, giving directions to Bai at the same time in a continuous buzz that gets lost here and there. There is nothing new, and Bai does not pay much attention to it.

With the exit of the Memsahib, Bai falls back onto the chair with a sigh of relief.

“Gummoning”, says a tiny voice.

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