AY I SIT HERE? ... Thank you. Would you care for some more tea? ... Two teas, baba ... Ah, my, but it is so dreadfully hot, is it not?" "It sure is." "But then yesterday was even more dreadful." "Yesterday was obscene." "Oh my goodness, yes, yesterday, that was the hottest day in New Delhi in twenty years, I assure you, quite twenty years, since I was just a small child." "Well, that's reassuring. I certainly don't remember anything worse around here." "Ah, you have been here before, I understand ... Would you like some sugar? ... Are you looking for an aeroplane ticket, London, New York, Sydney, anywhere?" "Thank you, no, I have one for tonight. Yeah, the first time I was here was nearly ten years ago. I didn't even have a hotel then, we just crashed at the train station and left our bags there in the day time." "Ah, things were different then. All the tourists today, they have all this money but they are not friendly people. I do not think they truly like India, not the hippies we used to be seeing, with their dhotis and their beads and everything." "Yeah, it was fun. Where were you in seventy?" "Ah, yes, I was here, I was selling postcards in Connaught Place after school, maybe a little ganja. And now I have my own travel agent business." "And I'm buying plane tickets. Haven't we come a ways. I dunno, it seems so long ago." "Oh yes indeed. We were much younger then." "We were. Ah well. All things must pass, I guess, even this infernal heat. I really need to take one more shower before they throw me out of the room." "Yes, I think I shall rest also. No one will be needing to buy anything before the evening anyway. It was a most great pleasure to meet you. I hope you will be coming back again quite soon." "Oh, I expect so. And in another ten years, maybe I'll see you at the Hilton." "Maybe so, indeed."