No Pain Like This Body Read Free Page A

water. Balraj just stood and looked and looked at the tadpoles that were free again in the water, then he got mad like a bull. He looked. Rama and Panday were dragging the bag in the water.
    â€œWot de hell all you Join wid dat bag?”
    â€œWe just playin bredder,” Panday said.
    â€œNow all you drop dat bag!”
    Balraj couldn’t control himself. He ran up to them just like a horse. Rama and Panday dropped the bag in the water and started running towards the cashew tree.
    Sunaree saw Balraj coming like a jackspaniard. She did not know what to do, so she just stood there and stared at Balraj. “Why you give dem two son of a bitches dat bag?”
    â€œI not give dem it.”
    â€œDen who give dem it?”
    â€œI tell you dey take it deyself.”
    Sunaree had long black hair; it was thick like grass. Balraj grabbed her hair and started kicking her in the water. She pushed Balraj, and he fell splash in the water. Sunaree wanted to run away, but she couldn’t run away; Balraj grabbed her hair again; he was pulling her hair as if he was going to pull out her head. Then he started dragging her in the muddy water.
    Balraj couldn’t see Pa at all. Pa just stood in the banana patch like a big snake and watched all the time. Ma was busy, washing the clothes; she couldn’t see Pa either. Pa was just hid­ing and watching with poison in his eyes. Ma was just washing the clothes under the plum tree. Her back was bent low over the tub, and she was washing as if the clothes were rottening with dirt; she just bent over the tub and scrubbed like a crazy woman. Then she heard Sunaree bawling. Ma lifted her head. Balraj was still dragging Sunaree in the water.
    Ma shouted, “Leggo dat chile Balraj!”
    â€œI not lettin she go!”
    â€œBoy I is you modder. I make you. You just lissen to me. Leggo she.”
    â€œI not lettin she go!”
    â€œI comin in dat wadder for you right now Balraj!”
    Ma was fed up. She washed out her hands in the soapy water. Then she walked to the edge of the riceland. Ma was quarrelling and pointing at Balraj. Suddenly she stood up. She saw Pa. Ma turned around and walked back to the tub.
    Pa came out of the banana patch.
    â€œNow all you chirens come outa dat wadder!” he shouted. Pa had a voice like thunder. When he spoke the riceland shook as if God was shaking up Tola.
    Rama and Panday were near the cashew tree. They were trying to hold the mamzels, but they moved like the wind. “Let we catch dem crabs,” Rama suggested.
    â€œAnd do wot wid dem?” Panday asked.
    â€œKill dem.”
    â€œIt not good to kill notten.”
    They had to be careful in the riceland. There were deep holes all over the place, especially near the cashew and barahar trees. The holes were not deep like a well or a river, but they were deep enough to drown Rama and Panday.
    â€œIt have crabs near dat barahar tree,” Rama said.
    â€œIt too deep by de barahar tree,” Panday told him.
    â€œIt not too deep. Dem red crabs livin in dem holes.”
    â€œBut dem holes deep deep.”
    â€œI still goin to walk to de barahar tree,” Rama declared.
    Rama began walking eastwards across the riceland. Panday was begging him not to go, but Rama was not listening; he was harden like a goat. But Rama couldn’t go. He and Panday heard when Pa shouted at Balraj and Sunaree. Panday and Rama ran out of the riceland, passed through the banana patch and went by the rainwater barrel. The rainwater barrel was almost touching the tapia wall at the eastern side of the house.
    When Pa shouted, Balraj released Sunaree. She ran out of the riceland, passed Ma by the tub and went and joined Rama and Panday by the rainwater barrel, but Balraj remained inside the riceland. He stood up and looked at Pa; he was watching as if he was going to eat Pa; he was really playing man for Pa. Pa made an attempt to go in the water. Balraj was afraid; he ran to the