Hindi

After the lunch service, Chef Khanna asks Noah what he is thinking of doing next and offers him a year's work in the hotel kitchen: thinking of doing, for how long, for a year, think about it, tell me tomorrow.

At dinner in Lajpat Nagar, Noah tells Mummy ji and Papa ji about the year's job and why he wants a flat near the hotel: I have news, congratulations, why, because, that's why, every Sunday.

At the shop's back table, Rohan reads Noah an advert for a room with a kitchen and a roof in Hauz Khas Village: how much is the rent, a month, a deposit, I have to call, you'll have to pay, we have to see it, Thursday at five.

The landlady shows Noah a room with a kitchen in Hauz Khas Village and the roof above it: from the roof you can see the lake, can I cook here, you can, no parties, friends can come until eleven, can I stay from May, I'll take it.

Noah leaves Lajpat Nagar for his flat with Mummy ji's boxes of food, Dadi ji's instructions and Raju bhaiya's auto: dal for two days, until Tuesday, Monday to Saturday, from next week, from here to Hauz Khas, by night, by Sunday, call by evening.

Rohan and Priya come up to the roof of Noah's new flat on his first evening: I like your roof, I like the lake too, do you like living alone, I like cooking, cook for us on Sunday, I like walking in the park, me too.

An older neighbour on the landing wants to know who the new tenant is: who are you, since Sunday, where are you from, since when in Delhi, since October, for a week, what do you do, a cook at a hotel for two weeks, until when, a year or longer.

Noah's first Monday morning in Chef Khanna's kitchen: you should come at a quarter to seven, wash your hands, cut ten kilos of onions, what should I do, only onions, cut them fine, taste everything, don't talk, listen, I should listen more.

The staff meal at two in the hotel kitchen, with a workmate Noah's own age: you're the new one, shall we eat, let's sit outside, shall we have chai after, since when are you here, shall we go together tomorrow, let's go, Chef is calling.

A Saturday afternoon in the June heat at Noah's flat, the cooler broken and Rohan at the door with a watermelon: I'm so hot, are you thirsty, I'm bored, are you hungry, when will the rain come, end of June, I'm waiting for the rain, all Delhi is waiting.

The first rain of the monsoon on the Sharmas' roof, with Mummy ji's fritters and Dadi ji's chair: the rain has come, it's turned cool, you got wet, the heat has gone, the chai is made.

A Monday morning after a night of rain: Raju bhaiya's auto through the flooded lane to the metro, the hotel by seven, and the big road to get there faster.

Rain on the awning of Gupta ji's corner store: umbrellas, the big one, the small one, the black one, the blue one, a raincoat, the cheap one, and the one with the umbrella stays dry.

A rainy night at the Hauz Khas flat and a phone call to the landlady: water is coming from the roof, it's still dripping, the rain hasn't stopped yet, a bucket, the man tomorrow at ten, and until then move the bed.

The kitchen office at the hotel, planning the monsoon menu with Chef Khanna and the workmate: what do you think, I think fritters, in my opinion spiced chai too, something sweet, you think too much, I think he's right.

Raksha Bandhan in the Sharmas' living room: a sister ties a thread, a brother gives a gift, I'm so happy, I'm happy because I get sweets, are you happy, I'm glad that I'm here, I'm glad you came.

The shop's back table in Chandni Chowk, planning a weekend in Jaipur by car: we leave Saturday at six, before leaving fill the tank, breakfast at a dhaba, after breakfast Jaipur, the fort before the heat, after the fort the bazaar, home before midnight.

The reception of a hotel in the old city of Jaipur: welcome, your name, the booking in Rohan Sharma's name, rooms on the second floor, two hundred one and two hundred two, breakfast on the first floor, the restaurant on the third and the roof on the fourth.

Sunday morning at Amber Fort: two tickets, one Indian and one foreigner, the steps to the right, slowly, and on the steps Noah is scared of the monkeys, not of heights, and Priya says don't be afraid.

A bangle shop in Johari Bazaar, Sunday afternoon: bangles for Mummy ji and Dadi ji, which colour she'll like, the green ones, the red ones, two hundred a dozen, both for three hundred and fifty, and did you like Jaipur.

A dhaba on the highway back from Jaipur, Sunday evening: what will you have, dal and rotis for three, a little more dal, one more roti, enough, I'm full, and the dal was even better than the trip.

The hotel kitchen after the dinner service, September: Chef Khanna asks why Noah came to India, and Noah answers with because of: Rohan, the food, the family, and maybe he'll stay.

The ticket counter at New Delhi station, early on a Friday: three tickets to Rishikesh, how long it takes by train and by bus, the fare, which platform, and the station announcement.

The train to Rishikesh, the row opposite, a woman with a box of parathas: where are you all going, for three days, going to see the Ganga, to walk around, to do rafting, from America aunty ji, take a paratha, going to meet my daughter.

The bridge over the Ganga in Rishikesh, the first evening, cool air: never seen water like this, have you ever seen such hills, never done rafting, tomorrow is the first time, been here twice, never in September, then breathe.

Breakfast in a cafe on the river in Rishikesh, where everything is vegetarian: I feel like spiced chai, lemon and ginger tea, something sweet, the pudding for me, pancakes for me, and I feel like sitting here all day.

The river steps in Rishikesh, early, Rohan still asleep: what are you thinking, I miss my mother's kitchen, do you miss Portland, there I'll miss Delhi, I'll miss you, do you remember the first day, I remember, I still say them badly.

The river steps at dusk, a temple bell across the water: I want to say something, I like you very much, since when, since the first day, I like you too, really, since the first rain, what will we tell Rohan, the truth, tomorrow.

Chai at the shop in Chandni Chowk, back in Delhi: I have to tell you something about Priya, I know, since when, since Jaipur, are you angry, I know you, I didn't know, everyone knows, Dadi ji knew first, chai and a hot sweet on me, keep her happy.

Sunday lunch in Lajpat Nagar, early October, three weeks before Diwali: my friends are going to Varanasi, will you come, I hope I get leave, Diwali in three weeks, promise, I promise, my child eat, next year where, here I hope, we hope so too, then I promise.