Woman approaches me at bus stop and apologizes. Pause. She explains she likes to read the titles of books people are holding. I show her Anita Rau-Badami’s novel: Can you hear the nightbird call?
‘Is that the one about the man running to be the US president?’
‘It’s based on the Air India bombing.’ I reply.
‘Is it true?’
‘It’s about the Air India tragedy.’ I repeat.
After more babble where she says she doesn’t like fiction but she likes Rohinton Mistry because it’s true I am forced to admit that this must be a near exact replica of a conversation I had a couple of weeks ago with a geologist.
-Do you know anything about arctic cone drilling, I ask him.
-No.
10 minutes later after my arm waving impressions he says ‘aha, arctic core drilling.’
When I ask how it all happens he says helicopters fly the gear in.
-damnit I have people in my kids novel turning up in a row boat to do it.
He’s silent, politely silent.
-would there be any circumstances where a person could turn up in the arctic to do core drilling in a row boat or any kind of boat for that matter?
-absolutely not.
-what if they are afraid of flying?
He shakes his head.