Talkin' and Stalkin': A Vignette

Scene 1: Three weeks ago in Delhi. US State Department agent briefs US teachers and scholars about potential security risks while living and traveling in India. He uses words like "red alert, yellow alert, hostage renditions, altering daily schedules". His audience listens with bemusement mixed with paranoia.

Scene 2: Two days ago. Jimmy finds himself chatting with two 8th grade boys on a bicycle as he walks to the market. The boys enjoy following Jimmy around to every shop, eventually giving him a phone number and insisting he visits sometime. Jimmy insists the boys go home. Eventually they do.

Scene 3: Yesterday. Jimmy discovers one of the same boys trailing him (quite closely) as he once again walks to the market and shops. Jimmy enjoys ducking in and out of storefronts and eventually shakes his follower by observing advice of US State Dept. agent by altering walking path back to apartment. Meanwhile Jen is approached at her school by a man who has no job, claims to be a teacher and asks for help in getting him to the US to become an online tutor. Jen can't help.

Scene 4: Today. Jimmy decides to again "mix it up a little" by going a different way home. Jimmy never sees boys but is stopped by a man on a bicycle. Man claims to be Mechanical Engineer and that "Jennifer" was going to help him get to the States. Jimmy makes connection. Jimmy talks to man and assures the man that he has no women friends in the states who would want to marry him so he could move to America. Man looks dejected. Jimmy says goodbye and walks away. Man stalks Jimmy. Though man is sneakier than boy, Jimmy is sneakier than man. Jimmy again shakes tail and makes it home unseen. Jimmy proceeds to write about himself in third person.

The End

Actually, it's not as bad as it sounds. I quite enjoy talking to random strangers and practicing my very limited Hindi vocabulary on them, as well as my evasion tactics. The truth is, I'm just as curious about them, although I haven't tried following them home yet...

PS Jen told Jimmy to write that Jimmy loves receiving comments.