Ekus would open the shop in the morning very punctually. Always. In the morning there were numerous regular customers. They would come to him and buy some roses and bouquets in a regular basis. Some bought flowers for worship: marigold and lotus; some to decorate their houses: lily and rose; some for the purpose of giving present: different sheds of roses; and some bought bouquets for institutional functions. But more than selling flowers he liked watching children go to schools. This he liked very much. That was why he would open the shop so early in the morning. He would open the slide door of the shop; then clean the floor; receive fresh flowers from his dealers; then he would take some time to arrange fresh flowers on the desks so as to make the shop presentable. Then he would sit on his chair. Because whoever crossed the path could halt and ask about the price of flowers without any problem. And he would smile at his customers and would hand them their orders. Then in the mean time, he would say cheese and wave at children who as an unwritten rule would wave back to him. On function or celebration days his business would sky rocket and in most days or regular days it would be almost like a non existing business. But on those regular days the children passing would be his only inspiration. He would sit in his chair quietly. He would sit there till his wife – a tall bulky and strong woman – would come. They were almost an insular couple. In many ways they were weird. They hardly mixed with their neighbours; they drifted a lot, from place to place; the wife was somewhat bossy and the husband submissive; etc. In the morning another thing happened usually, that was, the newspaper hawker would throw a newspaper at him, at about seven o' clock. He would first open page number two: the classified section. There he would look for every nook and corner of that page for something. Today there was something.
Quick quack quick quack. Eht yob sah nur yawa.
He reread the message a dozen time. Looking aghast he rung his wife's number on his mobile phone.
"Hello," his wife said.
"Yes dear, have you gotten today's newspaper?"
After a few seconds his wife said, "Why?"
"Read the classifieds."