Compensation⁴¹

The man who lives across from me was out with his dog. He was on the sidewalk and I was on the street. He always greets me first. But this time we just looked at each other. I did not recognise him, and he did not recognise me.

When I saw him enter into his house, I came to know who it was. Then I felt miserable. I said, “Every day he greets me, but today he did not greet me. “Baoul went to speak to him. He was very sad that he had not recognised me. So we both felt sad. I went home and felt sad, and he went home and felt sad.

Later I was playing the esraj on the porch, and he happened to be outside. I raised my hand, and he smiled. In this way we compensated.