17.6

Charminar.

Charminar.

As he wandered through the gloom, Max saw a man sitting alone on the side of the street. Max sat down near him. But there was no secret in their exchange, no spark of encouragement to rekindle the fantasy. They simply sat in silence until the man looked at him grimly.

“Chello,” he said, quietly.

Mate… what had you expected?

“Chello,” the man repeated, waving Max into the night.

Mate… what is happening here?

Do you think God will be presented to you on a silver platter… by some stranger in the street?

Don’t you get it?

No one has anything to offer you now.

You are on your own.