Welcome to Mumbai. Many Marathis live here...as does a virtual melting pot. Many come here to make movies. Others just come here to breed...or, so it seems.
Modeling is a big thing here, too. In Mumbai, models rise and fall like queens. Mumbai is hardly dim, when it comes to vision for feminine wear of the future. Many times, it's made the little black dress look like a peasant's garment.
Alas, wherever gorgeous Marathi women thrive, divorce tends to, too. Hinduism does what it can to forbid it...but in this city, it's often difficult to decide who's weaker: the Hindu gods, or the government.
In the seaport, a merchant ship docks. It casts lines. It lowers a gangplank.
From it, a rambler alights. He's Mendel, and he's Maltese. In this world, Malta is bigger than you think. Even so, it's a small nation. Hence, many of its specimens ramble for a living...at their own peril.
Mendel takes a while to see the sights of Mumbai. It's a big city that's had a lot of time to erect itself. The Marathis are a prolific nation...but not to the same extent as the Rajasthanis. Either way, both nations are bigger than you'd think.
Soon, Mendel's checked into a ramblers' hotel. He's still getting used to having to convert his money every time he stops to stay a night somewhere. Either way, this hotel will be better than a sidewalk. Mendel STILL can't believe that Mumbai would let people sleep on the sidewalk. He would've half-expected Mumbai to be a welfare city.
In an upscale neighborhood near Bollywood, a model and her husband have just gone through the big D. (And they DON'T mean "dharma.") Now, they're divorced. The Good Lord Shiva has gotten a hold on their marriage...and crushed it to pieces in his mighty all-destroying hand.
Despite this, Ms. Khanti and her ex-husband still like the idea of having sex with one another. Tonight, they're going to have a one-night stand...as exes.
Back at the hotel, Mendel settles down. He should. He's exhausted. For once, he doesn't have to sleep in a bed that keeps getting rocked by the Arabian's waves.
He showers. He uses soap. He breathes the shower steam. Often times when he does this, he feels like he's been baptized.
He's got Pandora on in the other room. It plays house music from Rajasthan.
Downstairs, a nicer car arrives, and parks. It has to dodge several cows to get in the car park.
From it, Ms. Khanti and her ex alight. She wears a veil, to avoid being recognized. This...probably isn't the best approach. Muslims aren't exactly popular in this city. But then, not everyone who wears a veil in Maharashtra is a Muslim.
Downstairs, they check in. They take an elevator to their floor. As fate would have it, their room happens to be on the same floor as Mendel's.
Tonight, the twins sleep in the same block. Whether they'll meet or not remains to be seen.