Nadine, Chapter Six

Nadine was eight and was picking up all sorts of bad language and social problems from the bad kids in school. Manchala suggested to Patel that perhaps moving to the city might improve Chandra’s condition. Patel scraped all his savings and found a little dairy at Grey Lynn at Williamson Ave. It was a good location. The road cuts the area between Great North Road and Ponsonby Road. There was a bus stop just next to it. Business was good: that was the time before Foodtown supermarket was built at Williamson Ave and when Grey Lynn and Ponsonby were derelict ghettoes. Since the diary had bedrooms and the kitchen at the back, he would be around to keep an eye on Nadine and his sick wife.


The city environment proved to be the right medicine for Chandra. She loved the little dairy and being the boss lady. She was talking to the customers and her English was improving. Work at the corner dairy was arduous for Patel, he worked seven days a week and he was up early to buy produce at the Turners Auctioneers, and did not get to bed till past midnight. But Patel was happy that Chandra was improving. They celebrated when Chandra was pregnant again. Patel was apprehensive, what if they had another girl. Would Chandra fall sick again?