Page 99 - English Class 07

And he turned on his heels and skipped out of the courtyard.

The old man remained dreaming in the sun. His kite shop had gone, the premises having
been sold many years ago to a junk dealer . But, he still made kites for his own amusement

and as playthings for his grandson, Ali. Not many people bought kites these days. Adults
disdained them and children preferred to spend their money at the movies. Moreover, there
were few open spaces left for flying kites. The city had swallowed up the green maidan
which had stretched from the old fort walls to the river-bank.

But, old man remembered a time when grown-ups flew kites from the maidan and great
battles were fought, the kites swerving and swooping in the sky, tangling with each other,

until the string of one was cut. Then, the beaten but liberated kite would float away into the
blue unknown. There was a good deal of betting and money frequently changed hands.

Kite flying was then the sport of kings. The old man remembered how the Nawab
himself would come down to the river-bank with his retinue to join in this noble pastime. In

those days there was time to spend an idle hour
with gay, dancing strip of paper. Now, everyone junk dealer : a person who buys and
sells old and useless articles
hurried, hurried in a heart of hope and delicate
disdained : disliked
things like kites and daydreams were trampled swerving : changing direction suddenly
underfoot. swooping : coming down fast diving

Mahmood, the kite maker, had been well- retinue : team of attendants
delicate : tender
known throughout the city in the prime of his
elaborate : made in a special way
life. Some of his more elaborate kites sold for as

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