Describe the first meeting and the last meeting between the Kabuliwala and Mini. What realization dawns upon the Kabuliwala after the last meeting with Mini.
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First Meeting: Mini calling, ‘Kabuliwala, O Kabuliwala’ /Narrator busy at his work/A tall shabbily
dressed Afghan vendor ,a bag over his shoulder and a few boxes of dry grapes in his hand was passing through the street/when he approached the house, Mini had a childish fear that if someone looked through the bag, several living children like herself would be found in there/ Kabuliwala stepped into the compound and stood at the door with a smile/To dispel Mini’s unfounded fear, the narrator called her from inside the house. She came and stood nervously, pressing against her father’s legs, looking suspiciously at the Kabuliwala and his bag. The Kabuliwala took out some raisins and apricots and gave it to Mini, but she refused to take them and remained pressed against her father’s knees.
Last Meeting:
Mini’s wedding day/Preparations going on in the house/Mini came out from the inner quarters in her bridal dress and stood before the Kabuliwala /He became confused; their good-natured humour of old also didn’t work out /with a smile he asked, ‘Girl. are you going to the in-law’s house?’ / Mini now understood the what ‘in-law’ meant. So, she couldn’t answer the way she did in the past/her face became purple in shame and she abruptly left.
This brought back to the narrator’s mind, the memories of their first meeting and he felt an ache in his heart./ he slouched on the floor with a long, deep sigh/he realized that his own daughter must have grown up as well/ he would have to get to know her all over again/he was not even sure what might have happened to her in the past eight years/while the wedding music played in the background, Rahmat was there on the floor of the narrator’s house/ he continued to envision the images of the arid, hilly terrains of Afghanistan.
He realizes the fact that a long time has passed since he left home and he must get back to his daughter as soon as possible.