Stolen

Mrs. Maninder lives in one of the many shanty-towns that 'house' most of the people living in greater Mumbai. She is a widow with two small children. She is being helped by a local church. She is HIV positive - though her landlord does not know this.

Yesterday Mrs. Maninder went to the toilet. She does not have one in her room that she rents and so has to go to a common toilet that the municipality has constructed. It was 9 PM at night. She did not tell her landlord - as she normally does - she just went, leaving her two children in the room.

She also left her mobile - charging.

When she came back, her mobile - charger and all - was gone. A man had come in and stolen it.

Her two small daughters said "one uncle came and took the mobile."

How slender the thread of security. What could have happened to the daughters in that moment. How many eyes there are - eyes that know when she has left the room - and know what she has - and what can be stolen from a poor woman like her.

Its a hard life.