I can Request a Soft Beating

The rains started again today.

Took a ride through the slums. There are so many people ... just living on top of each other, inside the tiniest of boxes with ladders and rubber tubes and pots and shelves and jars and flies. And in the red light district, young prostitutes - caged prostitutes - make-up and saris, waiting, chatting.

Also saw the laundries. A square kilometer or more of little concrete basins and a stone where they smack the clothes with all force. They're collected from all over Bombay and brought here. I bought shorts today - I asked the guy whether they would survive the laundry. He said of course - but I can request a soft beating.