lift your longhi. hasari does. the godfather looks at his legs and thighs.
the wise men of our nation say that nirvana is the attainment of a state of supreme detachment. for me, nirvana is counting each evening, one by one, the rupees earned by my two thousand and forty-six rickshaws. hasari doesn't know whether to respond. a glance at ram tells him not to. ghatak gestures for hasari to lower his longhi.
you are with family?
and they must eat, heh. the world is full of open mouths. he chews on this a moment, then opens a drawer.  and holds a small, tinkling rickshaw bell toward hasari. hasari understands that, incredibly, he has a job. his breath is so shallow, he can barely utter his gratitude. he takes the bell.
stay loyal. these days, it's a crop nobody plants. the godfather turns his beatific and godlike smile on hasari pal.
acha! now we see max and joan seated on cushions before the godfather, tea in hand. max catches a glimpse in an anteroom of several thugs with several young girls, one of whom is poomina. she catches a glimpse of max as she disappears past a door. a moment later, her head peeks around the door frame. she brings her hands together.
i understand that you're interested in expanding your clinic and free school, and that you intend to start treating lepers in the city of joy.
of course. that's very good. admirable. and we'd be pleased to rent you suitable space. but you must understand that certain payments will go up.
more people, more potential trouble. strangers. if i don't charge you, what will i tell others?
surely if you can expand, you can pay more. joan throws up her hands -- how do you reason with this man?
we live in chaotic times, miss bethel, doctor. i control the city of joy and maintain it as a model of harmony. it's a miracle, but a very fragile miracle.
i admire your courage in choosing to work in such a violent place, miss bethel.
your neighbors in the city of joy, they're not educated, they're given to violence, to meanness, i can promise you they won't like having lepers among them, but because they know you're under my protection.  he dispatches a globule of spit into the copper urn next to his right toe.  and tries to get to his feet. the goonda hurries forward to help him.
doctor, do you like our music?
it's difficult to appreciate what we don't understand, isn't it? let me put it another way: the world is a terrible place. only the ruthless prevail. my son will make the arrangements with you. one of the thugs helps the godfather outside, where, in the b.g., we see him listening to his music and pottering in his garden. as max and joan turn, max finds himself face to face with ashoka, who wears max's necklace and chai. there's a long pause as the two of them take the other's measure.
wait. the goonda backs off. the godfather waves hasari and max close. hasari brings his gleaming rickshaw to the window of the car, max at his shoulder.
acha! they take me now to the scientists. they stick needles in me, take pictures of my insides, study them, and then tell me what i know.
it is very beautiful.
if i may say, it has an allure.
the world is chaos. we struggle to build something permanent, then our bodies betray us, our sons betray us. yes, you may take your rickshaw out. if you can face up to my son. the goonda gets back into the car and the car pulls away and we are left with hasari and max as moment.