Camaraderie

5

Three logs, about six, four and three feet in length lay flat on the ground. Coming from three directions the logs met at one point to produce a flame. A slanted hay roof-- about 10 feet from the ground in the middle and about four feet at the sides-- rested on six asymmetrical logs. All four sides were open but nothing was visible beyond a few meters. The flame coming out from the confluence of the logs flew in all directions. The smoke played similar tricks. The wind changed its direction every few minutes. Outside, on a similar fire, water boiled in an aluminum container. The container had taken several hits on all sides, perhaps fallen on the stones that it now rested on. Rice and yellow dal was on its way from a nearby village. The feast was still a couple of hours away. Under the hay....