Janice Goes to Chinatown

Anuradha Sengupta

“Janice, wake up!” Grandma calls.
Janice jumps out of bed.
Today is her last day at Grandma Liu’s house.

Janice had promised her family in Mumbai that she would
bring back gifts. But she has not bought anything yet!
“Grandma Liu, can you please take me shopping?” Janice asks.
Grandma Liu lives in Tiretti Bazaar in Kolkata.
It is also known as Chinatown.

Janice and Grandma Liu set off to explore Chinatown.
Rickshaws zig-zag. Their wooden wheels go clackety-clack. Their bells go jingle-jangle.
The air smells good enough to eat.

The first stop is Mr. Lee’s. “Mr. Lee, I am going home to Mumbai tomorrow. What can I
take back?”
“How about these purple plum candies?”
“Mmmm! Sweet and tangy!” says Janice. “My brother will love them.”

The next stop is Mrs. Chen’s shop. “Mrs. Chen, I am g oing home to Mumbai tomorrow. What can I take back?”
“How about this black fungus? Put some in soup and it will cure sniffles.”
“Oooo! That looks like a huge black ear!” says Janice. “My mother will love it.”

Off to Mrs. Wong’s shop. “Mrs. Wong, I am going home to Mumbai tomorrow. What can I
take back?”
“How about this beautiful lantern?”
“It is the colour of gulmohar flowers” says Janice, “My father will love it.”

The shopping is done,
and Janice is hungry!
Grandma Liu buys dumpling soup and baozi buns.
Slurrrp! “This is delicious,”
Janice says.

Janice and Grandma stop at a temple. It smells like incense.
“When people pass away,” Grandma Liu says, “they turn into spirits. We seek their blessings before we go on a journey.”

At a table in a big hall, people are playing mahjong. The tiles go
click-clack!
“The tiles are dragons
and wind and flowers,”
Grandma says.
“That is a lot more
exciting than hopscotch squares!” says Janice.

On the way back home, Janice sees a woman reading a newspaper.
“Is that in Chinese?” Janice asks.
“Yes!” Grandma Liu says. “This is the only Chinese newspaper in India. You can only find it here in Kolkata.”

At home, Janice starts packing all her gifts.
“Janice, you have bought gifts for everyone else, but what will you take back?” asks Grandma Liu.
“Our memories, Grandma,” Janice says. “They were the best gift of all!”