When the classroom bell rang, Rahul Sharma reluctantly closed his book, pushed it into his backpack, and stood up to join his friends down the hall at the lockers. He was a freshman in high school, and it was the last day of the school year. All the students showed excitement about the onset of summer, but Rahul was dragging his feet. He loved school and reveled in learning and mental challenges. The end of school also meant that he would be leaving for India soon. He wanted to stay in Boston and participate in all the activities his friends were engaged in.

As he approached the lockers, he noticed that his friends had already emptied their lockers and were ready to take their personal belongings home.

"What's up, Rahul?" Andre asked, flipping his blond hair out of his tanned face. "Aren't you glad school is out?" Andre was kind of an effeminate kid, and almost everyone teased or bullied him.

"Hi, guys!" Rahul replied, looking at Andre and others and grabbing his backpack. "Sure, I am."

Rahul's four friends all lived in an affluent neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts. Andre's mother picked up the kids to take them home.

Rahul worked extremely hard during the school year and earned excellent grades. He had remained at the top of his class and made his teachers very proud. Standing at about five feet nine inches tall, he was slim with a light-brown complexion, dark eyes, and black hair. He always wore his shirt neatly tucked into his trousers, and he blended well with his friends, speaking their lingo and maintaining close friendships with them.

After reaching home, he dropped his backpack on his bed and put on his headphones to listen to music while reading a computer magazine.

A little while later, he went to the kitchen and hugged his mother, Asha. "Anything to eat?" Rahul asked.

"What do you want?" she replied. "I'll fix it for you. How was your day at school?"

"Fine, Mom. The first year was a little harder, but I did well."

"Nothing is too difficult for my son," she said proudly, putting the plate down on the dining table in front of him. "Here is your favorite." She patted him and kissed him gently.

"Mom, don't do that! I'm not a child anymore."

"Okay, okay," said his mother while answering a phone call.

"It's for you. It's Andre."

"Okay." Rahul picked up the phone. "Hey, dude. What's up?"

"You want to go to the mall?" Andre asked.

"I'd like to, but I have to go out with my folks to get some stuff for India. It's a drag, but I gotta do it. I also want to buy a cassette player and a couple of shirts."

"When are you guys leaving?"

"The day after tomorrow. Listen, we'll have fun when I get back in a month."

"All right. See ya later," said Andre. "Have a good one!" He hung up.

Rahul's father, Vasu Sharma, entered the home and walked into the kitchen. He was slim and of medium height, with dark hair receding from the back of his head. "Hello, everyone!" he said to his family. After sitting down, he spoke to Rahul about his school and upcoming summer vacation.

"Dad, may I ask you something?" Rahul said.

"What's on your mind? How come I don't see any joy on your face about the vacation and our trip?"

"Do we have to go to India? My friends and I had plans for this summer. It was a hard year at school, and we want to unwind and relax."

"You know we are going to attend the wedding ceremony of my sister, your aunt," Vasu replied while taking off his jacket and pushing back his glasses. "I had that responsibility after my father passed away. This is the last big occasion in our family, and your grandmother would be upset if we did not go."

"Dad, what am I going to do over there? I don't know anyone."

"This is one of the social obligations we have to fulfill, son. Besides, your cousins will also be attending the wedding. They will take a few days off from school. Listen, we will be at Grandma's house only for a few days. Then we will go to Mumbai, and in three weeks we will be back. You can still enjoy your vacation with your friends." He paused. "Your mom and I have to go. If you do not want to join us, that's fine. But where would you stay? You can't stay here by yourself."

"Okay, Dad," Rahul agreed hesitantly.

"Come on, cheer up. I promise you will have a good time. To make you feel better, next year we may go to Disney World. Okay?"

"That's fine, Dad." Rahul did not care to go to India at this point in time. It would be hot and humid, and his folks would be busy with the wedding preparations.

Rahul was not born in the United States, but he had lived in Boston since his childhood. His parents had come to the United States from India before he was two years old. His father joined the Electrical Engineering Department as a graduate student at the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology, more commonly known as MIT.

The trip to Delhi and Kanpur was strenuous for the Sharma family, and it took almost twenty hours to reach their final destination. Rahul dozed off and on in his mother's lap and on his father's shoulder.

The wedding of Rahul's aunt was a particularly proud moment for the Sharma household. Although Rahul was not thrilled, he still hoped to meet his cousins, some for the first time. His reluctance to go to India waned with the excitement of the wedding ceremony.

Rahul was proud to be his grandmother's favorite, and she was always delighted to see him. At the same time, Rahul stayed by her and helped her with various chores. "Grammy," as he called his grandmother, was extremely happy to see them and welcomed them wholeheartedly.

Grammy's house was truly an estate. It was a large compound with an enormous backyard and a well-manicured garden, complete with a swing set, a few cane chairs, and a table for relaxation. The house had four floors and a large terrace facing the backyard. A troop of wild monkeys would sometimes come to the terrace, but they never hurt anyone. Rahul had fun watching them, and he would often feed them raw peanuts through the windows.

Kanpur was a popular and important industrial city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, with its own historical, religious, and commercial significance. Situated on the banks of the Ganges River, the city was a popular location for religious festivities, fluvial processions, and other celebrations in nearby meadows. And the sights, sounds, and smells of these events delighted the senses.

Guests began to arrive, and within a short time, the house overflowed with people. Rahul met a few of his cousins, but he did not remember many of them. Instead he went to town with his dad, carrying a shopping bag for him. Since Grammy's car wasn't readily available, they usually went by taxi or a motorized rickshaw, simply known as an "auto" or a "three-wheeler." Rahul often had fun playing with the vehicle's meter, much to the driver's objection.

The bazaar was a crowded place, so Rahul's father always made sure that Rahul stayed close to him. One time, Rahul ran over to a crowd of people to watch a juggler perform with his monkeys and his sidekick. His father scolded him for wandering away.

The wedding was still a few days away, and all young boys, mostly his cousins, decided to go to town the following day. Not all of Rahul's cousins were as disciplined as he was. One of them, named Suresh Kumar (a.k.a. Suri), was a very bad influence, and Rahul's mother had always advised Rahul to stay away from him....