Summary

Two stories, one truth: The chapter contrasts the lives of Saheb-e-Alam, a ragpicker in Seemapuri, and Mukesh, a bangle-maker in Firozabad. Both are children trapped in cycles of poverty, denied childhood and education.

Saheb-e-Alam: His name means "lord of the universe," yet he scavenges garbage for a living. He dreams of shoes and a school, but his family's migration from Dhaka offers only survival, not escape. The author's offer of a job in a tea stall is refused — it would mean losing his "freedom" to roam.

Mukesh: A boy from a family of bangle-makers, he dreams of becoming a car mechanic. But his family is locked in the glass-blowing trade, bound by debt and the "law of the land" — the bangle industry's exploitative system. His grandmother accepts this as fate; Mukesh dares to hope.

Themes: Poverty as a trap, loss of childhood, the illusion of choice, the crushing weight of social and economic structures, and the quiet resilience of the poor. …