A Sample from School of the Ages 4: Simon Myth

Pleased to present a draft sample from School of the Ages 4: Simon Myth. This is from a chapter near the end. Simon is speaking, and his team is assembled in his grandmother's house in Mumbai (Bombay).


It was hours later when the doorbell rank. The naukar* admitted a small man in a tattered gray suit with a wilted flower in his boutonniere. He was about fifty and had wet brown eyes and pouty lips and was holding a cane made of rosewood with a bronze cap.

“That is him,” said Devi. “Bakshi, this useless excuse for a jaadugar*.”

“Useless?” Bakshi countered. “Madame, I protest. Things are difficult. They take time. With patience, we will be able to…”

“A refund,” my father said. “The full amount, minus one month’s fee as a courtesy. Write a check.”

“Absolutely not,” said Bholenath Bakshi. He wrung the ends of his stick. “There are no refunds from jaadu*. I have been paid for ceaseless efforts to…”

“To what?” Goldberry interrupted.

“My dear,” said Bakshi, lifting his cane which he shook like a wagging finger. “You must leave this matter to the…” He mouthed ‘experts’ but then he looked at her with broader recognition. “Oh, well,” he recovered, “I see I must acknowledge you as a junior colleague.”

“Oh, you see that, do you?” she pressed. “What else do you see?”

“I see that when you mature, young woman, you will understand better the true nature of…”

“Rubbish.”

Bakshi gripped his stick tightly. “In time, you will know the…”

“She knows the ten rimzas, the secret seals of the planets,” I said.

“All well and good,” Bakshi said, noticing with a glance that Rocco and Balaram were now standing behind him. “The ten rimza seals are useful in some conditions, but…”

“There’s only nine of them,” Rocco said into his ear.

“Keep your distance, boy!” Bakshi blurted. He raised his cane in a warning pose.

“Thanks,” Rocco said, and snatched it from his hand.

“Give her a refund,” I told Bakshi. “We offered you one month as a courtesy, even though you don’t deserve it.”

“You fake,” Balaram added.

Bakshi made a grab for his stick. Rocco, taller and sprier, easily evaded him.
“You have one more chance to accept these conditions,” I continued.

“There are no refunds for jaadu,” Bakshi insisted.

“You didn’t do any jaadu, yaar*,” Balaram said. “Right. You just took the money and spent it on what? Liquor? Gambling?”

“Give me that!” Bakshi snarled as he grabbed for his stick. “Do not test me, for I am Mahamayakar*, Mahaabhyosi*. I am Sarvajna, all-knowing! If you challenge me, you shall…”

“All-knowing,” said Rocco. “Okay. What’s my name?”

Bakshi thought about it. “Cretin,” he answered.

“Yep,” said Rocco. “He’s good. Mr. Moore, can I kick his ass?”




* naukar (Hindi): a house servant. pronounced like "knocker"
jaadugar (Hindi): magician, wizard.
jaadu (Hindi): magic
Mahamayakar (Sanskrit): A great wizard
Mahaabhyosi (Sanskrit): A great spiritual aspirant. Clumsily used, indicating what a phony he is.