My mother like no other, Mary Roy, most unique human.
My brother, LKC, keeper of my sanity, and sister-in-law, Mary, both of whom, like me, survived.
Golak. Go. Oldest friend.
Mithva and Pia. Littles. Still mine.
David Godwin. Flying Agent. Top Man. Without whom.
Anthony Arnove, comrade, agent, publisher, rock.
Pradip Krishen, love of many years, honorary tree.
Sanjay Kak. Cave. Since forever.
And
Begum Filthy Jaan and Maati K. Lal. Creatures.
—
Special acknowledgments:
The passage which the weevil professor reads aloud to his weevil class is adapted from Straw Dogs by John Gray.
The lyrics of “Dark to Light and Light to Dark” are from “Gone” by Ioanna Gika.
The poem “Duniya ki mehfilon se ukta gaya hoon ya Rab” is by Allama Iqbal.
The couplet on Arifa Yeswi’s gravestone is by Ahmed Faraz.