I’m not a Peasant Plucker, but…

Radhika doesn’t really have time to enjoy the first rays of the watery sun. It will be baking hot soon enough. She reaches into the first Camellia Sinensis var. Assamica shrub of the many she will confront over the coming hours, and expertly picks the top two leaves, with a central bud, and drops them into the basket slung around her shoulder.

Ranjiv’s hands fly as he collects the falling pieces. Baby George, who has taught him everything he knows, is operating the trimmer for one last day to show him. Expertly, Baby George twists and turns his sinewy hands, shearing a bud and three – sometimes four –  leaves from the shrub to Ranjiv’s darting hands.

It’s good flush and the bushes are prolific, so after a while, Radhika’s basket is full. On this occasion, she is to take the basket to the collection point herself. She gets it checked by Babu, then tips it into the collector. It’s the last basket in before the old truck wobbles off towards the sheds.

The two men are working together with the rhythm that comes from good workers and long practice – almost since Baby George’s wife Bunty gave birth to Ranjiv, their oldest. But Baby George retires today, and Ranjiv will assume control of the trimmer, with its spluttering petrol motor and its rotating teeth. Soon, their rapidly-filled baskets are collected by the basket boys and taken off to The Facility.

At the sheds, all the tea is placed into the withering trays and tossed about under the direction of Sanjit Wither-Wallah before being fed to the rolling machines. During rolling, Radhika’s three daughters pluck the little bits of loose stem that they see out of the trays, to improve the quality of the tea.

Arriving under the big sign that says “The Facility”, the tea is conveyed around in front of the mechanical witherer, but since it doesn’t work, withering takes place as it always has. Then the leaves are rolled,  and even though there’s a lot of stem, no-one does anything about it. The McKertcher just crushes, tears and curls merrily away.  And oh-so-quickly…

Time for the drying and sorting. Radhika’s brother, Vishnu, is thankful that the sun has now become hot enough for good drying, but not too hot.

Meanwhile, less than four kilometers away at The Facility, the owner is taking a stroll through the sheds. It’s most unusual; in fact, he’s never been here before. After all, he has a construction company to run, and a shipping line to oversee. His wife is not with him; she’s promoting her latest film. He pauses to admire the mechanical dryers, even hotter than the day, and so efficient.

Fermented and dried, tea rolls from the small garden as it always has. But on this day, there’s a visitor expected. In between the giant trucks that roll the already-bagged tea from The Facility next door, a Rolls Royce is disgorged and in it, the owner of the Facility.

“I am truly sorry, Sir, that you have wasted your time. I do not wish to sell you my tea garden. It may be small, but we are very proud of the quality and we do not wish to disappoint our many customers”.

The industrialist puts down his cup, with a contented sigh. “My dear fellow, you misunderstand my motives. It’s true I own every plantation in this valley bar yours, but I have no wish to change the way you do business. My wife drinks your tea only. She has instructed me to buy this plantation for her. And there will be no changes; apart from a  few minor ones, like using our trucks which come past your door anyway, instead of that local courier.”

“Ah, Barre Sahib, I am getting older, and you make a compelling case.”

“To ease your retirement and to reward your good work, let me double the asking price. Do we have a deal”

“We have a deal, Sir. And there, I have signed.”

“Excellent, may you enjoy a long and happy retirement. Where will you go?”

“‘Go’, Sir? I plan to live out my days in my cabin, surrounded by my family and the workers who are my extended family. I was born on this land. I wish to pass my final days here.”

“I am truly sorry, but that will not be possible. Your cabin will be demolished tomorrow, to make way for the new mechanical driers.”