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I houtside I guessed that this was the main entrance to the palace because a covered drive wrapped in a circle down to a broken road and a running funny-looking opened-sided car with afor us

The car was more of a three-wheeled motorcycle with one seat for the driver and a back seat wide enough to hold at least two people, maybe three The vehicle was covered, except for the sides, which et in and out of But I was a little nervous the scooter would be able to do its job efficiently

I followed Kiran, cli for a seat belt but finding nothing Kiran smiled down at me, mischief in his eyes, and tapped the driver on the shoulder letting hio

The srabbed onto the seat, trying to decide which mode of transportation I found safer, this or the elephant We drove faster than I thought possible with the little engine that could, down the winding hway The driver expertly swerved across the road, avoiding deep pot holes and tears in the pavement

Twenty minutes later, the driver slowed down as we approached the touristy town of Ooty Elegant hotels, tea shops, and clean native retailers lined the main roads The driver continued on, past the s I expected would house Kiran's business

We drove past the Westernized portion of town and out of the city into a village beyond where the tourists would go The roads were dirt and the houses four walls of rotting ith a rough piece of tin or plastic, providing a roof Barely dressed children played with flat soccer balls in the e systereen waste filled the air, and I used

Kiran stepped out of the vehicle, pulling a few large bags from a trunk I would have assu what kind of business waited for hiame as soon as Kiran was out of the car and turned on hi wildly in his direction I didn't knohat to make of the children and orried Kiran would not appreciate the excited attention, but to s down and reached out his ar as many children as he could fit The ones who didn't fit ju his naue

"Just awhile they claood?" He continued to laugh with the theood-naturedly

"Can you play with us?" one little boy asked, holding up the flat soccer ball with a twinkle in his eyes

"Yes, yes of course, but let me speak with your parents first," Kiran smiled in a way I had never seen before, his whole face was lit up and his s back, unsure what to do or how to even begin to interact with the children that loved Kiran somy eyes when I noticed how dirty the children were and how their tattered clothes hung from their tiny bodies They were barefoot and scrawny, not with bloated sto children I had seen on TV, but with bare ribs and exposed spines

A little girl with long, tangled black hair, tugged at Kiran's black linen pants; he kneeled down to look her in the eye She whispered soe deep brown eyes

"Well, this is Eden Children, this is Eden," he reached out toof little ones pressing theh little boy asked, putting his hands on his hips and sizinghis ar hed harder and I just stared at hi his audacity

"Why?" the sa his eyes suspiciously

"Well, because she loves me," he smiled at the children and then at me I had never seen Kiran so happy before; I was too swept away in his e the soccer ball groaned

"I know, isn't it?" Kiran rolled his eyes drairl with big eyes was tugging onmoments when I just needed to ju so hopeful, I could hardly say no

"I would love to," I kneeled down like Kiran had, to her level "But you'll have to teachwith ot a happy nod in return

"Oh Mr Kiran, she is Ath of his arm, dramatically covered his face with his hands and shook his head as if to say he was disappointed