George and Jeannie Miller were among my parents’ best friends; they live in California and we keep in touch. George grew up in India and returned as a United States Information Service officer.

He graduated from Woodstock School in 1940, and has wonderful stories to tell, such as the time he almost burned down the boys’ hostel by running a pakora-frying operation out of his room.

He remembers with fondness going to the bazaar and having a double roti with vegetable curry. That double roti sounded so good that I’m putting it on the menu of the Why Not? Tea Shop in the third Jana Bibi book.

Jeannie’s no slouch as a storyteller, either.

Jeannie recalls how both she and my mom received frequent visits from the same brasswalla. The bargaining was intense. If it broke down, Mr. Beg would announce indignantly that Mrs. Woodman would never offer such an insultingly low price for such a fine piece. Then he’d come to our house and play the game in reverse with my mom.

Thanks to Jeannie for permission to post these line drawings from her charming memoir about foreign service life.

Drawing by S.A. Aziz

Drawing by S.A. Aziz

From Jeannie Miller, Believe Me When I Tell You, Aftab Alam Press, Lahore, Pakistan.