A Fine Balance

The owner of Au Revoir Exports gives Dina her first order for a trial run. If the work Dina produces is good enough, there will be bigger orders in the future. The tailors arrive promptly on Monday morning. The quality of their initial sewing is outstanding, and Dina feels that her financial worries are over. When she takes the finished dresses to Au Revoir, the owner is equally delighted.

Within a week, the tailors begin to slack off. They take breaks more frequently and show up later in the morning to start their day. Om, in particular, resents his lot and believes that he and his uncle are being exploited. If they could cut Dina out of the picture, they could work directly for the company and earn more money. Ishvar tells Om not to make trouble. Om challenges Ishvar’s indecisive attitude: “You want it both ways? First you said struggle, don’t give up. Now you are saying just accept it. Swaying from side to side, like a pot without an arse” (83).

When Dina delivers the next order to Au Revoir, she worries that Om might follow her to find out who the owner is, so she locks the tailors inside her house until she returns.