Tiruvannamalai

She was walking down the street with her mother, who was carrying her baby sister. She stared and grinned at me, like most of the children do. I grinned back. As i passed, she let go of her mother's hand and turned to walk with me.

"Hello!" she said brightly in almost unaccented English.
"Hello!" i replied, charmed immediately.
"How are you?" she asked.
"I'm good! How are you?"
"I'm fine! What's your name?"
"Caroline, what's your name?"
"Sasika! Ten rupees please!"

She was probably 7 or 8; i only give money to the children.