Page 2 - Lesson Note 1

are still being referred to as „Paders‟. Everything about baking is still the same;
ranging from those who mould the bread loaves, to the furnaces which have
survived the ravages of time. The sound of their arrival and the thud of their
bamboo stick can still be heard just like the olden times.

During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and
guide. He used to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the
morning on his selling round, and then again, when he returned after emptying
his huge basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from sleep and we
ran to meet and greet him. Why was it so? Was it for the love of the loaf? Not at
all. The loaves were bought by some Paskine or Bastine, the maid-servant of the
house! What we longed for were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully.
Sometimes it was sweet bread of special make.
Companion- a person with whom one spends a lot of time
Jingling- make or cause to make a light metallic ringing sound

The narrator recalls that the baker acted as their friend and companion during
their childhood days in Goa. The baker used to visit twice a day; once, while he
was on the round to sell his loaves and the other time, while returning back with
his empty basket, having sold all the loaves. It was the sound of his bamboo stick
that woke the children up. The children were so excited to meet him and choose
from the bread bangles or Kankon he made especially for them. While the
bangles were for children, loaves were for the adults that were generally
collected by the maid-servant of the household.