he ain't heavy, he's my brother...

"I work in the laundry shop all day. I save money by sleeping in the shop at night. This Arbi (Arab) is very good to me. He trusts me blindly.
I have two houses in Bangladesh. My sister and nephew live in England. The agent said I'll have to spend just few months here, then England. He ran away with five lakh rupees. And since then I am stuck here, trying to earn the money back. The first two years were difficult, couldn't save anything, got 600 dirhams a month. Now its increased to 1000, and I also wash cars. I am saving 1000 a month now.
My brothers asked me to come back, but I didn't want to. Haven't been home ever since I left. I feel like going back all the time. I planned throughout last year to go back during Ramadan, then ran out of money in the end. My brothers said they will pay for my tickets. I didn't acept, doesn't feel nice going back for the first time, with no money.
Washing cars is illegal for me. So is sleeping in the shop. The police caught me twice. I didn't lie to them. I told them I earn 800 dirhams, 400 I spend on food, 200 on calling home every month. I can't afford an accommodation. Would you rather I steal? I don't do that. I told them I am not Alibaba. I pray daily, I work hard. They didn't say anything to me.
I am alright now. I am saving enough. Some other people I know have gone back, they didn't last. I want to see the end of this. I wont give up. Ami Bangaler bachcha.
Just that I am very lonely here. Back home I had friends, I would barely be home 2-3 hours a day. I had family. I am very lonely here."

I had known Salamat was a bengali the first time he had spoken to me in English. I guess the same way everybody knows I am one when I speak any other language. Salamat is short and thin, with a bad squint and (I suspect) a hearing problem as well. He is my laundry man, my dhopa.
The same day I got a packet from Kolkata with new pujo clothes, from my parents. It also had a letter from my kid brother, thanking me for the Chelsea shirt and telling me he bought kites on Bishwakarma pujo. And he would like to come and visit me and see the ocean and the desert.

I shook Salamat's hand, wished him luck and asked him to take care.