ukhtar Ahmad, a 22-year-old native of Ali Pur, a historic town in Muzaffargarh district, adorns himself in a vibrant floral-patterned purple shirt. His hair, dyed orange with henna, frames his face, while surma (kohl) adorns his eyes, and a talisman, strung on a black cord around his neck, stands guard to ward off the evil eye.

In the fertile lands of his district, where wheat, sugarcane and cotton sway in the breeze, Ahmad finds himself amidst the annual ritual of cotton picking when the harvest season begins. “I go there then, to the cotton fields,” he shares. “Just 10 kilometres east lies the Punjnad Headworks, where the five rivers of the Punjab converge,” he adds, a nod to the geographical richness surrounding his hometown. Though traditionally a task entrusted to women, Ahmad actively participates in the arduous process of picking and cleaning cotton alongside them in September and October.

Following the cotton harvest, Ahmad journeys back to the city, where he metamorphoses into an ice cream vendor. Seeking refuge from the sweltering heat as an ice cream man, he enjoys his role as a purveyor of frozen delights.

“I have gone around the streets and mohallas, but I don’t like that,” he says. “They take the ice cream and run away without paying me. It is better to be in an open public place. I like interacting with patrons, inhaling fresh air and witnessing the sun’s descent into the horizon. These are the moments I cherish,” he muses, his voice tinged with a romanticism befitting a poet.

Having bid adieu to formal education after completing the fourth grade, Ahmed’s literacy barely extends beyond basic comprehension. Employed by an ice cream brand, he is provided a tricycle equipped with a freezer, ensuring the preservation of his icy wares for over twelve hours, from noon till 2:00 am.

His lodging, within the confines of a factory compound, is provided free of charge. However, Ahmad shoulders the expenses for his meals and puncture repairs on his tricycle, while also disbursing a commission to the manager. Earning between Rs 5.00 and Rs 7.00 on each sale, he is satisfied with his daily earnings. “It’s a fair sum. I am content,” he concludes, his satisfaction palpable.

The writer is an author, illustrator and educator. She may be contacted at husain.rumana@gmail.com