The story revolves around an old woman named Rukmani, who is sitting on the roadside waiting for the Deputy Commissioner. Rukmani is approached by a parrot in a cage, which calls out her name repeatedly. Rukmani is tired and in pain, with a dull ache in her head and sweat trickling down her face.
The parrot continues to call out to Rukmani, asking where she is and what she is doing. Rukmani reminisces about a night of terror when she had to flee her lane due to murder and fire.
She is waiting for the Deputy Commissioner to give her money to buy bread, as she believes the Congress Sarkar will help them recover what they have lost. The gram stall keeper advises Rukmani to go to the Durbar Sahib temple for food instead of waiting for the Deputy Commissioner.
Rukmani laments her current situation and wonders why she left her home. A motor passes by, and Rukmani rushes towards it, hoping to meet the Sahib and ask for help.
A crowd of refugees also rushes towards the court, but they are met with a lathi charge from the police. Rukmani falls and clings to the cage with her parrot as she lies on the ground.
The gram seller helps Rukmani and takes her to sit in the shade. The parrot continues to call out to Rukmani, who responds weakly, expressing her confusion about her whereabouts.
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