Chit-chat (Part 1)

Me: Hey hi! Harshita. You?
Radha: Radha Rama Radhikakrishnan
Me: *thinking* Her parents must be alliteration freaks.
Radha: Actually, my mother has a PhD in Literature.
Me: *thinking* she reads minds.
Radha: Umm.. I don’t read minds. It’s just that I am aware of this thinking face.

Me: *staring at the starry sky*
Ajeet: It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
Me: Shh… don’t ruin my romance.
Ajeet: Are you high?
Me: Yes. On stars.

Sandhesh: Nice camera. Clicked any pictures yet?
Me: Yeah, clicked some yesterday. Not planning to do that anymore.
Sandhesh: Why did you bring the camera if you don’t plan on clicking any pictures?
Me: Just to remind myself not to click any pictures.
Sandhesh: Huh?
Me: When I arrived, I clicked about 10 photos of the same starry night and wasted time.
Sandhesh: Why 10?
Me: Camera would focus on the most twinkly star while I wanted to capture some other one. I was more interested to capture my perspective.
Sandhesh: What’s wrong with that? That’s what photography is all about.
Me: Well, while capturing these perspectives, we forget to enjoy the reality.
Sandhesh: Beta, tu yahi Baba ban ke settle ho ja. Kaafi philo jhaad rahi hai.

Evelyn: So which part of India do you belong to?
Me: No idea, man.
Evelyn: I’m sorry?
Me: Haha, no worries. It’s just that I was born and brought up in Bombay, precisely New Bombay. But I spent hell a lot of time in Colaba and Juhu while growing up. And then lived in Powai for a while, which is the Silicon Valley equivalent of India. After this trip, I’m moving to Bangalore.
Evelyn: *confused* ummm..?
Me: Honestly, I don’t know. I’m as confused as you are. Forget about me. Tell me where are you from?
Evelyn: I thought I was a New Yorker. But now I am not so sure either.

Robert: Hey fellow Floyd fan, we are starting the jam soon. See you down in 5?
Me: Yup. Just finishing rolling.
Robert: But didn’t you only roll for special people/occasions, whatever that stupid theory was.
Me: I meant rolling these fucking blankets, you dumbass!

Tehneem: What are you escaping from?
Me: Lol. Nothing.
Tehneem: There has to be something. Just because you don’t know it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.

Me: Man, is this place always full of philosophical people trying to figure out shit?
Veer: No! This one time an entire gujarati family came down and they spoke some real horse shit all the time.
Me: I’m gujarati.
Veer: I’m sorry.
Me: No, I meant, I’m gujarati. I understand.
Veer: Oh thank god.

Mahi: It was great meeting you. Give me your number na. I’ll see you down in Bangalore.
Me: I have learned something that I’ll share with you.
Mahi: Go on.
Me: People on travel and people in their routine are very different beings. If you have chosen to meet the traveler, don’t care about meeting the routine lover. If you do, the confusion will disappoint you. Hence, sorry, I don’t want your number and I’m not giving you mine.
Mahi: Arey. I’ll miss you, man.
Me: Aww, I’ll miss you too. Here’s my number. Ho sake toh call mat karna.
Mahi: Chutiya!

Me: So what have you learned so far about Indians?
Kevin: Nothing.
Me: Should I judge your observational skills?
Kevin: Let me put it this way. I’m not here to know Indians. I’m here to know people.