The Other Guy
I slam the door as I leave for the afternoon class and wonder whether that would wake him up. Then I realize that it doesn’t make much of a difference whether he is asleep or not because he is either shallowing in a dream or in an alternate reality where guys can pick up girls while wearing overalls.
The sound of him leaving wakes me up. I find myself tangled up with my laptop and my headset. I try to remember what I was watching last night but cannot recall. I consider getting out of bed but then quickly give that up as a fleeting whim. I return to whatever I was watching last night. Then I realize that I am hungry.
I come back to the room and see that he has partaken enough nutrition for the day on seeing the two empty chips’ packets and soda can on the floor. I have always wondered why he just doesn’t go the mess when it’s just as far as the canteen. Is it because the canteen involves less human interaction?
He returns and doesn’t say a word. It’s not that I want him to talk to me. I watch as he starts designing another one of his mechanical monstrosities. I wonder to what end. I wonder why he bothers. No matter how hard he tries there is always going to be someone better. I wonder when he will realize that and give up like I did.
I notice that he is staring at my design. I recall that he used to be pretty good at it. I wonder why he stopped.
If he modifies that part then……That’s it. No more dreaming about non-existent modifications to someone else’s design. My laptop’s a better refuge. Now let’s see, how about some YouTube now! Baby or Kolaveri. Sigh! Life is so tough. I don’t need all these choices. Let’s see now… Baby it is then.
A weird sound distracts me. What is that? Huh!! What’s he listening to? Aaargh! Nooooo!!!! Make it stop! I skedaddle as fast as any sane guy confronted with Beiber would.
Wow! That wasn’t as good as I thought it would be but nevertheless it served the purpose. Huh! Where did he go? Probably to some friend. I wonder how long this friend will remain his ‘friend’ when he doesn’t get a job.
I enter my room once again and find him staring blankly into space muttering some gibberish. I ignore him. Live and let live. That’s my motto. I am about to a friend’s birthday party leave when a thought strikes me. I think why not. What do I have to lose? I invite him.
Does he really expect me to leave my bed and leave my room for a guy I barely know?
Why did I even bother asking?
He leaves for some crazy ritualistic bunkum of a party which involves a lot of smacking — of rears, and lips (I hope in very different contexts). I wonder why he invited me. He did it knowing that it would be pointless.
I stagger back in late, feeling uncharacteristically talkative and inquisitive. I ask him why he never leaves the room.
Because I don’t like to? I know fifty euphemistic ways of saying that. Now there’s one… two…
He just stares at me with a blank expression on his face while muttering something really fast. I take that as my cue to sleep. Man! I have a really messed up roommate.
He just ignores me and goes to sleep. Why bother asking then? Man! I have a really weird roommate.
