"You're still the same! Just as you were in Junior college." She said with no hint of incredulity.
"Really?" I ask, stunned.
Cringe.
Cringe.
Brain doing a mental check:
Should I let my hair down and show her how wild it can get?
Should I rattle off unsavory invectives I've picked up over the years, in different languages?
Should I flash her a packet of goldflake lights?
Or my shiny new credit card?
Try getting her into an argument about Mumbai v/s Bombay or Obama's policies?
She's judged me.
But she tries to be judicious
As an after thought she adds, "No but I'm sure there's lots more up there now." (Pointing to the wonderful brain inside her wonderful head)
"So do you still attend the Music fest in college?" (the college I left five years back)
"No" I say.
It's her turn to cringe now. That's it.I've confirmed her speculation .
I exit, so she can be happy about her judgment.
I wonder why I stopped by to say a hi to her in the first place.
In this country, speculations are a national pastime. Or so I speculate and comfort myself.
I was at the passport office today and as I sat there painfully waiting
for the work to be done I observed the feet of people. There were so many
people b...