again.
‘It must be Tanu …
I will be back in 20 minutes!
’ Simar said mimicking Tanu.
She was about to get up but instead I jumped out of my bean bag to answer the doorbell. It wasn’t locked, though, to keep Simar comfortable. I welcomed Tanu back into my house. ‘Sorry, I am late,’ she apologized and walked ahead of me to look for her friend.
‘Out there in the balcony,’ I told her and then added, ‘Watch your step!’
‘What are you guys doing?’ Tanu casually asked when she was able to trace Simar in the barely lit balcony.
‘Ah … nothing much,’ Simar said. I don’t know, but for some reason Simar didn’t have any answer to her friend’s question.
‘Truth or Dare,’ popped out of my mouth. ‘We were playing Truth or Dare.’ I don’t know why I said that. But I said it.
‘Oh, who won?’ she asked inquisitively.
Simar started giggling when she heard me cooking up this fake story for no reason.
I responded, ‘No one yet, but there are strong chances that I may win.’ And then I tried to change the subject. ‘Sit!’ I said, pushing a chair towards Tanu.
‘Oh no, no. We are already late. We actually need to rush,’ Tanu said instead.
‘It will take me half an hour to cook. We can have dinner together,’ I said. I really didn’t want them to leave.
‘You cook?’ Tanu asked, putting her hands on her hips and giving me a surprised look.
‘Yes.’
‘You know how to cook?’ Simar rose from her chair and joined Tanu.
I was enjoying their shock and answered as I had answered before, ‘Yes,’ and had the last sip of my coffee.
They were quiet for a moment.
‘Why? What happened?’ I asked as I got up and put the cup and cutlery in the tray, ready to take them back to the kitchen.
‘Let me help you.’ Simar sportingly took half of the stuff from my hands and followed me to the kitchen.
‘Because we don’t know how to cook! How come being a guy you know how to cook?’ Tanu exclaimed from the balcony.
‘There is nothing like guys can’t cook and all. It is up to your need and interest. I live alone and I prefer eating Indian food and hence I cook it,’ I answered. Then I asked them, ‘How do you manage your meals then?’
By now Tanu too was at the kitchen door.
Simar replied, ‘We eat in our mess.’
‘Else we have stored surplus Maggi that we get from that Pakistani shop near the Mechelen railway station,’ added Tanu.
‘Oh yes, even I get Indian pulses and vegetables from that shop only,’ I added.
‘Simar, look at the time!’ Tanu pleaded.
‘Oh shit!’
‘Ravin, we need to go now. We are very late.’
‘Yes. And for sure we would love to eat some nice Indian food when we show up the next time!’ Tanu chuckled. Simar gave her an annoyed look.
‘Sure, anytime,’ I responded. I knew that I wouldn’t mind cooking for any of them.
At the door Tanu left first and Simar stood for a last-minute chat.
‘Ah … thanks for coming, Simar. I really had a great time with you,’ I said, before she could say anything.
‘You are welcome and I must say it was a pleasant evening for me. Sorry for being late, though. Chalo, you take care now and I will leave. Happy Birthday once again!’
I smiled and waved my hand. She left. I closed my door and walked back, feeling blissful.
I felt the need to have a drink and to enjoy the last few hours of my birthday. I consumed two cans of Stellas. I emptied the second one listening to some music in my bedroom. For some unknown reason I loved boozing. Hours later my cellphone beeped. I had long been asleep then but the loud beep and vibration of the phone on my bedside woke me up. Half asleep, I read the SMS. It was her—Simar. I was drunk but tried to read the message. There were three words on the screen: ‘Truth or Dare?’
It is early morning. I haven’t been able to sleep much. I am out of my bed way ahead of my usual routine time. I prepare some tea for myself. Standing in the refreshing air of my
‘It must be Tanu …
I will be back in 20 minutes!
’ Simar said mimicking Tanu.
She was about to get up but instead I jumped out of my bean bag to answer the doorbell. It wasn’t locked, though, to keep Simar comfortable. I welcomed Tanu back into my house. ‘Sorry, I am late,’ she apologized and walked ahead of me to look for her friend.
‘Out there in the balcony,’ I told her and then added, ‘Watch your step!’
‘What are you guys doing?’ Tanu casually asked when she was able to trace Simar in the barely lit balcony.
‘Ah … nothing much,’ Simar said. I don’t know, but for some reason Simar didn’t have any answer to her friend’s question.
‘Truth or Dare,’ popped out of my mouth. ‘We were playing Truth or Dare.’ I don’t know why I said that. But I said it.
‘Oh, who won?’ she asked inquisitively.
Simar started giggling when she heard me cooking up this fake story for no reason.
I responded, ‘No one yet, but there are strong chances that I may win.’ And then I tried to change the subject. ‘Sit!’ I said, pushing a chair towards Tanu.
‘Oh no, no. We are already late. We actually need to rush,’ Tanu said instead.
‘It will take me half an hour to cook. We can have dinner together,’ I said. I really didn’t want them to leave.
‘You cook?’ Tanu asked, putting her hands on her hips and giving me a surprised look.
‘Yes.’
‘You know how to cook?’ Simar rose from her chair and joined Tanu.
I was enjoying their shock and answered as I had answered before, ‘Yes,’ and had the last sip of my coffee.
They were quiet for a moment.
‘Why? What happened?’ I asked as I got up and put the cup and cutlery in the tray, ready to take them back to the kitchen.
‘Let me help you.’ Simar sportingly took half of the stuff from my hands and followed me to the kitchen.
‘Because we don’t know how to cook! How come being a guy you know how to cook?’ Tanu exclaimed from the balcony.
‘There is nothing like guys can’t cook and all. It is up to your need and interest. I live alone and I prefer eating Indian food and hence I cook it,’ I answered. Then I asked them, ‘How do you manage your meals then?’
By now Tanu too was at the kitchen door.
Simar replied, ‘We eat in our mess.’
‘Else we have stored surplus Maggi that we get from that Pakistani shop near the Mechelen railway station,’ added Tanu.
‘Oh yes, even I get Indian pulses and vegetables from that shop only,’ I added.
‘Simar, look at the time!’ Tanu pleaded.
‘Oh shit!’
‘Ravin, we need to go now. We are very late.’
‘Yes. And for sure we would love to eat some nice Indian food when we show up the next time!’ Tanu chuckled. Simar gave her an annoyed look.
‘Sure, anytime,’ I responded. I knew that I wouldn’t mind cooking for any of them.
At the door Tanu left first and Simar stood for a last-minute chat.
‘Ah … thanks for coming, Simar. I really had a great time with you,’ I said, before she could say anything.
‘You are welcome and I must say it was a pleasant evening for me. Sorry for being late, though. Chalo, you take care now and I will leave. Happy Birthday once again!’
I smiled and waved my hand. She left. I closed my door and walked back, feeling blissful.
I felt the need to have a drink and to enjoy the last few hours of my birthday. I consumed two cans of Stellas. I emptied the second one listening to some music in my bedroom. For some unknown reason I loved boozing. Hours later my cellphone beeped. I had long been asleep then but the loud beep and vibration of the phone on my bedside woke me up. Half asleep, I read the SMS. It was her—Simar. I was drunk but tried to read the message. There were three words on the screen: ‘Truth or Dare?’
It is early morning. I haven’t been able to sleep much. I am out of my bed way ahead of my usual routine time. I prepare some tea for myself. Standing in the refreshing air of my
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