Discovery? They should have something interesting.”
“No, I want to watch a sitcom. I want to get familiar with popular American culture,” she declared, flipping the channels. “There we go!”
“Two and a Half Men?”
“Yes, it’s a popular show, isn’t it?”
“Yes…but…”
“But what?”
“It’s a little…risqué,” he said, looking embarrassed.
“Risqué? You mean inappropriate? Oh my god, Shaan, I’m shocked to hear it coming from you! I’m an adult and so are you. Besides, I heard it’s quite funny.”
“Who told you so?”
“Debo did. She and Sujoy watch it together all the time. It happens to be one of their favorites.”
“Do they? That’s amazing.” But of course, Sooj and Debo was a match made in heaven.
“Yes, Debo is really lucky. No offence to you, Shaan.”
“I was a bad choice for you, Ruhi. I have no excuse.”
“Forget it, Shaan. It’s all over! Finito! Chill, dude! Take it easy! Isn’t that what a friend would say?”
He laughed. “Perfect! You got it, babe!”
“Babe? Like the pig?”
“No, I meant…” Crap!
“I don’t mind either way. Hmmm…interesting.”
He studied her curiously while she looked at the screen, pretending not to be aware that his eyes were on her. She colored, but continued to watch as the actors kissed. He had to admire her tenacity.
“You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to.”
“No, I do. I want to see how casual they are about…”
“Sex on TV?”
Her gaze held his. “I meant to say physical relationships. You are very blunt.”
“Well, I like to call an egg an egg.”
“Honesty is refreshing.”
“Whatever it is, casual or not, don’t you think it’s an important part of any intimate relationship?”
“There are many things more important and should come first, such as respect and integrity.”
Go ahead scream at me Ruhi! You don’t have to bottle it all up!
She opened her mouth to speak and then hesitated. He could see she was struggling to control herself; he didn’t want her to.
She turned back to the television. “So it’d seem quite routine to have extramarital affairs here, partners change in the blink of an eye. Sometimes they aren’t even aware of their names, like Charlie.”
Briefly, she closed her eyes as the scene progressed to the inevitable.
Ruhi, you don’t have to torture yourself.
“So how long does it last, five minutes? Ten?”
“Sometimes two, as in this case. Charlie happens to be drunk most of the time.”
Breaking into a nervous laugh, she remarked, “How funny. It sounds so prosaic, not serious at all. Tell me, is this how most Americans lead their lives?” Her eyes pinned him down.
Shaan didn’t flinch. “No, you’ll be surprised that a lot of them have regular functioning families. But what I admire most about this society is its openness. Back home, people play around behind closed doors and carry on like saints, so when the river breaks its banks, the destruction is immense, irrecoverable.”
Sensing that he was expressing something close to his heart, she waited, wanting to hear more; but he didn’t elaborate any further.
Disappointed, she got up. “I think I shall sleep now. Good night.”
Vibes
R uhi tried her best to act nonchalant as she headed to her room; she could feel his eyes on her back—curious, probing, and perhaps perplexed. Good, keep him guessing.
But as soon as she shut the door, she darted to the bed and collapsed facedown. Her sobs muffled by the thick mattress, a downpour of anguish and hopelessness.
He doesn’t care! He doesn’t care at all!
How she had hoped he would grab her by the shoulders and shake her till her teeth rattled, scream at her, proclaim that she was his wife, and that perhaps they could work it out. That he was ready to leave Des, or whoever the bitch was. But no, he had done none of that. Zilch! Nada!
“Not as though I would have accepted if he had made such a proposal, no way!” she asserted
“No, I want to watch a sitcom. I want to get familiar with popular American culture,” she declared, flipping the channels. “There we go!”
“Two and a Half Men?”
“Yes, it’s a popular show, isn’t it?”
“Yes…but…”
“But what?”
“It’s a little…risqué,” he said, looking embarrassed.
“Risqué? You mean inappropriate? Oh my god, Shaan, I’m shocked to hear it coming from you! I’m an adult and so are you. Besides, I heard it’s quite funny.”
“Who told you so?”
“Debo did. She and Sujoy watch it together all the time. It happens to be one of their favorites.”
“Do they? That’s amazing.” But of course, Sooj and Debo was a match made in heaven.
“Yes, Debo is really lucky. No offence to you, Shaan.”
“I was a bad choice for you, Ruhi. I have no excuse.”
“Forget it, Shaan. It’s all over! Finito! Chill, dude! Take it easy! Isn’t that what a friend would say?”
He laughed. “Perfect! You got it, babe!”
“Babe? Like the pig?”
“No, I meant…” Crap!
“I don’t mind either way. Hmmm…interesting.”
He studied her curiously while she looked at the screen, pretending not to be aware that his eyes were on her. She colored, but continued to watch as the actors kissed. He had to admire her tenacity.
“You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to.”
“No, I do. I want to see how casual they are about…”
“Sex on TV?”
Her gaze held his. “I meant to say physical relationships. You are very blunt.”
“Well, I like to call an egg an egg.”
“Honesty is refreshing.”
“Whatever it is, casual or not, don’t you think it’s an important part of any intimate relationship?”
“There are many things more important and should come first, such as respect and integrity.”
Go ahead scream at me Ruhi! You don’t have to bottle it all up!
She opened her mouth to speak and then hesitated. He could see she was struggling to control herself; he didn’t want her to.
She turned back to the television. “So it’d seem quite routine to have extramarital affairs here, partners change in the blink of an eye. Sometimes they aren’t even aware of their names, like Charlie.”
Briefly, she closed her eyes as the scene progressed to the inevitable.
Ruhi, you don’t have to torture yourself.
“So how long does it last, five minutes? Ten?”
“Sometimes two, as in this case. Charlie happens to be drunk most of the time.”
Breaking into a nervous laugh, she remarked, “How funny. It sounds so prosaic, not serious at all. Tell me, is this how most Americans lead their lives?” Her eyes pinned him down.
Shaan didn’t flinch. “No, you’ll be surprised that a lot of them have regular functioning families. But what I admire most about this society is its openness. Back home, people play around behind closed doors and carry on like saints, so when the river breaks its banks, the destruction is immense, irrecoverable.”
Sensing that he was expressing something close to his heart, she waited, wanting to hear more; but he didn’t elaborate any further.
Disappointed, she got up. “I think I shall sleep now. Good night.”
Vibes
R uhi tried her best to act nonchalant as she headed to her room; she could feel his eyes on her back—curious, probing, and perhaps perplexed. Good, keep him guessing.
But as soon as she shut the door, she darted to the bed and collapsed facedown. Her sobs muffled by the thick mattress, a downpour of anguish and hopelessness.
He doesn’t care! He doesn’t care at all!
How she had hoped he would grab her by the shoulders and shake her till her teeth rattled, scream at her, proclaim that she was his wife, and that perhaps they could work it out. That he was ready to leave Des, or whoever the bitch was. But no, he had done none of that. Zilch! Nada!
“Not as though I would have accepted if he had made such a proposal, no way!” she asserted
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