Roommate

Recently i shifted to a new apartment. this is the third relocation for me in last six months of my stay in Chicago. This time reason was marriage, not mine but my roommate’s. Irony, one gets married and other thrown out of the home. the other guy was me. so, without any emotional touch, yet again, i found a new apartment, thanks to sulekha, if you know what i mean.

When i entered, i was shocked to see an apartment so clean, tidy and decorated, i mean there must be some sign that the person who stays here is a bachelor, but there was none. advertisement clearly said that the person who lived here was single and not married. still i had my own doubts looking at the shining table.

‘well maintained house it is’ i was not able to resist myself and shot the question within few minutes of hi and hellos. ‘well, its not me’ he replied smiling sheepishly. ‘I thought so, i mean look at you, if i had to point out one ugly thing in this apartment, that will be you’ i laughed in my mind on my thought which was never expressed.

‘actually before you, i lived with a girl’ he said keenly observing my expressions. Being Indian you are always stereotyped and expected to react in a particular manner on some particular topic, of course this one being one of them. You see, Live-in relationships are not so common in India.  But myself being open to all and everything, it was surprising but not shocking and surprising because, i thought which girl fell for such guy. i mean he is not a bad looking one but then you know what i mean. anyway point is, i gave a very normal reaction such as, ‘oh wow, she has done a great job with the place’

He was relieved and moreover exited to share his story. yes, he did. well i wanted to ask why the ad? where is the girl? i mean what happened to your previous roommate? did you kill her like Oscar? but why to turn a happy ending story into a tragic one, i avoided.

after dinner and some chit chats about the neighborhood and some movies, it was time to hit the bed, of course in our separate rooms. ‘you never asked what happened to my previous roommate?’ he bombed me.

‘should I?’ ‘I mean if its not to personal’ i said. ‘Well she got married…’