Page 25
O for One-Night Stand
Sometimes, Sudha would say things that made Chandar either fear her or go gaga over her. She had cut down on her smoking. One Friday evening as they sat in a pub, Sudha, who was eyeing a handsome guy in front of her, asked Chandar: ‘Have you ever had a one-night stand with someone?’
‘No. You?’
‘Never, yaar, but I really wanna do it. How amazing is that, no sentimental bullshit.’
‘Then go ahead and do it. It’s easier for girls anyway.’
‘Hmmm, will do. What do you think, though? You’ve never felt like it?’
‘I do, but I am scared. What if I fell in love with the one-night stand girl?’
‘That’s your problem you know. You can’t separate love from sex.’
‘What can I do, I’m scared. Don’t you wonder what would happen if you fell in love with the guy you had a one-night stand with?’
‘It takes time to fall in love. It’s not like you have sex and fall in love immediately.’
‘Still, it could happen, right?’
‘If it happens, I’ll surely fall in love. What’s the big deal?’
‘What if you fell in love and the guy didn’t?’
‘So what? Not every love story is two-way. Aren’t you being a bit too demanding, wanting to have a one-night stand and seeking love in that too?’
‘We look for love in almost everything. Your basics have gone haywire.’
‘Why would I look for love in a one-night stand?’
‘That’s what you don’t understand. Finding love is like finding a note while walking on the road, it happens all of a sudden.’
‘You really are random. What’s the similarity between a note and love? Let’s do one thing, let’s have one-night stands, and then we’ll talk.’
‘Okay, you get me one.’
‘Why would I help you do it? Find someone and do it.’
‘Arré, isn’t there some girl in your office who might be into one-night stands?’
‘There are, but you’ll fall in love with them … so let it be. By the way, is there any guy at your office who’d be into it?’
‘There are plenty. Most guys are the one-night stand types at some point or the other.’
‘Then help me meet someone, na.’
‘I can do that but how would I introduce you to them? Like, hey, meet this girl. We love each other very much but she really wants to try a one-night stand to know how it feels …’
‘Just a minute, what’s the point of stressing so much on “our love”?’
‘That we’ll have to reveal, na!’
‘Why not just cover that up and say something?’
‘I can’t cover up like that.’
‘You don’t make sense, yaar. Let it be. I’ll look for someone on my own.’
