A Love, Unconditional!!!

On a bus home from a weekend in DC. Partying with bureaucrats on Capitol Hill and non-profiteers in Columbia Heights. A city full of ambitious and powerful strangers. Strangers who once become friends and then became family. Yes, I’m mostly talking about Eva and her family of munchkins. Actually, earlier today I was at Eva’s legendary brunch of mimosas, cigarettes and a shared joint before I headed off to Union Station to catch this bus. It was there that Josh – recovering from a failed love affair with his personal trainer - asked a very insightful question.

‘So do you guys really think that there is such a thing as unconditional love? I mean do we ever really find such a thing in a partner?’

Eva’s reply, on the other hand, was even wiser than the question.

‘Of course my dear…the problem just is that we waste our time looking for it in the wrong places. Places where we think it should be when the entire time it was probably right before our very eyes. Food for thought, munchkins!’

Now, as I look out through the mammoth windows of my orange Bolt Bus at cars that whiz past me on the beltway, I’m still slightly tipsy from Eva’s mimosas but even more from her words. Maybe because I am reminded of a similar epiphany I had myself a just a few years ago!

Why Yes!

They say life is beautiful when you’re in love. Ever loved someone with uncertainty of whether it was requited or not? Then you know that its more torture and angst than rainbows and mistletoes. And that my friends was exactly how I felt when I returned to college after my semester in New York and a winter break in Islamabad. I had left a carefree heartbreaker and returned a dazed soul madly in love with a boy called Mustafa. Life just wasn’t the same anymore. Sure I was getting ready to become a senior and still had a year of carefree existence in front of me but for some reason I had committed the cardinal sin of hedonism. I had fallen in love! Fuel to this blasphemous fire, my tight female clique (Jenny, Julie and myself) no longer seemed as tight nor as knitted any more. Life was changing before our very own eyes and there was nothing we could do to prevent that. The entire campus once knew us as a trio of close friends who always got what we wanted and then disposed of what we got bored with. Now, wedged between the three of us was an awkward and unexplainable wall. Initially I blamed the fact that I had been away for an entire semester. The time apart had probably erected this strange barricade. One that would hopefully erode with time. On the other hand, I couldn’t blame them either. Love had managed to turn me into a stranger even to myself, I could only wonder how alien I appeared to my friends.

Getting back to rainbows and mistletoes for a second. Mustafa and I were only a few states apart, so a long-distance relationship seemed possible. Instead of going to Philly to visit Khala 1 on my breaks, I could visit Mustafa at Rutgers. On the other hand, he often drove to cities close to my college town to spend the weekends with me. Weekends I desperately looked forward to but weekends which never quite lived up to the romantic fantasies I had hoped for.

Honestly, this whole being in love phenomenon was completely new and confusing to me. I was literally willing to do anything for this man. He reciprocated by reminding me of the fact that we had slept together before we even had a proper date. And that he had never dated a girl so westernized and liberal as myself. And for once I resented this boldness and independence of mine. Then again, before me, the boy had been engaged to my cousin Sakina and that girl was as innocent and prudish as they came. Soon I found myself apologizing for the same independence and nonchalance that I had always been so proud of. Shoot, I even tried to change myself to become that nice and decent girl for him. What can I say, situations change us. And for the first time in my life I found myself envying Sakina and her purity when in the past she had been the most insignificant part of my life.

‘I’m sorry Mustafa’ I found myself apologizing one day ‘If you have a problem with me going to this crush party, I wont go!’

‘It’s really your decision Padash. I don’t care. Its something you have always done so why stop now…’

Ugh, I hate it when men lay guilt trips on us. ‘Yes but that was when I was single….look if you don’t approve of it, I wont go. I’m really trying to be who you want me to be.’

‘You should be yourself…don’t worry about me.’ He said with his usual tone of disappointment.

Crush parties were a greek-life norm in my college. Harmless dance parties, that would often take place a few weeks before a fraternity or a sorority formal dance. The concept behind it was from old college traditions when women were shy and men had to try hard to get laid. So, if someone had a crush on a person on campus, they would send them an invite to a crush party. If he/she showed up, that’s when you would ask them to be your date to the upcoming formal. But these days, such antiquated traditions were rarely followed. Crush parties had now became just another excuse to get drunk and dance with your friends at a local pub.

One morning as I was getting ready for class, my sorority sisters burst through my door with excitement over a crush invite in their hands. Apparently, it had been slipped under the door for me and the cause of excitement was merely because it was the fraternity that Baseball Chris was a member of. Ok so now you’re probably wondering who Baseball Chris is? Well he was easily one of the hottest guys on campus if not the world, DUH! A close, carbon copy of Chris Klein. Apart from possessing the most perfect tan even in December, he was also the proud owner of a perfectly chiseled body thanks to his coach’s rigorous gym routine. An endearing personality of a shy gentleman to match and Chris Klein was then sent to Earth. No surprise that the entire female population on campus had once harbored a crush on him but our luck, he had always been dating his high-school sweetheart ever since he set foot on campus. The Mina Suvari to our American Pie crush; she was the stereotypical blonde bimbo cheerleader, attending massage school near their hometown. To make matters worse, he was painstakingly loyal to her.

But that was all about to change! Rumor had it, that over winter break, Baseball Chris had broken up with his high-school sweetheart and was now on the hunt for a date to the Spring Formal. Sure, the idea was mildly intriguing but at the same time, as probable as finding princess parking in Manhattan on New Years Eve. (A weekend I will vow never to stay in the City for).

‘So word on campus is that you got an anonymous invite to the fraternity crush party?’ Julie asked me as the two of us lunched alone one day.

‘Yeah…I don’t know what the big deal is! We get invited to these parties all the time…’

‘Well YOU get invited to these parties all the time. I haven’t been to a crush party in ages let alone ever been asked to a formal in the four years I have been here. These sheltered frat boys aren’t really trying to take a curvaceous Puerto Rican chick from Staten Island to their formals. Let’s be honest!’

‘That’s not true…’

‘And secondly…many people are wondering if it’s from Baseball Chris… it would be nice to get asked out by the hottest guy on campus. A guy who I wouldn’t mind even getting herpes from.’

‘First of all that’s disgusting and secondly I seriously and highly doubt it’s him!’

‘Dag girl…this Mustafa guy has turned you into such a Negative Nancy!’

‘I’m just saying being invited to crush parties and formals isn’t all that its crapped up to be. Maybe back in the eighteenth century when potential hookups were referred to as gentlemen callers.’

‘Well maybe not for you princess…but I would love to know for myself. Face it, we may be best friends and all but your world is completely different from ours. Our hood-rat lives of shoplifting pale in comparison to your privileged upbringing and daddy’s credit cards. Your popularity in college with white people, your Barbie doll sorority sisters and your entourage of male admirers of every race…no wonder Jenny said that she felt un-pretty around you and that its not always fun to live in your shadows.’

‘Wait…Jenny said what?’

‘Nothing.’ Julie realized that she may have divulged too much.

‘Julie…you have to tell me!’

‘Look don’t tell her I told you…but…’

‘What did she say?’

‘Well…we became pretty close while you were in New York and once after clubbing we had one of those deep discussions over Ramen Noodles and she said…just…that she preferred going out with me because when she went out with you…she always found herself on the sidelines watching you get showered with compliments.’

I had never imagined that Jenny had felt this way. If she did, I would have preferred that she would tell me about it herself. Needles to say, after that dinner conversation, things between Jenny and I became even more tense. How can you just go back to being best friends after that? After learning that your company was never really enjoyed but in fact resented. Maybe I should have just spoken to her about it but hindsight is 20/20. We just didn’t talk much for the next few days.

The night of the crush party ended up being a lot of fun. My sorority sisters and I were having a blast on the dance floor and it was just nice to be hanging out with another crowd besides Jenny and Julie. When I broke away from my friends to grab a drink at the bar, I found myself face to face with a perfect Adonis who had suddenly blocked my way on purpose. Ladies and gentleman, meet Baseball Chris.

‘I was hoping you would make it.’ He continued to flash his dreamy smile.

‘Wait…that was you….?’
And yes dear readers it was. When I told him I couldn’t attend the formal with him because I was seeing someone else, he displayed some disappointment. Then he suavely assured me that it would be nothing more than a platonic evening between two friends.

Although I declined his request, the campus immediately became abuzz with news that Baseball Chris had asked me out to the Spring Formal. The problem with small liberal arts colleges is that they can be such close replicas of high schools.

Baseball Chris insisted that if I changed my mind, even at the last minute he would be at my doorstep in minutes. Sure this sounded a little too romantic for a ‘friendly evening between friends but hey I’m a girl and we cant help but swoon over such attention. The gay boys who lived in the apartment below us were also throwing a house-party that weekend so Jenny and Julie were going to be attending that. My only plans for that Saturday evening were to talk to Mustafa on the phone till we fell asleep. But when that night arrived he told me that we couldn’t do our usual late night talks. He had some big take-home exam to complete on Sunday and was going to bed early. Surprisingly, he even insisted that I go out with my friends and attend the formal because he trusted me. As soon as we hung up, the phone rang again and it was Baseball Chris asking me one last time if I had changed my mind. Finally, I relented and true to his words, he was at my doorstep within the next hour. I didn’t really go the extra mile to get dolled up that night. I had no reason to. I blow-dried my hair, parted them in the middle and threw on a white dress. Still, when I stepped out Chris greeted me with a bouquet of roses and then proceeded to chant like a mantra that I looked ‘absolutely stunning.’

The formal turned out to be quite a pleasant affair. Walking in with Baseball Chris had its perks and he remained a gentleman all night. If he treated all his female friends this way, one could only imagine the display of chivalry he saved for his girlfriends. As the night winded down, Chris offered to walk me home. Something most frat boys never did, especially for dates of the platonic kind. The walk home was fun as we bounced through topics of first impressions, our classes and our plans and dreams after graduation. When we arrived at my doorstep, I could hear an interminable remix of King of the Castle blasting inside. Although I invited Chris in to attend my neighbor’s house-party, he insisted on heading to bed because of an early morning workout. When we leaned in to hug each other, Chris suddenly took the liberty of pressing his lips on to mine. I immediately pulled away.

‘Chris…I have a boyfriend.’ I reminded him.

‘I know, I know. I’m so sorry.’ He began to apologize profusely ‘Its just that I have always had the biggest crush on you since freshman year. It was just my bad luck that I was always committed to my girlfriend but now that she and I have broken up, I knew I couldn’t graduate without asking you out.’

‘That’s very sweet of you Chris…but I really am in love…’

‘Well…then he’s a damn lucky guy and I hope he knows it.’ Chris was obviously embarrassed and after a quick peck on my forehead he was gone.

A bit flushed at the turn of events myself, I entered the apartment only to be greeted by my male neighbor and Julie. She was in jeans and he was in a sequin dress.

‘Girl….we saw it all from the window….I know you didn’t just turn down Baseball Chris.’ They both chorused.

‘I don’t know…I guess I am a monogamous chick after all…’

‘Eww…who are you and what have you done with Padash.’ The boy laughed.

‘Anyway, what did I miss? How’s the party?’ I changed the subject.

‘Well…we may have an overnight guest upstairs’ Julie informed me ‘Jenny has been making out with Shane for over an hour.’

‘No way!’ I exclaimed. Shane was our football quarterback. A tall African American guy with a body built like a house. He had always flirted with Jenny who had since played hard to get but we all knew she had more than a slight crush on him herself. I guess tonight was the night she was going to break him off a piece and I was happy for her. A little bit of sex would do her good and release all that bitterness she had built up inside of her.

After grabbing a drink, I ran into Jenny and Shane on the patio, huddled in a drunken, lip-locked embrace. She didn’t seem too responsive to my ‘hellos’ but instead chose to dangle Shane around like a conquest. I looked past it because I knew she was drunk. I smoked my cigarette while the gay boys gathered around me asking for every detail about Chris’s anatomy as if I was returning from an orgy instead of a frat formal.

As the night rolled into morning, people got drunker. The song, King of the Castle remained on repeat at the party for hours but everyone was so inebriated and stoned that no one cared nor noticed. Julie too was about to leave the party with Hector the Molester who had undoubtedly received that guerdon for being the college’s infamous perv who often preyed on drunk girls. According to his victims, he was terrible in bed on top of that. Naturally when I saw Julie exit with Hector, I rushed to at least make sure that she wasn’t going to regret her decision later.

‘Let me get laid bitch’ Julie snapped ‘You can’t have all the men in this world. Let us get lucky every now and then.’

Once again, a harsh and caustic remark from a dear friend and once again I ignored it. These were my best friends and I had to remember they were belligerently drunk. As I stood on the patio watching Julie walk away with the college’s worst lay, I was jolted back to reality by the incessant ringing of my cell phone. A smile spread across my face when I noticed Mustafa’s number on the caller ID. Since I had been having a pretty heavy night, he was exactly who I needed. A sweet gesture from a boyfriend whom I loved and wanted nothing more than to talk to for the rest of the night.

‘I’m so glad its you darling.’ I answered with a sigh.

But the voice on the other end didn’t greet me back. In fact, it didn’t acknowledge me at all. I heard Mustafa but only his grunts and his moans, no words. Fused in with grunts and moans of another female. A sound all too familiar, the sound of sex. As I stood there listening to the man I loved, making love to another woman when he was supposed to be asleep, I realized that eventually I would have to switch off my phone. I did just that. What else could I have done? To this day, I will never forget how utterly alone I felt at that moment. A best friend mad at me for reasons beyond my control. Another close friend rudely departed from me. And now, the man whom I believed was the one…had just trampled over my heart.

I returned to the party petrified with shock and dismay. The song ‘King of the Castle’ was now beginning to aggravate me to no end as I desperately searched for my purse. Just my luck that I walked into the room where Shane was hunched over on a couch making out with Jenny. It wasn’t rare for us girls to walk into each other in compromising positions. In fact, we often walked into each other having sex and just responded with quick apologies and a ‘just grabbing my chemistry book…don’t mind me…carry on.’ But when a blonde girl peeped from underneath Shane’s large, athletic body, I was overcome with more shock.

‘Where’s Jenny?’ I demanded immediately.

‘I think your friends a little upset at me…you see she went to the bathroom and then I met umm…this fine lady here…what’s your name honey?’ He turned to the blonde as he slurred his words.

‘Shane you make me sick!’ I yelled as I stormed out.

I searched all over the party for Jenny. I figured she needed me as much as I needed her so it was time to put our differences aside and comfort each other like the good friends we were supposed to be. Eventually, I found her upstairs in our apartment. Standing with equanimity by her bed, silk PJs falling gracefully on her skin as she calmly hummed a Sade tune and smeared lotion on her perfect black skin.

‘Jenny…there you are!’ I entered her room flustered and out of breath.

‘You need to talk to me?’ She replied calmly.

‘Yes…I came as soon as I…’

‘Let me guess…you have a problem you want to discuss…’

‘Not exactly….’

‘A problem like…lets see…one of the hottest guys on campus asked you to a frat formal and then just came on to you…I’m sorry Padash but that doesn’t sound like much of a problem to me. Don’t you get it…I don’t have time to listen to this crap anymore. If these are problems I would kill to have them myself…’

‘No Jenny I came to see if you were ok…’

‘Why wouldn’t I be?’

‘Well…because…’

‘What?’

‘I just saw Shane kissing another girl…he really doesn’t deserve you anyway…’

‘Wait, you saw that?’ Jenny’s expression instantly changed.

‘Yeah…I….’

‘Great!’ Just fan-effing-tabulous!’ Jenny threw her arms up in despair and plopped down on her bed.

I sat down beside her and placed my hand on her shoulder. We had been best friends for years and this was the first time I had ever seen Jenny cry. She just wasn’t the type to shed tears. A strong woman, who always remained calm when the rest of us would panic. A stoic who had immigrated with her family from Sudan and then grew up tough as nails in the housing projects of Compton. A girl who went from getting initiation tattoos for one of the worst street gangs on the West Coast to getting scholarships on her own to a prestigious liberal arts college on the East Coast. A mentor I had learned a lot from.

‘Its ok babe…he’s not worth your tears’

‘Don’t you get it Padash, I’m not crying because he ditched me for another girl’ Jenny blew up at me through loud sobs ‘I’m crying because you saw it happen. You weren’t supposed to see that!

‘Why …. I don’t get it.’

‘Because….I don’t want to look weak in front of you anymore. Just another effing night when you come home with problems like how you have such a great boyfriend who you met like a Hollywood chick flick and how Baseball Chris is now trying to woo you! I’m sick and tired of your world Padash. You’re not supposed to see me like this….you’re not supposed to see me weak….I cant be defeated in front of you one more night….’

My world almost slipped from underneath my feet as I heard her words spurt out with scorn through a swollen face which turned even more crimson. Tears streaming down her cheeks as the smell of liquor engulfed her frame. There was nothing I could say in return. In all my life, I had only thought of Jenny as one of my closest friends. Now I stood there and watched her yell and scream at me for reasons unbeknownst to me. Weak? Defeated? By me? Her best friend? Tears escaped my own eyes as I quietly backed out of her room, speechless.

‘Am I not right Padash…wasn’t that the problem you wanted to speak to me about?’ She pressed further as I took my steps back.

‘No! It wasn’t.’ I replied quietly.

‘Then what?’

‘I just found out that Mustafa’s cheating on me.’

No other words were exchanged between us that night. Just awkward silence and locked doors. I cried myself to a night of terrible sleep while the muffled dance music and laughter from the downstairs party continued to waft upstairs till the wee hours of the morning.

I woke up late the next afternoon. Just in time to shower and rush off to my work-study shift at the Library. Unfortunately, Sundays were the day Jenny and I worked together – a schedule we had once carefully picked out. Now I cursed myself for it. Jenny was already there when I arrived. Her nose buried in a textbook as she toyed with a highlighter. I too quietly peeled off my book-bag and settled on a stool beside her.

‘Nice sweatshirt.’ Jenny attempted a conversation.

‘Thanks.’ I replied as I reached for my own textbook and highlighter.

We were both wearing our comfy college sweatshirts which we often wore together. They were our dance troupe sweatshirts and the troupe was something that Jenny and I had once excitedly signed up for. It was our ticket to all-expense-paid trips to other cities and around the country’s colleges. We would room together in motels and then, escaping the coach’s eye, we would sneak out to local clubs and bars to party with the denizens. Today, it was almost sad that these same sweatshirts were being used to break the unexpected ice that had frozen over us in just a night.

An hour passed before Jenny jumped off her stool and requested the other girl on the shift to cover for us as we took a smoke break. I wasn’t really interested but she insisted that I join her. Our backs against the wall, we sat on the floor behind the library and lit up our cigarettes before staring out in two different directions.

‘Listen…Padash…about last night…I’m really sorry…I don’t even know what came out of my mouth…I was just very drunk and…’

‘Jenny please’ I stopped her ‘The least you can do is own up to what you said. Don’t hide behind alcohol. If it came out of your mouth then it was always there, buried in your mind somewhere. Just admit to your words and stop making silly excuses.’

That wasn’t all that I said. I also told her that I had no idea she ever felt that way about our friendship. That the words ‘weak’ and ‘defeat’ should never be used when it came to good friends. I had always hoped for nothing but the best for her. How I had always looked up to her. In fact, she had been far from ‘weak’ to me, but it was actually her strength that drew me to her. She quietly listened to every word with succinct nods.

‘Sometimes in our lives Padash we become our own worst enemies…I just let my insecurities take over me…I’m sorry.’ She whispered.

‘Its ok.’ I sat there tracing odd sketches on the ground with my cigarette butt.

‘And…and…I really am sorry about Mustafa.’

‘So am I.’

‘I had no idea that he could…’

‘Well now you know. Guess what, my life isn’t as beautiful and perfect as the world thinks it is. I get rejected and hurt just like everyone else.’

‘You really loved him didn’t you?’

‘Sad part is I still do.’

‘But…then….?’

I shrugged ‘It hurts…a LOT.’

‘So what happens next?’

‘I have no clue.” I shrugged again “I really wish I knew…but I don’t.’

‘Are you going to break up with him?’

‘I don’t know.’ I thought for a while, ‘Probably not.’

‘But you will confront him about it wont you?’

I shook my head again. ‘Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll even do that.’

‘Padash you can’t be serious?’

‘The funny thing is Jenny, I actually am.’

‘But…’

‘I hate this person that I’m becoming. The person he has turned me into. I don’t even feel like the same Padash anymore….I just feel soo…sooo weak.’

‘Stop it.’ Jenny smirked ‘You sound like me last night.’

‘I feel defeated.’ I decided to tease her some more.

‘Hey watch it…that’s my best friend you’re talking about!’

We laughed for the next few minutes and just like that we were friends again.

Once my shift ended, I arrived at the dining hall where Julie was already waiting for us on a table. Our traditional Sunday dinners.

‘I don’t wanna talk about it!’ She laughed as I sat down next to her with my tray of food.

‘Hey I tried to warn you about Hector the Molestor but…’

‘Yeah…I should have listened!’ Julie winked ‘By the way, is Jenny not joining us for dinner?’

‘She’s running late…we made up earlier today…long story.’

‘Good. I shouldn’t have told you what she said while you were in New York…it seemed to have really messed things up between you guys.’

‘I’m glad you did. I needed to know.’

‘If it makes you feel any better, I resented her for the comment as much as you did. Can you realize how I must have felt when Jenny said that? That she enjoys hanging out with me instead of you because she doesn’t feel less pretty and like she’s in your shadows. So what does that make me? The bottom end of our friendship food chain? Even girls that develop inferiority complexes can feel better standing next to me…’

‘Julie…that’s not true!’

‘No it is…and I thought about Jenny’s words the same way you did. But I guess envy is an inevitable emotion among girlfriends.’

I didn’t try to sugarcoat my replies. ‘So I guess the more important question is…where do we go from here?’

‘Accept some realities and then move on.’ Julie smiled.

Jenny eventually joined us for dinner and after a brief bout of an awkward silence Julie raised her glass ‘So chicas….spill the beans...the end to yet another crazy weekend in our lives…and I want details!’

The dining hall of our dorm echoed in the familiar warmth of camaraderie’s din. Inhabitants on every table talked to each other about the weekend while setting their differences aside. The jocks on one table laughing loudly and belching about which chick they ‘hit’ and ‘tapped’. The cheerleaders and sorority girls giggling over gossip about each other. The Goths too laughing awkwardly through carefully painted frowns in black lipstick. The gay boys laughing loudly on the other end sharing their own carnal tales of debauchery set in bathhouses and dance clubs. The international students in their corner recounting their weekends with broken accents. And just like them…the three of us sat on our own table…laughing, giggling and sharing details about Chris’s attempted kiss and his revelation of love. About Shane’s sloppy kisses and how Jenny was more than disappointed by what she felt between his legs. About Julie’s terrible night with Hector the Molester who insisted on singing along to a UB40 CD while having sex.

At one point, Jenny reached over and grabbed my hand ‘Baby, you’re an amazing person…just remember…there are people out there who deserve you…who will provide us with unconditional love.’

‘Actually’ I smiled as I squeezed not just her hand but Julie’s as well ‘I don’t know about you guys, but I may have already found them both.’

The moment, the lesson, the bond – Part 2!!!

We should probably just dive in where we left off, right?

Why Yes!

My semester at Cooper Union ended with as much fun and adventure as I had anticipated. Running around the empty dorms with friends, clubbing all over Manhattan and hooking up with hot strangers. Then, just like that, it was time to head home for break and have even more fun. The night before I came home for the holidays, I went out dancing so I spent the rest of the wee hours of the morning packing my suitcases. The RA checked me out just in time and apparently he had a crush on me but was too shy to act on it - geeky yet awkwardly cute. He gave me a good-bye rose as he stuttered, bechara bacha and on a desperate night, I would have probably broken him off a piece but I just gave him a goodbye peck for charity and hopped in a cab to JFK airport. Then an Emirates flight on which I slept all the way home. Life was perfect.


Most of my winter break, I spent relaxing and enjoying myself in Isloo doing the things I missed most in college, i.e living the life of a spoilt rich brat. Breakfasts in bed, country club high teas, shopping sprees, lunches, dinners and partying with Peanut who was also home from London. Peanut and I made sure to coordinate our trips home because we didn’t want to go crazy in this city without each other. It also helped that he now had a much healthier relationship with his father so he looked forward to spending his holidays with not just me but his father too. That is if he wasn’t already shacked up in a Chalet in Europe with a hot, older man for the holidays! But when we were home at the same time, we never got a chance to get bored. Days were spent shopping, lunching, smoking weed and cigarettes while mixing Vodka with Pakola in his Flat, (it was too cold for the pool). In the evenings, we drove around popping into our favorite eateries or hitting up all the weekend parties. Life…still pretty much perfect!

It was on one such afternoon when I returned home from shopping and was stopped near the staircase by my brother who also happened to be home from Dubai.
‘Padash’ he exclaimed ‘Come here, there’s someone I want you to meet!’
His excitement was peculiar to say the least, but I figured I would appease him. No sooner had I entered our Drawing Room, when my eyes fell on Mustafa seated comfortably on our sofa with a devilish grin on his face. He may have even snuck a wink at me when Bhai Jan wasn’t looking. ‘Oh my God!’ He pretended to appear surprised ‘Is this Chotee Padash! The last time I saw her she was a little kid. Look how much she has changed!’
I squeezed my eyes and shook my head at his diabolical performance and then decided to play along. ‘Mustafa Bhai, right?’ I raised an eyebrow with sarcasm ‘Long time no see.’ ‘How many years has it been since you two last saw each other?’
My poor, clueless brother asked so proud of himself for coordinating this long-lost reunion ‘Mustafa yaar, remember how much we used to tease this poor bachee when she was young.’ ‘Oh I remember, quite well!’ I added.
‘It has been ages…right Padash!?’
‘Decades!’ I pursed my lips into a cheeky smile ‘I’m amazed, we never ran into each other in the States!’
‘Right….right…so what are you up to these days? Must be finishing college. I hope you’re focusing on your studies and not partying or whatever you young kids do these days.’
‘Oh don’t worry…got my nose buried in my books at all times. What about you? Shadee naheen kee aap nay? Any plans of settling down or still playing the field?’
‘Aray you know, I’m not that sort. I’m just a shareef homebody in search of a good housewife.’ ‘Right, right…I’m sure!’

Even though you could cut the tension in the room with a plastic PIA knife, I think my brother remained clueless. After the brief and awkward yet immensely amusing conversation, I excused myself. I remember smirking to myself as I entered my room. The driver had placed all my shopping bags from the backseat of our car onto my bed, so I immediately forgot about what had just happened and began admiring the day’s bargains.

A day or two later, I answered the phone to a familiar voice on the other end.
‘Finally…Padash! Koi lift hee naheen mil rahee yehan par.’ It was Mustafa.
‘Hey, hey hey! By the way, nice surprise you pulled the other day!’
‘Aray don’t blame me…it was all your brother’s fault. He was so excited to bring you into the room. Bechara thought we wouldn’t recognize each other after all these years!’
‘So what brings you to Pakistan? In Philly you said you had no plans of coming home for the holidays?’
‘I didn’t! But after we hung out that night and you mentioned you were going home, I got kind of homesick myself and decided on a spontaneous trip home.’
‘Chalo, I hope the decision was worth it.’
‘Not at all yaar.’
‘Kyoun?’
‘I have been here two weeks and I’m going insane with boredom. All my friends from Atchison are in Lahore and I don’t know anyone in Islamabad anymore. The only reason I got in touch with your brother and came over was because he’s the only one I know!’
‘Waisay I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you’re going to have to get bored some more for tonight. Bhai Jan’s not home. You see your old poondee buddy is now a boring married man. He may still spend his evenings at Jinnah and Covered Market but all he does now are tedious husband things like holding shopping bags instead of whistling at girls.’
‘What makes you think I was calling for him in the first place?’
‘Ah, the plot thickens?’
‘Actually…to be honest, the only reason I got back in touch with him was because I was secretly hoping to connect with you again.’
‘Deceiving my poor Bhai jaan?’
‘Aray yaar, it was the only way to get in touch with you. Lets be honest, your Bhai Jaan is now a boring shaadee shudda aadmee. You and I are the only few single ones left. So naturally birds of a feather should flock together shouldn’t they?’
I smiled at his brash honesty ‘Well, depends on how good you flock!’
‘Besides, after our little night in Philly, I’d say we have built an independent friendship of our own, wont you agree.’
‘True, true.’
‘And from what I can recall, the way Sakina used to talk about you back when we were engaged, you were quite the IT girl in Islamabad’s party scene. Mujhay bhi to kuch dekhao yeh crazy scene?’
‘Well I’m afraid, you missed an amazing New Years party. We would have to wait till next weekend to see what I can arrange. Make a few calls, send a few texts…you know how it is for a socialite!’ I joked.
‘What are your plans for tonight?’
‘None really! I was just thinking of cuddling up in bed and watching one of the hundreds of VCDs I bought from here?’
‘Alone? A girl like you should never have to cuddle alone.’ He was now getting pretty flirty.
‘Are you volunteering, Mustafa bhai?’ I played along for good measure.
‘Aray yaar sab cheez ka maza kharaab kar daitee ho tum bhi “Bhai” keh kay. Acha badla lay rahee ho bachpan ka!’
We laughed and enjoyed the conversation. By the end, we even exchanged cell phone numbers.

Later that same night, I was sitting on my bed writing on my laptop when my cell phone rang around midnight.
‘Kon see movie dekh rahee ho?’ It was Mustafa again.
‘Nina part 4. Kyoun, dekhee hoee hay.’
‘Tauba tauba…may aisee films naheen dekhta.’
I laughed because an interesting tidbit of a fact to be inserted here is that the very first porn I ever saw, I actually stole from Bhai Jan’s room after Mustafa and Bhai Jan had left for swimming lessons at Islamabad Club. It was a bad German VHS called Nina and it left me completely traumatized by the sight of a penis. Back then, I thought it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen and never wanted to come close to one. So much for that pledge. But I digress.
‘Jhoot. Don’t think I was stupid when I was young. I remember how many of my nail polish removers were stolen from me so you guys could fix that banged up VCR after rewinding and forwarding bad German porn.’
‘I can’t help it if your VCR ka head kharaab tha.’
‘Haan khair ab tu aap ko koi problem naheen ho gee “good head” kee talaash may.’
‘Yaar tum chotee see hotee thee…aur ab kya tez cheez ban gayee ho. I love it, you’re a girl after my own heart.’
I giggled ‘Anyway, what are you up to at this hour?’
‘Bored out of my skull. Was going stir crazy at home so I went for a drive. Chalna hay drive par meray saath?’
‘Chalo.’
‘Are you serious?’ he seemed obviously surprised. I guess he didn’t think good girls from good families would say yes without thinking twice about getting into a car with a boy at midnight. ‘Dar gaye?’ I teased.
‘Hey, I’d love it….I just didn’t…well Sakina could never…’
‘Sweetie, I’m not Sakina…you should have guessed that by now.’
‘So I see….and trust me I’m really enjoying that fact too.’
‘Well behaved girls will only add to your boredom!’
‘Well said. By the way, I’m near your neighborhood. I could be outside your gate in five minutes.’ ‘Great, I’ll see you then.’

I quickly threw on a pair of jeans and one of my brother’s white and blue striped shirts before walking out. The guard gave me his usual judgmental glares but he had to have been used to my odd hours by now. As promised, Mustafa was waiting for me in his car with an amused smile. ‘You amaze me!’ He laughed as I slid into his car.
‘You’re not the first guy to tell me that’ I winked.
‘I really wish more girls were like you.’
‘Trust me, the world can’t handle more than one Padash. Acha tu where are we going? And jaldee say give me a sutta.’

We drove all around the city that night. Zooming on the wide streets of Islamabad we conversed about the architecture of the Saudi Pak tower, Faisal Mosque and even the PM house. Later we ventured off to Daman-e-Koh, where we joked about the daters and the newly married couples. We even pretended to join in their romance shomance.
‘Mufti tum jantay ho, may nay sirf tum say mohabbat kee hay. Tinkoo, Minkoo aur Bubloo sab ko chor kar may nay sirf tum ko rose ka phoool diya.’ I dramatically slapped my wrist on my forehead.
‘Dorling…may nay bhi tu sirf tum say shadee kay jab kay Shabbo roz meray ghar halwa bana kar atee thee.’
‘Tu phir mujhay Nelaam Ghar lay kar jao na honeymoon par.’
‘Pakka waada Dorling.’

Around two in the morning we both got tired of driving around, so we ended up back at his house. He snuck me up into his room through the servant quarter stairwell and kept on commenting on how much ‘fun’ I was and how I was so different from most girls he knew who were all boring fuddy duddies. The main reason we had retired to his room was because we had been craving a drink and besides Peanut’s Flat, I could rarely find any alcohol anywhere in Isloo even with all the diplomats running around. Mustafa had a stash of Absolut which he had smuggled in from a Duty Free so no sooner had we settled on his favorite couch that we toasted to new friendships, making the most of Islamabad and to cherishing our fun-filled lives back in the States.
‘Do you have that song you played in your car in Philly?’ I asked him.
‘Hell yeah!’ He immediately dug out the Night Song CD and played ‘Longing’ for me.



We sat there for hours, allowing Nusrat Fateh Ali’s melodious voice serenade us into a peaceful calm while we drank and enjoyed each other’s company. So engrossed were we in conversations about college, lives and our friends that we lost complete track of time.
‘You’re really gonna miss Julie and Jenny when you graduate aren’t you?’ He asked me with a smile since I couldn’t stop narrating all our crazy escapades. And the thought both saddened and petrified me. I couldn’t imagine a life without them.

By 4am, we were both a little buzzed and figured it was time to head home. Just then, the song ‘Longing’ came back on. I leaned across him to turn the volume up for one last listen but somehow, we both lost our balance and collapsed on the floor. During all the giggling, he leaned over and lovingly planted a kiss on my forehead. He may have displayed similar affectionate gestures – the brotherly kiss on the forehead – many years ago but that night, it managed to cease time for both of us. The giggles immediately subsided. Even the smiles perished and were replaced with expressions of confusion, fear and desire. Maybe it was the final manifestation of what had been brewing for months, unbeknownst to us. All the harmless flirtation and sexual tensions sort of converged and exploded around us. We continued to stare into each other’s eyes with the same look for what seemed like an eternity and when I closed my eyes, I felt his lips pressing against mine. I kissed back. Our lips locked with such electric hunger that I literally felt like I was losing my balance. I had never felt that way before by a mere kiss.

The next thing I knew, our clothes were peeled and scattered all over the room as we made love on the floor. Yes, I use the term ‘made love’ deliberately because that night felt different than any other sexual experience I had ever had. Before that night, I had only had sex. That night, I experienced for the first time what it was like to make love. Our bodies intertwined while the haunting chants of the song sent shivers down our flesh. Hours rolled into the past like minutes and I really didn’t want the night to end. Our only reminder of the passing time was when the familiar tune of ‘Longing’ would play again on the CD. It meant that the entire CD had played to the end and was now starting back again. We responded only with smiles.

Once it was over, we fell asleep on the floor in an embrace. It still felt so natural. No guilt, no remorse, no worry about consequences. Just dopey smiles on our faces as we lay there naked with our eyes closed. Not a word was uttered for a long time as he stroked my hair, humming and staring at the ceiling. It did not even occur to me for a second that I had just made love to the son of my parents good friends. I had just made love to my older brother’s friend. Most of all, I had just made love to my cousin’s ex-fiancé. But I only think of those things now, years later. That night, we just lay there basking in the afterglow of love both made and felt.

I had never been one to cuddle. In college, I was famous for calling boys on their cell phones when I needed them and once the sex was over, I would immediately ask them to leave. Julie and Jenny often accused me of having sex like a guy and to be honest, most guys appreciated that about me. But that night, even though I had just made love to Mustafa, I lay there peacefully not wanting to leave. Alas, we both knew that we were in Pakistan and not in the States. The night had to end. We had to sneak back into our shareef lives before dawn. Before all the countless people who connected us to each other, would awaken.

He dropped me outside the gate as the sun came up. Both of us still smiling like little teens who had lost their virginity for the first time. As I entered the gate of my house and walked across the front lawn, I felt like the whole world seemed different. I had often walked home at sunrise in the past but that night the world looked completely new all of sudden. Beautiful, almost exquisite. So breathtaking that I had to stop and take a minute to breathe in the beauty of nature around me. The cobalt sky, slowly diluting into an opaque blue while the dew on our perfectly manicured grass glittered like meticulously cut diamonds. Still, smiling. I couldn’t explain the feeling that I felt. I sauntered into the house and then sat in the drawing room smoking a cigarette still entranced by the world outside and around me. Trying to make sense of why everything felt so different than before. As if everything had changed. And then I realized, it had. It was the moment people had warned me about. The moment of falling in love. The world and my life would never be the same again. Maybe I tried to fight it, maybe I tried to tell myself it wasn’t true but it just felt so good and so right. I quietly crept into my room, brushed my teeth and crawled into bed. I fell asleep smiling and I woke up with a smile. I may sound like a sappy loser but hey it’s true.

From that moment on, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Even if I tried, I just could not get Mustafa out of my mind. We went out for coffee again the next day and he bought me the Night Song CD. Later, he held my hand as we drove back. We repeated this ritual a few times for the next week or two.
‘I hope I get to see you in the States?’ He asked me the night before I was heading home.
‘Of course you will.’ I replied.

Before leaving for the airport, I sat in my room listening to our song all night instead of sleeping. I even called him to say ‘goodbye’ from the waiting lounge. I then spent the entire plane ride listening to the song over and over again. On my first night back on campus, I met Julie and Jenny for dinner at the dining hall. It hadn’t even been a few minutes as we sat down on the table with our trays when Jenny exclaimed with wide eyes,
‘Oh my God, biotch you’re in love, aren’t you!’
I had no choice but to nod.
‘Who is it?’ Julie asked.
‘Remember Mustafa…the guy we met in Philly…’
Their jaws dropped open.
Then after a few minutes of shocked silence..
‘Well…all I can say is…welcome to the club,’ Julie grabbed her fork nonchalantly and dug into her lasagna ‘We all finally have that bond in common.’
‘The bond of being in love?’
‘Well that and the bond of…lets just say you’ll have to figure it all out yourself.’ Jenny stopped herself.
‘For now all I can say is…fasten your seat-belt honey, cuz its gonna be a bumpy ride. And it aint always a fun one.’ Julie winked.

Life went on but I wish Jenny had completed her sentence that night. Because today as I sit in one of the few local independent cafes left in Manhattan, I realize what she was trying to say. We all do have one bond in common. From the African American Barrista slaving away behind the counter with more piercings than pores to the lesbian couple interlocking each other’s fingers at the other end of my sofa. The Latina nanny that rocks a stroller with one hand and turns the pages of Twilight with the other. The stuffed and starched intern in a suit struggling to find an outlet for his laptop, the statuesque blonde that saunters outside the window and then passes the short, angry feminist who probably makes more money than all of us combined. The hooker, the suburban housewife and even the desi cabdriver ashing his cigarette and swearing in Punjabi…we still have one bond in common.

But it isn’t just experiencing the moment of falling in love. Its actually surviving the physical pain of a heartbreak. We have all once been in love and we have all once experienced what it was like to have our hearts broken. After which, life never stays the same. I still wouldn’t wish a broken heart on the worst of my enemies but unfortunately it’s a chapter to be written in all of our lives. The bond that can make the most different of us, familiar. The strongest of us, weak. The lesson we could learn only by experience. What shapes and molds us into the people we stand before each other today. Strong, experienced and full of wisdom.

Last Wisdom: Its not being in love that makes us the strong people we are today…its how we survived if it was eve over.

For my readers who share this bond with me from a past, I commend you for your strength. A valuable lesson we learned.

For my readers who are experiencing it right now, I offer you support and remind you that though it may take time…you will get back on your feet, stronger. A valuable bond we will then share.

For my readers who are in love today….enjoy the moment, it could be temporary or it could last forever. But don’t think about the future. And definitely don’t over-think the present. Just savor the moment. Because it is a valuable moment…meant purely to be enjoyed!

The moment, the lesson, the bond!!! - Part 1

As I sit in one of the few local independent cafes left in Manhattan, I can’t help but observe the people around me. Though I pretend to appear busy and self-important typing away on this laptop, I’m secretly watching people. Reminded of a drunken yet poignant wisdom that was once imparted by a drunk in a bar. It holds true, even today as I look around at these strangers that surround me.

Wisdom 1: As different as we all may be…we will always have one thing in common. We have all once been in love.

From the African American Barrista slaving away behind the counter with more piercings than pores to the lesbian couple interlocking each other’s fingers at the other end of my sofa. The Latina nanny that rocks a stroller with one hand and turns the pages of Twilight with the other. The stuffed and starched intern in a suit struggling to find an outlet for his laptop, the statuesque blonde that saunters outside the window and then passes the short, angry feminist who probably makes more money than all of us combined. The hooker, the suburban housewife and even the desi cabdriver ashing his cigarette and swearing in Punjabi…we still have one bond in common. We once experienced the pain of love. When we couldn’t keep our eyes open no matter how hard we tried. When we couldn’t take the same advice we often gave to our friends. When we found ourselves doing things we knew were wrong…downright pathetic…and even vulnerable. Like sending that one more text… that one more email…one more instant message …even forgiving one more time…powerless yet holding on to self-assured hopes and maybes. Let’s compare notes now shall we?

Why Yes!

But first, here are some other important wisdoms to remember.

Wisdom 2: Contrary to any belief and no matter how often you replay the moment in your head…you can’t prevent falling in love! So stop beating yourself up over it. Once it happens though, every songs lyric reminds you of it! Every character in a film tells your story.

Wisdom 3: Most times the ones you fall in love with are the ones you least expected to.

Wisdom 4: You always fall in love when life seems just PERFECT! When you have the world by its balls and no one can mess with you. You feel and look the best and life has just never been better. And then BOOM…some bastard or bitch comes along to jangle up your perfect world into a humbling mess.

For me it happened quite the same way. Junior year of college. I was spending the semester at Cooper Union in New York City and boy was I in my prime! Everywhere I went from family functions to nightclubs clubs, I was picking up compliments and numbers from aunties and male admirers. Once the victim of perpetual unrequited crushes, I was now the one turning down men left, right and center. With a group of very close friends (Jenny & Julie), an amazing self-esteem and complete independence; the world had quickly become my runway and from campus hallways to dance-floors, I was turning heads. During Fall break, Jenny and & Julie came down to visit me in NYC. We spent the week partying around Manhattan before they headed off to Staten Island for a weekend at Julie’s parent’s house. That weekend, I spent in Philly at Khala 1’s place but my girls decided to drive down one night so we could also make the Philly men dance on our fingertips for an evening.

I remember the night vividly, mostly because I would replay it constantly in my head afterwards searching for answers. But back then, it seemed like the perfect night! I even remember the outfit I wore. A black, criss-cross top with black satin pants. My hair, blow-dried to perfection and my makeup, just right. I recall admiring myself proudly in the mirror as I walked around Khala 1’s house, waiting for the girls to pick me up. Texting back and forth, they drove down and we sang along to Q102 on the radio. My younger female cousins watched me secretly as I covered my skimpy top under a college sweatshirt - immediately peeled off and stashed into a potted plant - when Jenny and Julie honked outside screaming, ‘Lets go bitch, the boys are waiting!’

We had dinner at an Italian restaurant on Rittenhouse Square, toasting to what promised to be an amazing night. Later we ended up in a bar around the corner, where we took over the place the minute we walked in. We didn’t have to reach for our purse even once because men immediately began to waft towards us with small-talk and free drinks. We just laughed and giggled about how much ‘we loved life’. After cocktails and a large side of an ego-massage, we jumped into a cab and headed to Spring Garden Street for some dancing at Club Egypt.

The night continued to unravel as one of the most perfect nights of our lives. We settled into a booth, jamming to the DJs beats and lighting up our cigarettes. Drinks continued to be sent our way from men, boys and grandpas. At one point, a young frat-boy type in a black leather jacket approached our booth to introduce himself and announce that his group of friends had apparently sent us our last three rounds of drinks. We thanked him politely. But then he turned to me
‘My friend over there is from Pakistan. He’s a little shy to come over himself but do you mind if I ask you what your nationality is?’
‘I’m Latina’ I lied and gave a fake name. (All three of us girls had fake bar names in college).
Though we snickered after he left and then headed off to the dance floor, from the corner of our eyes, we could sense the boys watching us as we danced. And obviously we loved it.

An hour later, Julie returned from the bar to announce, ‘Ok so I didn’t pay for any of these drinks, those guys did. The Pakistani’s really got the hots for you, he’s actually kinda cute, you should meet him.”
‘Wait!’ I knew Julie wasn’t the brightest in our crew ‘I hope you didn’t tell him that I was Pakistani? I just told his friend I was a Latina!”
‘But he’s hot…and sweetie no one’s buying that Latina crap anyway. Just flirt with him, he’s probably got some of that that oil money and we need more free drinks and maybe a ride back to our car.’
Didn’t I tell you Julie wasn’t the smartest kid on the block. I had barely rolled my eyes when I noticed the boys approach us. I didn’t really look any of them in the eye but Julie and Jenny immediately struck up a conversation. At one point, the Pakistani guy extended his hand towards me and introduced himself as ‘Mustafa’.
‘And you are?’ he pushed further as I pretended to rummage through my purse for a pack of cigarettes.
‘She’s shy….but her name is Padash!’ Julie jumped in.
‘PADASH!’ the guy exclaimed a little more excitedly than I would have expected ‘Is it really YOU?’
I immediately looked up at him and my jaw dropped open. Even after all these years, it took us both only a minute to recognize each other. Screaming our names we hugged as our friends watched with confusion.
‘Don’t tell me you guys know each other?’ One of the guys asked.
‘Hell yeah we know each other!’ Mustafa cackled ‘I’m seeing this girl after decades. The last time I met her was when she was watching cartoons and playing with dolls. She was my good friend’s baby sister!’
‘This really is crazy!’ I laughed out loud ‘How long has it been!’
‘Ages, I just remember how your brother and I used to hide your dolls and then we bought you cups of Polka ice-cream when you cried!’
‘I know…you guys were SO mean!’ I added.
‘I must say, you’ve really grown up since I last saw you!’ He added ‘You look great!’
‘Well, judging by all the free drinks tonight, we all know you feel that way!’ Jenny interjected with a snicker.
‘Oh my God…I can’t believe I just hit on Hassan’s baby sister. How weird is that!’
‘Very weird and very creepy…Mustafa bhai’ I teased ‘But don’t worry we wont tell my brother!’
‘Agreed!’

The rest of the night was just as fun and we all paired off. Mustafa and I couldn’t get over the irony of the situation. But within minutes, he went from a creepy desi guy trying to get into my pants to the over-protective brotherly sort, shielding me away from all the other men in the club. Still he would cringe every time I called him ‘Mustafa Bhai’.
‘Please, Padash, you’ve got to stop calling me bhai now.’
At one point when we took a break from dancing and settled back in our booth, I realized another fact that I had completely forgotten.
‘Wait….” I squeaked ‘Weren’t you also engaged to my cousin Sakina?’
Scratching his head sheepishly he replied ‘Man, I was hoping that topic wouldn’t come up tonight.’
‘Not that I care!’ I shrugged ‘We’re not really that close to that side of the family anyway. And I’m definitely not close to any of my cousins so don’t worry I could care less.’
‘Good to know, but I’m surprised because Saks always spoke so fondly of you. She made it sound like you guys were best friends or something. Drew such a glamorous picture of you but I just remembered you as a chotee bachee!’
‘I don’t know why but Sakina has always tried to be very friendly, even though we have nothing in common!’
‘Well I guess that’s a good thing because otherwise you wouldn’t hang out with me tonight. You would probably have your girls beat me up!’
‘Don’t worry, I’m sure you had good reason to break off the engagement.’
It was at that moment when Mustafa became quiet for a few minutes. Awkward. I had completely forgotten that besides being my older brother’s friend who would bring me back ice-cream and Jubilees when they went out on their poondee rounds, he also had history with a cousin I knew very little about. If you haven’t noticed, things are always twisted in my life but lets try and get a quick and dirty history on Mustafa.

Mustafa was actually a couple of years younger than my brother but would look up to Bhai Jan as a role model. They had mainly become friends because Mustafa’s parents were family friends of ours and the two seemed to hit it off at a family dinner. After that, I would often see him come over after school, his white shirt un-tucked, gray trousers blotched in fountain blue, Dollar Ink stains and rickety baseball caps perched clumsily on his head. Most of the time, he would just head straight to Bhai Jan’s room and then they would sit for hours bouncing tennis balls on the wall and talking about ‘bachiyan’ and ‘Van Damme’. Quite the combo, I must say. The few times I would come in to Bhai Jan’s room, they would either tease me or nurture me. On some days they would snatch my doll to play catch with each other but on other days they would return from an afternoon of driving aimlessly around Jinnah with a cup of ice-cream just for me. When they prank-called female classmates they would beg me to ask for the girls name on the phone and the business woman that I was, I in turn bargained my flavors of Polka or packets of Choco Chums.

Once Bhai Jan left for college, I didn’t really see much of Mustafa anymore. I think shortly after, he too was sent off to boarding school at Aitchison. And from there he left for college. Needless to say he never really witnessed my transformation from the chubby little sister he teased to a rebellious partier/Alisha’s protégé. But to be honest, Mustafa Bhai was always kind of out of sight, out mind for me also. We did, however, almost cross paths a few years but somehow we always missed!

The first time was during the summer before I was heading off to college. I was waiting for Peanut to pick me up so we could see off a high-school friend who was leaving for a Canadian university. Bhai Jan and his wife were visiting from Dubai those days and mentioned something about guests so I desperately hoped that Peanut would whisk me away before I had to say Salaam to anyone. Luckily, a car pulled up in our driveway just as Peanut and I were driving off, so I was relieved to have escaped the guests.

When I returned, I found my entire family gathered around an empty trolley in the drawing room, yapping away about the guests who had just departed. I joined them to pick through the dry-fruit left on the trolley when Ma exclaimed.
‘Padash you will never believe this!’
‘Wait but first,’ my brother interjected ‘do you remember Mustafa? He used to come over all the time?’
‘Slightly’ I tried to recall ‘What about him?’
‘He just got engaged.’
‘Good for him.’
‘But guess who he just got engaged to?’
I obviously had no clue.
‘Sakina. Your chacha’s youngest.’
‘That’s like the most random thing I’ve ever heard.’ I laughed.
‘It is’ My brother laughed ‘He’s heading back to the States for an MBA so I guess his parents felt that it would be best to tie him down before he left.’
‘I’m assuming it was arranged?’
‘Completely. They got to know the family through us and they seemed to like Sakina a lot.’
‘Well of course compared to Shabana, anyone would seem better!’ I joked!
‘But I was talking to him and he seemed pretty excited himself.’
‘But isn’t it weird getting engaged and then married to a complete stranger?’
‘Well it is the traditional thing to do Padash’ My mother always grabbed an opportunity to tame her rebel of a daughter.
‘We had an arranged marriage too; I think it worked out well.’ My bhabhi chimed in.
‘I guess.’
To be honest the notion had absolutely no appeal for me. Maybe because it was a more exciting time in my life. I was finally running away to the States to discover myself in college and then live life on my own terms. The ‘abroad’ both Peanut and I would often dream of with wishful eyes. Sakina on the other hand, was being committed off to a guy, she had barely spoken to and in a way I actually felt sorry for her.
‘He’s going to Rutgers, in New Jersey.’ My brother added ‘I told him you were going to the States too so maybe you two can connect. He also did his bachelors in America so he knows his way around.’
‘America is a big place Bhai Jan’ I rolled my eyes ‘And besides I don’t need your friends to serve as my bodyguards, I’m a big girl now.’

I think I got an email from Sakina a few days later about how happy and in love she was. She also asked if I could take a gift to America for her fiancé and I told her I would. It still baffled me how she thought we were besties when her older sisters had tormented me as kids. When I landed in Philadelphia to spend a few days at Khala 1’s house before leaving for freshman orientation a few hours away in a small town, I got an email from Mustafa as well. It was a good-natured email which mentioned that New Jersey was very close to Philly and that he would be more than glad to show his me around. But to me it was obvious that his eagerness was fueled mostly by an interest in getting his ‘love letter and Cologne’ gift from Sakina rather than playing bodyguard/chaperone to a friend’s younger sister. At first we decided that he could come over for tea at Khala 1’s place and that’s where I would give him Sakina’s gift. However, the few hours when I wasn’t jet-lagged, I spent shopping with my parents for dorm supplies. Needless to say our schedules never connected. Finally, I decided to hide the pink wrapped gift in a potted plan (yes the same one where I now stashed my sweatshirts) and emailed him that though I was driving off to college with my parents, he could drive by and secretly pick his fiancé’s gift up late one night. And he probably did. I just never got to follow up with him nor Sakina since once I got to college, I immediately dove into the excitement of making new friends and going to frat parties.

A year later, when I was home for break, Ma and I were bonding over high tea at Islamabad Club. As she rummaged through her stash of gossip to fill me in on family news, I tried not to look bored. Falaan Falaan had another baby, Falaan Falaan got married.
‘Oh by the way Sakina’s engagement broke.’
‘Really?’ I asked half interested but still noticeably surprised ‘Wasn’t she engaged to your friend’s son Mustafa?’
‘Yes.’
‘That’s odd, they seemed like they were in love. Full courting shourting, writing each other letters and stuff.’
‘Exactly’ my mother preached ‘If you ask me, I’ve always been against this engagement-wala fashion. It usually ends badly. This whole calling each other on the phone, love letter writing, gift exchanging…its nice and romantic in the beginning but then comes pointless arguing and then suddenly it all ends. I’m a strong believer that guys and girls shouldn’t meet that much before the wedding. They have their whole married lives to be romantic.’
‘Ma, you’re so old fashioned.’
‘You can call it old fashioned but you know its true.’
‘Sakina must be devastated, I think she was really in love with this boy.’
‘Well I heard she’s the one who broke it off.’
‘You’re kidding?’ I was actually shocked.
‘Aray bhai who knows the actual story. All I hear is that in all these long phone conversations they used to have they had a bad argument and then both decided to end the engagement. Some people in the family say that Mustafa’s character was not right. He had goree girlfriends waghaira in America. Maybe that’s why they had a fight.’
And then just like that Ma pulled out some other family gossip and all was forgotten. And all was truly forgotten till after all these years of hearing about each other, Mustafa and I finally came face to face on that ‘perfect’ night in Philadelphia.



‘Looks like we closed the club down!’ Mustafa looked up at me with a smile as the lights in the club came up at 2am. ‘I’ll Fly with You’ By Gigi D’Astano was slowly fading in the background as Jenny and Julie returned to our booth with Mustafa’s friends. Their beautiful skins glistening with dance-floor sweat. ‘Lets blow this joint!’ Julie suggested and we all poured out onto the sidewalk. Someone suggested food and the next thing we knew, we were all squeezed into a booth at Nifty Fifties sharing pancakes, French fries and milkshakes. Everyone was getting along and none of us wanted the night to end.

Mustafa remained his chivalrous self, opening doors for my friends, picking up the check and then even driving my friends to their car.
‘Come on I’ll drop you off at your Khala’s.’ He offered.
‘Oh you don’t have to; the girls can drop me off.’ I answered.
‘Don’t be silly. There is no way I’m leaving my friend’s sister on the streets of Philly at 4 in the morning.’
‘Yeah you should protect me from creepy desi guys who send me free drinks.’ I joked.

As my friends drove away, I got into Mustafa’s car, admiring the streets of Philly which looked pristine as we zoomed across town to Khala1’s place. We talked the entire way and it was funny how I could now have a serious, grown-up conversation with Mustafa bhai. He also introduced me to an enchanting song in his car called ‘Longing’ from Nusrat Fateh Ali and Michael Brook’s album Night Song.
‘I hope I can trust you and that my brother wont be finding out about my drinking and partying?’ I laughed.
‘Oh don’t worry and you better not do the same either. I’m already the black sheep in your family after I broke off the engagement with Saks. I don’t want them hearing all about my hitting on younger girls in clubs.’
‘Done’ I raised my pinky ‘It will be our secret.’
Mustafa too raised his pinky finger too and laughed ‘Secret!’

We hugged goodbye and I could see him laughing at me as I pulled out a sweatshirt from a potted plant to wear before sneaking in. I crept into my room and immediately dropped on the bed to fall asleep. I was exhausted and it had been another fun night with my best girlfriends. It was also funny how I had reconnected with Mustafa Bhai so randomly. I returned to my semester after that weekend and resumed the perfect, prime life. I didn’t really think I was going to run into Mustafa again for another decade, if at all…

…Or so I thought!

To be continued…

Going Home…to memories!!!

“We’ll fast forward to a few years later…
No one knows except the both of us…
And I have honored your request for silence…
And you’ve washed your hands clean of this…

Just make sure you don’t tell on me… especially to members of your family
We best keep this to ourselves and not tell any members of our inner posse…”
(Alanis – Hands Clean)

Why Yes!

The song plays on a loop in my laptop. Five in the morning. The house is silent. Everyone is asleep. I sit in my childhood room, as the glistening streak of daylight strokes across my Islamabad sky. Painting into vision, broad strokes of memories, both good and bad. A mug of doodh patti placed next to the computer; carefully prepared by me (a common activity back in NY, but an idea which will now amuse Jajee Baba). Jajee Baba is the cook who watched me grow; inept, sheltered and incapable of lifting a finger on my own. He, now witnesses my independence, uncertain of whether to smile with pride or smirk with ironic bafflement. Alanis’s lyrics continue to croon me back towards memories. The same way I am reminded of my past when I sip that distinct taste of Tapal’s homegrown patti vs Jackson-Heights-purchased teabags. The same rush of memories, redolent with the teenage aroma of my room. Four walls with posters of Boyzone still tacked on carefully. Teenage secrets buried in its walls, its pillows and plastered in its crevices. Transporting me back to the past. A room, once and still my own. A peaceful haven for the rebel I thought I was. Time for a cigarette break!

And now I’m back. I sat and ashed my cigarette out of the same windowsill where I spent years guiltily seated with Alisha, Afia and even Peanut surreptitiously sharing cigarettes and joints. Now I no longer hide the evidence. The gray of smoke conspicuously wriggles its way across the same room…and even escapes from beneath the door. My bad habits are no longer a secret. Memories, memories and more memories. Why? Why so sudden, why already? I’m jet-lagged and I want to sleep. But the minute I rest my head on the pillow, recollections of a forgotten past replay in my head. Over, over and over. Some good, some bad…yet both stimulate too much to allow slumber.

With memories, my head spins. All because of that damn dinner I was subjected to last night. I knew it was a bad idea, the minute it was suggested. And I never should have relented. Usually I need a few days on my own before I can face all the people from my past. But Ma, she never listens. Dragged to a stupid family dinner where memories greeted me right at the door like the forceful rush of a waterfall. Splashing me in the face, soaking me with guilt. Too late now, this Pandora’s box will close back on its own sweet time. So this month, as much as I would love to write about an interesting and juicy escapade from a bad one-night stand, this column will serve more of a catharsis for myself than entertainment for you. Feel free to skip until next month!

Readers when you email me this time, tell me about your cousins! Interesting concept, don’t you think? Those of you who have enjoyed a good relationship with your cousins are truly blessed. The perfect balance between friends and family. Unfortunately, I never had such a relationship. Though I always wanted to. For me cousins have always stood for three names; Shabana, Shumaila and Sakina. The cousins who once rejected me! Regrette rien! But the funny thing is that as a very young girl I neither imagined nor aspired to be an iconoclastic harlot living in the Bronx on my own. In fact, when I was very young, I wanted nothing more but to be a nice little girl who would have a nice arranged marriage, lots of kids and then spend her life discussing baby diapers with the likes of cousins such as Shabana, Shumaila and Sakina. Good thing it never happened, of course. But it’s the crowd I thought I belonged in. And the harder I tried to fit in, the more I was alienated from the seedha saadha click. Queen bees exist not just in the pristine walls of English medium high schools. A woman’s worst enemy, will always be…another woman.

Because I was never accepted by this ‘shareef’ crowd…I decided to cross over to the taboo crowd that my cousins had only read about in books and watched in movies. A crowd with intimidating infamies yet the rebels and prodigals accepted me and gave me the self-esteem that I have today. It was my sweetest revenge against what I deliberately referred to as the ‘middle class’ in front of Shabana only because that word, I soon discovered was my cousins jugular and eventual defeat. Not one to sound like an ignorant elitist but in this instance I retaliated by reminding those same cousins who once mocked me of the chains of mediocrity they were bound to and what I now could mock and make fun of. But the truth is, that though I may have given off airs of a girl who pitied their boring lives, only you know …that it was a life I had once tried hard to have.

When Ma told me last night that a distant relative was having a dinner party at their house, I tried my best to flake. Not only was I jet lagged but it was just too early in my trip to meet people I would much rather avoid or strategically encounter in slow doses. But as my mothers pleas grew more and more desperate, I soon knew I was cornered.
‘Everyone will be there, Shabana and Sakina are visitng with their husbands…they will be so happy to see you.’
‘Ma…you act like we’re friends. Those girls and I have never had anything to say to each other.’
‘You can be such a snob sometimes, Padash. They’re such nice girls. Sakina always asks about you. She has always wanted to be your friend.’
‘Well they had their chance…its too late now!’

Sigh! If only Ma knew the whole story. I’m not even sure if Sakina knows the whole story. But pretty much, that’s the way the world works. Be nice to them and they treat you like dirt. Make them feel like dirt…they want to be your friend. Why do we all suffer from Stockholm Syndrome? By 9pm, I was seated in the backseat of my parents car like a kid. Dressed in a sleeves white lace kurta, red bull in hand and dreading the superficial niceties I would have to summon just to stomach some of these people.

No sooner had I walked in that I was checked out hard-core, visually undressed and made love to by a 70 year old…woman. Yes my friends…here in Pakistan, you’re hit on more by mothers of eligible bachelors than the bachelors themselves. Not too different than the looks we often get by construction workers that whistle at our legs or fat wall street losers who haven’t made love to their wives or had an affair in years. I see her scrutinize me and beam at me warmly. I smile back and look forward to the change in her more than cordial disposition when she find outs that I’m not really as young as she thinks. As she makes her way to a mutual acquaintance who will then oblige her investigation of me, I am immediately greeted just as flirtatiously by a slightly balding male specimen who I aptly deduce as ‘Taroo Aunty’s’ son. We exchange smiles and I have barely sipped the ‘cole drink’ offered to me when he makes his way and begins to converse in a rehearsed American accent complete with forced rolls of his tongue and pronouncing his t’s with an added ‘th’. I patronize!

Biodata: He works in San Diego doing IT. How avant garde of him! We discuss the difference between the East and the West Coast. I tell him, I’m not one of those die hard New Yorkers who swear by the City only because the world expects me to. Yet the West has a very strawberry shortcake feel to it, which would also drive me insane. San Francisco excluded of course! He seems impressed by my career and independence. Of course he brings up Broadway when I mention the Big Apple and seems enthused that I have seen a few plays, read a book or two and seen the bare minimum of Indy movies at the Paris to deem myself a pseudo intellectual trophy wife. He proudly shares that he has seen the Lion King musical, Read DaVinci Code or Outliers and watched Slumdog Millionaire. Homeboy is really breaking ground here!

I have barely finished my drink – hoping it was spiked by now – when his mother begins to hover around us like a moth to a flame. The worry and concern in her eyes is as axiomatic as her son’s bulge through his pants. Noticeable yes, wondrous nah! She has probably just discovered that I am 30 years old. Now she desperately tries hard to distract her own 30 year old offspring away from this old cougar. All quite amusing, yet I smile as I excuse myself to go mingle.
‘My local number is on the back’ he pulls out a business card and I puke just a little ‘Let’s get together in the States but I’m here for a few weeks also just like yourself. Maybe we can see what Islamabad has to offer.’
I grew up here you duffer, it has a lot to offer me. How quickly they seem to forget the day they boarded the plane out of this country in tight stonewashed jeans, white sneakers, a fanny pack with their green passport, a mullet and moustache. Your accent doesn’t fool me baldie, once a FOB, always a FOB! Applies to the best of us!

An hour after I have arrived at the dinner, in walks Shabana with her husband and three kids in tow. She is three times the size of when I last saw her yet interestingly she looks exactly how she had imagined her future to unravel. I purse my lips when she slowly makes her way towards me.
MUST REMEMBER TO BE FAKE! I repeat over and over to myself.
‘Hello Padash’ She greets me ‘Sakina told me you were in town. How long are you here for?’
‘Just a few weeks.’
‘Aur, how’s America?’
‘Great.’
‘Job kar rahee ho?
‘Haan’
‘Buhat mazay kar rahee ho gee, hamay tu bhool hee gayee.’
‘Yes’
And then, silence. Sure she has made an effort. I just cant find the motivation to do the same. My eyes are probably glazing over at this point because I’m sleepy…or just not interested.
‘Excuse me, I’m gonna go look for some caffeine.’
‘Haan…you must be jet-lagged. Baad may gup shup kartay hain.’
Yeah right!

Begin Memory: When I was young, I wanted nothing more than to be friends with Shabana and Shumaila. During the holidays when we would go to my father’s side of the family, everyone assumed that since all the girls were the same age…we would instantly become best friends. Much to my dismay it never happened. The harder I tried to befriend my prettier cousins the more they mocked me, avoided me and often ridiculed me for my braces, my glasses and my weight. I would still follow them around trying to understand their conversations…not completely oblivious to the fact that they had code names for me and would often make fun of me while I sat right next to them. I remember when my father once found me crying in a corner because of them. He told me to be strong.
‘Remember there is always something you can have that they cant…just find it and then you wont need them anymore. They will come running after you then.’
Golden words of advice. Advice I followed. Just in a roundabout way.

After I befriended Alisha and found my own niche of burger infidels, I discovered that I had become part of a crowd that these cousins could only be intimidated by. My reputation in the family quickly spread like wildfire of how I had become a ‘Patakhee’…a disparaged ‘Ameer larkee’. I preferred that much more than being thought of as a fat loser. The few times I would then meet my cousins, they found me completely changed. No longer shy, I would then be rude and snooty. I would remind them that I found their lives to be boring and mundane in comparison to what I was now experiencing. If they ever came over, I would smirk at their attempts at conversation and then leave them to go off in a car with Alisha or Peanut, never inviting them along as they sat in my drawing room. Even when I spent the summer in Karachi with my brother, I spent my nights partying with friends and if they were ever over, I treated them like insignificant bystanders because truly by then…that was what they had become to me. End Memory.

Dinner was served at 11. Yes….my eyes were bloodshot by then. As I nibbled through the entrees and Shabana watched me being wooed by baldie, I hoped for sleep instead. Then Sakina walked in with her husband; Shabana’s younger sister.

Awwwwwwkward!

My relationship with Saks is very different than Shabana. She was never really mean to me but by the time we really got to our teens, I had already become the notorious patakhee. Saks in fact admired my wild lifestyle and was almost tantalized by it. Though she was two years older than me, I heard she often tried to emulate me. Yet because of Shabana, I never ever gave that poor girl the time of day.

At dinner last night she looked absolutely beautiful. As always. Stunning in a peach sari she sauntered in with her husband in tow. He was pleasant-looking in a ‘shareef’ and chubby sort of way but no where near as handsome as the man she once loved. The same man I once loved. I watch the sisters talk for a few minutes and then Sakina’s face lights up when she sees me.
‘Padash’ she exclaims excitedly and I am always shocked by her enthusiasm towards me ‘I heard you were in town! Such a nice surprise.’
‘Yeah I just got here a day ago…still a little jet-lagged.’
‘Yes, we got in a few days ago ourselves, you must have heard I moved to Qatar after I got married.’
‘Yeah Ma mentioned. Do you guys ever make it to the States?’
‘No but I would love to’ she smiles back ‘I keep telling Hassan I really want to see New York. It seems so amazing in movies.’
‘It has its moments.’
‘What about you…why don’t you ever stop in Qatar on your way home. You must.’
‘Maybe next year.’
Another awkward silence. But this one is different. Much more loaded. I always detest the guilt I feel when I meet Sakina now. The feeling of defeat yet being made to feel like a victor through her gaze. We stare at each other raising only safe and euphemistic questions yet hoping for answers to secrets only we share…and one other. Memories we have both tried hard to forget.
From her eyes she wants to ask me if I am still in touch with Mustafa. Yet her new husband and her new life stands just a few feet away from us.
Funny thing is, that I want to ask her the same question.
We stand and stare wondering which one of us is more victorious after all. Who ended up being luckier? The single one or the married one? Neither of us would ever really know. If anything we both feel defeated. She may wish to see the world on her own as a progressive woman of today. But then I wonder if she is luckier; finally married and settled. We will never know and as people around us begin to get curious (i.e Shabana,) we curve our lips into another smile, a gentle kiss planted on each other’s cheeks, plans made for coffee which will never be kept and then go our separate ways.

‘Hey, do you still have that song I gave you?’ I ask.
‘Hands Clean by Alanis! Absolutely.’
‘Do you still listen to it?’
‘Nah…haven’t heard it in years.’ she lies and I know it from her face.
‘What about you?’
‘Well I don’t have the CD anymore, I gave it to you remember…’
‘No, I’m talking about the Nazia Hassan song I gave you that day?’
‘Oh that song? I remember. I don’t even know where that CD is anymore.’ I lie also. I know exactly where it is.
Its still carefully placed on a special rack of memories in my apartment in the Bronx. Right next to the CD with ‘Hands Clean’ by Alanis.

In code words we speak, and unearth answers and some form of closure at such awkward and rare meetings. Alas, we will forever have this awkward bond amongst each other. A bond called Mustafa. A bond we try to forget and then try to remember.

Dinner was barely finished when I informed my mother that I couldn’t stay up any longer. Luckily Ma obliged my request immediately and after long, drawn-out goodbyes where we declined the host’s request to taste her ‘Swedish’ we exited the dinner party. Baldie reminded me to call him because he will be very bored the next few days. His mother scorns at his plea. I have half a mind to wink at her. On the way home, I fall asleep in the backseat and wake up in my room just an hour ago. Memories from last night still very fresh now all of a sudden.

It is almost 6am now. Jajee Baba will walk through the kitchen. The song by Alanis is no longer playing. Its time for another. So I youtube ‘Dil Ki Lagi’ by Nazia Hassan. A song Sakina once told me about. It reminded her of her one true love…Mustaffa. She wanted to never listen to it again. So I told her about a ‘cool, new song’ called ‘Hands Clean’ by Alanis. I just never told her it was a song that reminded me of the same man.

And yes we both probably still listen to our songs. I wonder if she is listening to them right now as well. Her husband fast asleep next to her. We may have both lost, we may have both won. As Nazia Hassan croons mellifluously in the background.

‘Dil ki lagee…kuch aur bhi…dil ko deewana karay…
Jisay ham say milna…gawara naheen…
Woh ham say mila na karay…’
(Late Nazia Hassan)

Ahoy Mate!!!

Growing up, I had always been an admirer of men in uniforms. The girl who lusted after marines in movies about shipwrecks. Not anymore. And no matter how persuasively my friends beg, I still wont go running around Manhattan during Fleet Week hoping to kiss a Skipper. For all I care, they can just go drop and play dead. Don’t worry, it will all make sense by the end of this column…TRUST me!

Why Yes!

Dogs! Man’s best friend…but for me, they have been nothing more than mere acquaintances. The superficial kind at that. Every now and then, I’ll flash a fake smile at them on an elevator as they grunt and groan but unlike most oafs that salivate at my feet…the four-legged kind never get far with me. Or at least that’s what I thought!

I met my male love interest in this story (more of a supporting actor, if you ask me) during my senior year of college. By then my friendship with Jenny from Compton had sailed south, so savior came in the form of an older and Busty Italian woman who lived in town. Gina was a thirty-something who swore like sailor (Ugh that simile was not intended…you will realize later why) and a visceral desire to be cultured even though she had barely left our college town but for a few times to sightsee….in New Jersey! On a wild night out at Sparrows (the local dive bar in town) I was busy dancing with my sorority sisters to Shania offensively spat out of a jukebox when a strange woman approached me.
‘You’re beautiful…men love you don’t they? How would you like to put those good looks to some use and make a few extra bucks?”
Now let me add that in the country-bumpkin town where I slaved through my undergraduate years…anything was possible. And I’m not talking about just mullets, incest and toothless grins. But before I could even pretend to look appalled at such a job offer (notice I said pretend), the woman cackled her signature laugh and added ‘Calm down Mama-Sita…aint asking you to sell your good stuff…just wanna know if you would like to bartend at my next party.’
With that, she sandwiched her business card in my hand and disappeared in the smoky crowd of the pub as quickly as she had arrived.
‘Oh Em Jee….she was like ewww tots lesbionic on you!’ A sorority sister crept up behind me. But never one to decline an opportunity to explore a potential intriguing situation, I pushed the card back in my pocket where other numbers of mullets and toothless grins had been collected throughout the night.

Turned out, Gina was a local event planner and in a town like this…it didn’t take much to impress. You could festoon a room with crepe paper buntings or have the entrees catered by Popeye’s and clients would think they were attending a glamorous gala. When I finally did call Gina…she was definitely an interesting character which as you know is a friendship prerequisite for me. She informed me that she was planning a party that weekend for a local group of military veterans. Old rich farts with retired money and ‘limp youknowwhats’…was how she described her clients.
‘I pay you a flat 200 and whatever you make in tips is yours to keep….which can be way more than what I pay you but it all depends on how well you work the crowd!’
Easy cash in college, an interesting experience. Why NOT?

On Friday night, I showed up to work in a pair of camouflage pants (borrowed conveniently from a gay friend), a white wife beater/Titi banyaan (borrowed from a frat guy) a dog-tag around my neck and a green bandanna on my head that I had found lying around my dorm room. In hopes of a few extra tips, I made sure my body was well oiled and shiny! Gina seemed pleased with the result. I had also warned her that my bartending skills were as advanced as Meera’s English…in fact non existent. I had never even mixed a drink in my life let alone gone to bartending school.
‘Mama you look good enough to eat” She laughed ‘You think these old farts care about umbrellas in their drinks? Just pop open a bottle of beer, hand it over with a seductive smile, make sure to pour more alcohol than chasers….and there’s your bartending degree right there. By the end of the night, they will be good and drunk and your tips will be worth a mortgage.’
Golden advice that I would live by if my career in advertising ever fails.

True to her word, I was making lots of money when the party began. The hungry oogled attention from the men was kind of flattering too. Yes, I had officially reduced years of bartending school to simply pouring grey goose in a glass and handing it over with a wink. The tipsy men would then suck in their gutts and narrate war tales of their bravery or the time they passed through South Asia or the Middle East. ‘Some of the best looking women I have seen, I tell ya.’
‘Why thank you’ I would reply with a carefully rehearsed bat of an eyelid.

The youngest of the bunch was a ruggedly handsome man in his mid thirties. Dark hair, a Jackie Shroff moustache (my weakness as you know) and BIG hands. What more could a girl want? As he chatted away with his older comrades, leaning against the wall, he eyed me voraciously from across the room. A Corona cocked on his waist and a leather jacket pegged on a finger and draped with masculine bravado on his back. Not gonna lie, I was beginning to like this new job, fringe benefits and all. Who would have thought that such a handsome man could grace his presence at such an antiquated affair. Our flirtation grew heavier and heavier as the night unrolled and our stolen looks or subtle smiles kept getting flirtier and flirtier.

By the end of the night even though the room had thinned out, my Fauji # 1 remained glued on his spot moving only to huskily order a drink and then discreetly brush his fingers against mine. By the last hour, we found ourselves engaged in a flirtatious conversation and before the end of the party, we had exchanged emails. It turned out that he lived almost 2 hours away from me and thus an immediate date wasn’t really possible. Our courtship was then reduced to heavy email flirting which got quite graphic at some points but at other times he would excitedly type about a new puppy he had just bought from a pound and how they were enrolling into dog school together. We kept the cyber flame alive for a while but inevitably, it fizzled out because of our distance.

A few months later, Gina and I had decided to go clubbing in another city in hopes of finding more interesting men than the vapid mundane duds we were often stuck with in town. After hopping through a few bars, we landed in a dive with Karaoke and pathetic drink specials. We were almost grabbing our coats to head out when in walked Fauji # 1. No sooner had he entered that our eyes locked immediately. We greeted each other excitedly grinning from ear to ear at such a perfect surprise.
‘That’s the guy from your army vet party’ I nudged Gina with my shoulder ‘The one I’d been talking to for a while!’
‘Well then sweetie you need to do your part for this country…do it for Uncle Sam!’
You now realize why I loved this crazy Gina! Who wouldn’t?

Fauji made his way over to us and immediately began to buy us both drinks. Conversation was quite fun and in fact it was almost endearing to watch him boast lovingly about his new cherished puppy. We gushed at his sensitive side and towards the end Gina threatened to terminate our friendship if I didn’t go home with this kind gentleman.
‘They put their lives on the line for us...its the least you can do! Wait I forgot…you’re not even American…well then think of it as infiltrating the enemy camp!’

So off I went to infiltrate. When Fauji and I landed at his house, I was impressed with how tastefully decorated his abode was for a bachelor pad. But no sooner had I entered the living when a giant Yeti pounced at me forcing me to emit the loudest shriek. The Fauji smirked as he calmed the ferocious beast ‘Down boy…that’s Padash…daddy likes her!’
Ok…so time-out… when he was going on and on about this beloved puppy of his, I was imagining more of a daschund or something compact enough to fit into Paris Hilton’s purse. This gargantuan monster however, could be the stunt double for King Kong…or Sunil Shetty.
‘I see you’ve met Sailor’ he gushed ‘you’re not going to scare away daddy’s guest are you Sailor? You’re a good boy right Sailor…down boy…down boy…we like Padash…she’s pretty isn’t she?’
Yeah, yeah, yeah…the baby talk was all cute and dandy but I grew up in a country were dogs were mostly watchdogs and kept OUTSIDE the house…and in locked CAGES! Go ahead call me inhumane…but I believe in humans rights before animal rights!

After our nightcap, I was just about ready to kill that stupid dog. As we made out on the couch the Fauji had the audacity to stop and smirk ‘I was told never to trust a girl who keeps her eyes open while kissing.’
My eyes are open you big BUFFOON because I am searching around the room for a knife or better yet a Kalashnikov to silence your damn pet. But don’t worry, I said none of that out loud.
‘You ok?’ He asked when he could clearly tell that I couldn’t reciprocate his attempts for physical intimacy. Some Ritalin for your dog would be nice, I wanted to say but decided on being the solution to the problem myself. ‘Why don’t we take the party to your bedroom?’
‘I thought you would never ask’ he purred in his dreamy voice.
Honestly, I just wanted to make a run for our lives like they did in Jurassic Park (all three movies).

Now, I had done plenty of threesomes with Jenny in college BUT this bed (and my threshold) was not strong enough for bestiality. There was room for only one bitch in this room, and I was not going down without a fight! While my Fauji undressed, I stood and stared at his ‘little puppy’ scurrying around the room like Godzilla preventing an invasion of his kingdom.
‘You don’t plan on letting him stay here do you?’ I asked uneasily.
‘Is that a problem?’
Umm Hello? Would you trust Zardari with your bank account? I hate it when men ask the obvious? I mean I fully understand that once upon a time my date had been deployed in remote areas for years on end but did he not know that doggy-style doesn’t necessarily actually involve a real dog! Plus what he thought was so nonchalant was probably illegal in some states and probably only an acquired taste in Europe.

He took the hint from my expression and requested Sailor to excuse us. Sailor resisted with pleading grunts and Fauji’s eyes melted as he too cajoled me to relent. Hey, I’m not the villain here and stop acting like I just asked you to stake a knife through your only child’s chest. I just stood there with my arms folded. I now needed a trump card to win this argument, so I decided to strategically peel off my shirt. One last whimper and Sailor was out the room. Door locked.
‘He’s going to howl all night and wake up the neighbors.’ Fauji remarked.
‘Well we just have to make sure to drown out his noise with our own.’

All that trouble and buildup for such an anti-climactic performance. Lets just say our Fauji wasn’t the best in the sheets. I’m not going to lie, I had come with some high hopes, I mean after all, when what he had described as a ‘little’ puppy ended up being Old Yeller on Steroids, I could only hope it was a good sign of things to come. Oh but alas, Paris Hilton and her Prada would have still managed to find a Chihuahua in this house. That and the fact that Cujo’s spawn was diabolically scratching the door the whole time, and dog howling isn’t really romantic background music to make love to. After the grand finale, which came quicker than a speeding ticket on a highway in this economy, I rolled over and went to bed. By now, even Fauji was quite disappointed at my disappointment and knew that no diplomacy could ever bring world peace to this situation. So, he too threw in his towel, unlocked the door and invited the dog into…the BED!
‘Are you kidding me!’ I threw away the sheets.
‘I’m sorry’ He replied sheepishly ‘But he always sleeps in my bed. He will bring this house down if I don’t let him.’
I have never been much of a cuddler but I thought you men appreciated that about me! But at that point there was nothing I could do. I was hundreds of miles away from home in a strange man’s bed whose PTSD was now being tested by two biotches and I clearly was the other woman in this marriage. So without much of an option, I fully acknowledged that if I were to live this life of going home with strangers, I was not allowed to be surprised if every now and then I then found myself being spooned by Lassie. I threw my arms up in despair and tried my best to fall asleep.

Trust me dear readers when I say that this was one of the most challenging nights of my life. I lay there petrified, sleepy as hell but each time I managed to doze off for even a second, a slight move would remind me that the hirsute fellow behind me had four legs instead of two. I desperately counted the minutes to sunrise and promised myself to lead the life of a pious, celibate, recycled virgin when I got back to campus. I was never going to fornicate with a strange man ever again. We all know how long that lasted! LOL!

Fortunately, soldiers have an innate habit of waking up fresh at the crack of dawn. So luckily my hours in bed with a dog and his pet only lasted a few, excruciating hours – though the hours were comparable to getting a root canal during an earthquake. I jumped out of the bed, showered and was ready in less than 15 minutes. It took another 20 to get out of the house because Sailor had to be served his Kibbels for breakfast. Two very silent and awkward hours were spent in the car where – and I kid you not – a country station decided to play ‘Who let the Dogs Out’ by Baha Men. What next? An Eponymous medley by Snoop Dog.

I couldn’t be more happy to get home. The uncomfortable goodbye that usually follows a bad one-night stand seemed to have happened more with the canine grunting in the backseat of the jeep than the guy driving. Later that day, after I had managed to catch up on my sleep and scrub myself endlessly in the shower, I met up with Gina for our Sunday ritual of a 3pm brunch at a local diner. I narrated my entire night to Gina who spurted her milkshake around our booth in hysterical fits while I cringed and prayed for amnesia. After an awkward few minutes of silence, Gina’s eyes lit up while nibbling on a fry.
‘Padash’ she excitedly shared her Eureka ‘I hate to tell you this but you just tricked with a dog.’
‘I did NOT!’ I retorted tossing a fry furiously at her.
‘Well did you or did you not spend the night with a dog?’ she inquired in her most lawyerly voice.
‘Well…yes but…’
‘So you agree that you did sleep with a dog last night?’
‘Yes… but…’
‘Did you at any point feel the dog lick or nibble your ear?’
‘Yeah but…’
‘Can the same be said for the owner of the dog?’
‘No, the man didn’t even know the word foreplay existed?’
‘What was the man’s name anyway…’
‘Umm…umm….’ Ok dear readers to my defense, I’m terrible with names.
‘And the name of the dog?’
‘Sailor’ I answered in seconds and that’s when my eyes widened with shock and disgust ‘Oh my God Gina…I did just sleep with a DOG!’

Some people need years of therapy to get over a trauma such as this. Me? I just share it with you all. Sorry guys I really needed to get it out of my system! And like a drunk in a recovery support group, I can almost hear the chowk room chorus with ‘Thanks for Sharing!’

We usually hope never to run into one-night stands ever again – there is a reason they only last for a night. Wrong! Sometimes and especially with luck like mine, we bump into them at the most awkward of moments. This situation was no exception either. Almost a year later, Gina and I had decided to spend a weekend camping. It was singles weekend at a campground and we were enjoying the pool under the sun and weighing our options from the eclectic array of the opposite sex.
‘Well so much for hoping we don’t run into any ex’s this weekend.’ Gina commented as she returned from the restroom and stretched out on the plastic chaise longue next to me.
‘Did you run into Donald?’ I was sincerely worried for Gina because Donald was an ex who had left her severely devastated.
‘Nope, unfortunately its one of yours.’
And then I heard a familiar bark. As I pushed up, I saw none other than Sailor galloping towards us. We stared awkwardly at each other for a few seconds but then we handled the encounter quite maturely. It was best not to engage in any small bark, I mean talk. The owner of the dog was not far behind but to this day, I can’t for the life of me remember his actual name. As for Sailor…we tried to steer clear of each other for the rest of the weekend. Besides, he got enough female attention from single bikini clad women all weekend who stopped to coo over ‘his cute furry-ness’. And if you’re wonder, no, I wasn’t jealous. Some even followed him back to spend a night with the owner…I definitely wasn’t jealous of that either. I just chose to be mature and look the other way.

What can I say! Men are dogs… I just slept with one!