"Ya, the bathroom is so dirty nowadays. It's the painters. I went there and asked them, Bhaiya, are you using the bathroom? They said no, but later I saw one of them combing his hair there or something, so I went and said, Are you using the bathroom? I know you people are using the bathroom, and that's okay only, but you have to pull the flush after that. Really, ya, it's too disgusting. I went in today, after you got out after your bath, and there was pee in the toilet ya.
(Quiet protestations that the other girl hadn't even looked at the toilet, etc)
"Of course, ya, I know, it had to be the painters only. I told them. But that girl is also dirty- the one who lives in the corner room. Only she, you and I use this bathroom, the rest of the girls use the other one. She's damn dirty. And you know what? I heard from aunty that she uses other people's toothbrushes! I heard that, and I was, like, shocked! I can't imagine, ya, it's so disgusting. If you use other people's paste, that's ok—she takes it and doesn't give it back also, she calls it 'sharing'— but seriously, using other people's toothbrushes!
"She steals also— some people have lost thousand-thousand rupees— You lost money, too! Oh god, it's that girl only. She takes everything. She's been caught doing it also, many times. But uff, she doesn't stop! Yesterday or the day before, Aunty was telling me that she told her it has to stop. Aunty said, Listen, Elsa will offer to share her toothbrush, Elsa's very generous—you know Elsa, the dog downstairs—(giggles) she said, Elsa's very generous, but you can't go around using anybody else's toothbrush.
"I don't know, maybe she is poor, or maybe her parents don't give here enough money to spend, just enough to pay the rent or something, something like that. Anyway, when I couldn't find my charger and earplugs, I just went straight to the girl, and I said, Listen, have you taken my charger and earplugs? They were on the table in the corridor. She said no. I said, Are you sure? Really, ya, you never know with this girl, she'll take anything. Di also lost her charger, also upstairs. Maybe she's selling them! (giggles)
She used to go to this cyber cafe—maybe you haven't seen it, it's close by— and one chap used to hang around there, and she made friends with him, and then made him her boyfriend. We went and told him what all she does here, and you know what he said? You wouldn't believe— we told him she steals stuff and all, and he said— 'That could be. I mean, she takes money from me to get herself waxed.'
Can you believe it?"

I get to call him Anand.

He sits with his back to me, two tables ahead, the table between us unoccupied. I peer out from behind the computer screen to sneak peeks, sometimes. Neat, square, muscular back, broad shoulders noticeable through the loose linen shirts.

Crew-cut, like naval officers (you who are female will know what this Means). When he suddenly swivels around in his chair, his eyes are sparkling. Answers questions with energy but not fervour, precise but not painstaking; walks over to the dark wooden shelves and selects a book effortlessly- his book, his shelf, and he knows them- peels it open to the line that clinches it. Suggests casually that I read it- it’s a good book. [I do, and it is.]

He’s short and fair-skinned and straight-nosed. Aryan-looking though short, but if that’s a judgment in your head then there's a problem. We discuss issues over lunch- Issues, yes, and he’s an Issue-er, but without the sanctimonious air- and discuss spicy chicken curry-which he's made, and we're eating- and the work of genius that is the iMac.
Is it love?
Nope. But it’s kickass-ness.
I'm a lucky girl.