the conversation after.

We shouldn't be here. We should be at home, glued to our television screens like the rest of humanity.

The blasts in Baghdad ?

The floods in Bihar.

Typhoons in Bangladesh.

Hurricanes in north America.

Civil war in Rwanda.

In large parts of Africa.

What else ?

Someone got raped in the Capital.

Someone is always being raped in the Capital. No offence to the deeply disturbed victim, but Delhi seems to be quite the place for those getting raped.

And those doing the raping.

O yes, those too.

And we should be home, appendages to the television screens.

Definitely, extensions of them that we are... This isn't it. What is it ?

What is something someone said today.

Alright, so many specifics down, just a few more to go...

Someone said it was time in the Harry-met-Sally saga for us to be... falling for each other.

Who was it ? Irrelevant, but who ?

Some girl. I don't remember her too well. The point was, she said it, but she more than meant it, she meant it as though she was the spokesperson for public opinion in general.

Yes, well, she might be.

But…

Hm ?

It isn’t… true.

Not for me, either, you don’t have to look all apprehensive.

Phew. But you to me was the more unlikely, anyway.

Another weird complex ? But then, I am the hotter one, yes…

And the more modest one-

I knew you were going to say that. You really have to think of something new.

Are you trying to divert the conversation ?

Not really. I’d only have to do that if I was uncomfortable, wouldn’t I ?

Oh, I don’t know…

Again with the noone-can-see-into-another-person’s-head thing? You know me inside out. Don’t quibble about it. You do.

…

And now you’re trying to change the topic. Now it’s my turn to wonder…

No, I don’t have feelings for you, O swollen-headed-one. And I was trying to explain, but I sort of messed it up badly, because… there wasn’t any reason.

Why not, you mean ?

Yes.

Well… actually. The gap in surface attributes, of course… just kidding, kidding…

Seriously, can you think of anything?

N…no.

So then how do you explain ?

I don’t. The people who need to know, understand.

Yes, but sometimes, you- well, not you, I. I’ve got to explain this to other people. Explain that I’m not in love with you, and why. Silly thing to have to explain, and more difficult than I expected…

Yes, but get on with it. You want my opinion on what you should say ? I’d still say nothing. But, if you must…

No, I just realized… that someone’s already mentioned it.

Who ?

He. He mentioned it one evening when we were sitting out in a slight, cool drizzle and a thin breeze blowing, and we were talking about idols…

Hm…?

…And he said that the two things were separate, this surface admiration, and the feeling. He said that he could think a girl beautiful, but it didn’t change what he thought of her, or felt about her, one inch.

So is it three separate things, then ? Admiration, for surface attributes, liking, and love ?

Yes, I think so. Lovely, simple way to put it, wasn’t it ? And he said he’d never seen the point behind people idolizing others for what they were. For something they were without effort, naturally. For one thing, it wasn’t to their credit that they should, for example, have some great natural skill at acting. And at the same time, by admiring what they were, you were setting yourself up for an unnecessary and, necessarily disadvantageous comparison, why am I this and not the other ? It makes no sense. You are what you are. Admire someone for the effort they have put in to learn something, acquire some information, some better methods of doing things. That’s something they’ve done, and it’s fair to judge them on that.

Listen, you…

Hm…. What ?

You know, you’re talking about him an awful lot. And with this oddly soft voice… Are you sure… you don’t… you know,…

Oh shut up. That’s the way he talks. Softly and reflectively. And I’m not in love with him, I just like him. And why… you’re voice changed slightly there, and your face… Why do you care ?