As you remember in the last chapter we all of us were sitting beneath the sky, the five of us. The happy! We sat down beside one of the giant anchors in the corner of the harbor. The river raced against the cool breeze to meet the Bay of Bengal. In the silence, the sound of water hitting the port was crystal clear. On the other side of the river was Kolkata. The tall buildings and the chain of tiny, yellow lights reminded me of the New York skyline. But this was much better, just because I was with my friends now. With our arms wide open, we breathed deep and long, inhaling the fresh, chill air, still intoxicated by the beauty of this place. That was when Happy spoke up. ‘So?’ he asked, looking at Sannu. ‘What?’ Sannu asked in return, not understanding Happy’s ‘So.’ ‘So, how is this place, dammit?’ ‘0h! This place? I cannot think of a better place than this. This is heaven.’ And then, again, a cool breeze blew, embracing us. We lay down on the harbor. That was when the discussion started. A severe conversation, a conversation that changed my life. It began with another ‘So.’ ‘So?’ Sannu asked this time, looking at Happy. ‘What?’ Happy asked, raising his chin.
‘What’s the next important thing?’ Sannu asked. ‘You mean dinner?’ Lucky jumped in. ‘No, I mean the next important thing in life. Schooling-done. Engineering-done. Getting a good job-done. Going abroad-done. Bank balance-in progress. What’s the next milestone?’ Before he could finish, Lucky jumped in. He said that “I heard that sannu and ruby hugged each other? Is it true, sannu? Are you guys friends?” I was looking at Happy’s facial expression. Damn, he so filmy. We all started laughing silently. Ruby said we all are friends though we all are different still. We all are close to each other’s hearts. We don’t have understanding guys you all know about it. It doesn’t mean that I hate him. He’ll always be my friend. We all started laughing. Ruby was dangerous, but happy cannot stay serious for too long. Sannu continued his sentence after this silly joke ‘No, I mean the next important thing in life. Schooling-done. Engineering-done. Getting a good job-done. Going abroad-done. Bank balance-in progress. What’s the next milestone?’ ‘Ah! I know what you’re talking about,’ Happy nodded. ‘Ask her,’ he said, pointing his already raised chin towards me. Everyone looked at me. ‘I don’t know what’s going on in your life and family, but my mom and dad are going crazy. They’re after me like you wouldn’t believe. Don’t I make a good bachelor?’ I said. ‘The story is the same everywhere. We poor bachelors,’ Happy said, trying to be funny. ‘I am serious, happy,’ Sannu said. ‘So, have you or your family Exed something?’ I asked him.
‘No. My story is just like yours. But the fact is that one day, we’ll have to settle down with a life-partner. How long can we ignore our parents’ questions? They, too, have expectations, wishes, and dreams for us.’ ‘I know what you mean sannu. But are you ready to spend your whole life with someone? I mean, in our four years at the hostel, there were so many times when we had to adjust with each other. This one will be for a lifetime, Happy said. ‘But, sooner or later, we have to do this, right?’ sannu asked. ‘What if we just carry on what we are?’ Ruby said. ‘Then imagine yourself at the age of sixty, living alone. Life isn’t that easy, my friend. It’s a journey. And the best way to complete it is with a life-partner,’ sannu said. That night, on the bank of the river, the five of us discussed this issue seriously for the first time. Maybe it was the first time we felt we were mature enough to talk about it. So many questions, ifs, and buts were raised and answered between us. So many views were brought in and debated. None of us was against marriage, but we wanted to evaluate its benefits. Sannu and I were quite convinced about the marriage thing. And this discussion made Happy, Lucky, and Ruby thinks about the matter quite seriously, even it didn’t convince them. (Which reminds me of a slogan I read on a T-shirt: If you can’t? Convince her, confuse her!) ‘But then, other things come into the picture. Love marriage or arranged marriage? Parents’ choice or ours?’ Happy said. ‘Now, that’s a personal choice.
But given that we are independent, I don’t think our parents will object to our decision,’ Sannu said. Happy kept mum hearing this. Sannu knew that my mom wanted me to get married as soon as possible. And my mom contact sannu always to convince me because she knows very well that who can change my mind. It was sannu because he still thinks practical. None of us can give a better solution than sannu. ‘But sannu, look at our lives. Ruby stopped suddenly acting weirdly.