American Experience

"Nice Spot."
"yup!"..I said, as we watched the crowd in the hall below.

The crowd, mingling..drinking..jabbering..hugging..kissing.

Silence, 5 seconds.

"Its really wierd to be among them..wen u are alone in a party like this..coz u just go round and round and come bak to the same place..not knowing where else to go!!".

"Yeah right.."..the lady (age 35+..guessin!) seemed pretty ok with the thought..I thot she wont say more..but she continued.."and thats why am here..a nice lil spot to have a look at wats goin on!.away from everyone..yet being there."

"oh yea ..cool".(this is smthing I hv learnt..if u hv nothing to say..say "ya cool".)

"I am Tina by the way"..

"oh..am Kapil.."

"Kaippil..rite?..".as we shook hands.

"yup..u got that.".smiled.

"Umm..I got here in US only 3 weeks back..and this is the first party in US am attending..".I continued..

"Oh really.!..wow..are u enjoying?.where are u from?"..

"India..ya its fun..wat do u do btw?"

"oh I am a psychologist.I am from Iran.umm..my mother lives in US..I didnt ask.why are u
here in US.?".

"thats great..well I just joined a job here..as a Civil Engineer..I work in a construction consultancy firm..the office is here in downtown."

"interesting..where did u do ur studies from?".

"India.."

silence..10-15 secs..as we looked at the different corners of the hall below.trying to find some thing to talk abt..

"I am not sure..how many people actually come here to appreciate art*.."..I said..as if coming out of a deep thought..

(*First Friday of the month party at Museum of Contemporary Art)

"yeah..I know..ppl here come here to meet frens..and make new frens..I am here because I am
alone..I promised my mom I wud attend this party..but I am old."..pause.."Why are u here?."

"Oh, me?..well a senior sugessted to come here..so came with another fren..trying to get a hang of US..and stuff..may be make frens.."

"ya..sure u can."

pause.

"But why I see so many ppl making groups?"..she said softly, pointing towards the left side of the hall.

"I dont know..oh I see..u are doing ur job here..pychologist huh?."..laughed..she shared the laugh..

"oh yeah yeah.."

"but I cant do my job here..construct something right here!!.."..more bursts of laughters.

silence, 5-10 secs

"So..you live with ur mother.?"..I queried..had nothing else to talk abt..

"well ya..kind of..but she is not here right now..she is in Vegas..she comes here in the summers..and then goes back in the winters..she is old."..

"hm..ya..she enjoyes the summers...I have been told by so many ppl here..that just wait for summers and u wud have the best of Chicago.."

"ya correct..summers is the best time here..everyone is out..where do u live?"..

"Belmont..near the lake shore drive."

"ow wow..cool..u wil have a great time..u live in the heart of all the fun..cool"

"ya..am waiting."

pause..

"So did u have a look..at the exhibits here?.did u move around?."..

"oh yeah I did..therez photographs..a video on rome..then umm..much more stuff."..I tried my best to reply.

"oh ok."

pause.

"Hey Kaippil..it was nice talkin to u..now ill go arnd a bit and have a look..ok?"

"ya sure..enjoy..bye c u"

"ya c u."

silence..2-3 minutes..

and it struck to me.."did I just become a subject of a study of a psychologist ?..who come to the party to ask random ppl..that y they are here?..a survey?...am sure gonna ask this..if I see her again."

I did see Tina again..with two guys..discussing a photograph.

I didnt ask :)