GOOD TIMES

' ' ' If you want them to like you, they must hate you first ' ' '

-- Anonymous

/* Janet looks around while she takes a seat */

Janet: This seems like an upscale restaurant.

Anudeep: It's one of the best Italian restaurants in town.

Janet: Did it open recently?

Anudeep (Thinking): Yeah, I think.. 7 or 8 months back.

Janet: That's why I've never heard of this place.

Waiter: Good evening, mam. Can I get you something to drink?

Janet: Water's fine.

Waiter: Sure, and for you sir?

Anudeep: I'll have a lime juice

Waiter: Alright, I'll be back.

Anudeep: Did you hear about the new restaurant on the moon?

Janet: What? What restaurant?! No.

Anudeep: Well, the food is great but no atmosphere.

Janet: Ha ha ha 😄
Janet: Aww, that's so bad! How do you come up with such non sense.
Anudeep: Arey, if it's that bad then, why did you laugh?
Janet: That's such a bad joke!
Anudeep: Okay, then why did you laugh?
Janet: Shut up!
Anudeep: Okay, here's another one.
Anudeep: A panda walks into a restaurant, orders a sandwich, eats it, pulls out a gun and shoots the waiter. As the panda stands up to go, the manager shouts, "Hey! Where do you think you're going? You just shot my waiter and didn't even pay for the sandwich!". The panda yells, "Hey man, I'm a panda! Look it up!" The manager opens his dictionary and sees the following definition for panda: "An animal of Asian origin with distinct black and white coloring. Eats shoots and leaves."
Janet: 💭😕
Janet: 😑 Oh my God! It took me a second to really get it.

Waiter: Here's your drink, enjoy!
Janet: So did you always eat lunch in the college canteen?
Anudeep: Most of the times.
Janet: Because I almost always saw you there. 
Anudeep: Well, the hostel food was terrible!
Anudeep: You refused to have lunch with me, what other option did I have? 
Janet: 😑, like we never had lunch together!?

Anudeep: Okay that I agree but I failed my TOC mid-term because of you.
Janet (😲): Wha-. . . That's a blatant allegation and I don't approve it.

Anudeep: Well, that still doesn't change the fact that you didn't show me the answers.
Janet: Well, then you should've asked.
Anudeep: I did ask.
Janet: Well, then you should've asked more than once.
Anudeep: 😑, I did ask more than once.

Janet: You know right Sivakumar was invigilating! And he would've eaten me alive had he caught me!
Anudeep: 😑 I was sitting right next to you.
Janet (💭): You were?
# Anudeep nods
Janet: Hmm. . . I don't even remember, that was so long ago.
Anudeep: Hain?
Anudeep: But you do remember that Sivakumar was invigilating?
Janet: I kind of remember. . . but I'm not sure. . . 
Anudeep: Yeah yeah sure, sure.
Janet: 😁
Janet: Arey, I failed my unit test, I had very low internals. I was scared.
Janet: You should've studied no!
Anudeep: Wow, thanks for the solution. That helps.
Waiter: Hey! What would you like to have for entree?
Anudeep: Uhmm. . . I'll have a mushroom ravioli
Waiter: Okay, and mam?
Janet: I'll have a chicken salad! 
Waiter: Alright, thank you!
Janet: How's office, still leaving late?
Anudeep: Yeah, until last week, we had a client deliverable pending. But it's okay now. What about you? 
Janet: Ughh, don't even talk about it!
Anudeep: Why, what happened?
Janet: Uhmm. . . okay. So I had this very important presentation last week but I didn't quite get the feedback I was expecting. My director came to me and said, "Everything was great but just one thing, when you started talking about infrastructure services you lost the crowd. You didn't know what you were talking about. If I were you I'd give a brief overview about the features we're going to cover for this release and the higher environments we'll work on in the final sprint. You'll slowly learn how to relay information to the business. Everything else was good." 
Janet: I was waiting for that presentation for the entire month, I had put in so much effort and this is what I get in the end!
Anudeep: You know what.. in the end.. it doesn't even matter.
Janet: No!! It does, I was so dis-. . . 
Janet: One minute
Janet: Did you just quote 'in the end'.
Anudeep: 😁 it doesn't matter, you were saying.
Janet: I was so disappointed in myself!
Anudeep: Oh c'mon, your director was just blabbering. I've seen your presentations. 
Janet: No, she was right. I did mess up when I got to infrastructure.
Janet: And you know what I shouldn't even have spoken about ifra services.
Anudeep (Quizzically): What do you mean?
Janet: My tech lead was supposed to go over that but since she was out sick. . . the onus was on me.
Anudeep: What!? Then you did perfectly fine! Don't go hard on yourself. You did a decent job on something you weren't even prepared for.
Janet: Hmm. . . I still feel I should've done better.
# Anudeep shakes his head
Waiter: Sir, here's your mushroom ravioli
Anudeep: Thank you!
Waiter: And mam your chicken salad.
Janet: Can you get me some croutons and ranch?
Waiter: Sure
Janet: Thank you.
Janet: You like mushroom?
Anudeep: Uhmm, yeah. Once in a while I do.
Janet: My sister has mushroom allergy. She accidentally had some last month and fell sick.
Anudeep: Oh.
Janet: She had to miss work, she got rashes on her palms. It was bad!
Anudeep: How's she now?
Janet: She's in much better shape now.
Anudeep: Chalo acha hai, mere jaisa toh nahi tha.
Janet: Why? What happened to you?
Anudeep: These past few years have been terrible, personally. . .
Janet: Why?
# He drifts into thoughts
Anudeep: I don't even want to talk about it. I'm just happy I got through it.
Janet: Hmm, at least you're happy now. . . I guess?
Anudeep: Hmm. . . What about you? You've moved here permanently?
Janet: Yeah, as long as I'm working for Cognizant I'll be here.
Anudeep: Hmm, I always thought you'd go back to Singapore and work there itself.
Janet: Well that was the plan, I mean it still is.. but unfortunately 😁 I got campus placed.

Janet: Dad's still saying 'come back, no need to work there' lol but I'm thinking I'll just get a few years of experience here first..

Anudeep: That's also not a bad idea.

Janet: Yeah and Cognizant is actually a very good company to get experience on the technical side of the projects.

Anudeep: I've heard that as well, too bad I couldn't clear the aptitude test 😗 

Janet: Really?

Anudeep: Yeah. So then what's your plan after you leave CTS?

Janet: I'll either pursue Masters in Singapore or work as Tech Lead there?

Anudeep (😯): Tech Lead!?

Janet: That's the reason I've stuck with CTS all these years na!

Anudeep: Kya baat hai! Sab perfectly plan kar liya hai tune toh!?

Janet: Yeah, but I don't think my director likes me. 😔
Anudeep: Oh bullcrap! She's just trying to see how strong you are, mentally.
Janet: Thank God at least my sister's here! Or else I would've killed myself.
Anudeep: Really?
Janet: Yeah, we're very close!
Anudeep: No I mean, how would you kill yourself?

Janet: 😒

Janet: But she'll also be leaving by the end of the month 😔
Anudeep: Why?
Janet: Ghar nahi jana kya! 😒

Janet: Besides, her marriage is fixed 😀.. So I'll get to go shopping soon! 😍

Anudeep: Ohh, that's nice! 

Anudeep: In Singapore itself? 

Janet: Obviously.
Janet: Now my dad is scheming to get me also married soon 😆. He says, "there's an age in which you should get married." I'm like, "do what you want to do, I don't want to have this conversation with you."

-- IN HIS LIVING ROOM -- 
/* HE is working on his laptop and thinking about something. Kabi comes into the kitchen and looks into the fridge */

Kabi: Dude, there's no milk?
Kabi: Dude!?
Kabi: Oh hello!
HE: Haan.
Kabi: Kahan khoya hua hai bhai!?
HE: Nahi kuch nahi bas. . . kya hua?
Kabi: Dudh khatam hai kya?
HE: Haan wo. . . Haan, kal khatam ho gaya, lana padega.
# Kabi walks out 
HE: Yaar kuch samajh nahi aa raha.
Kabi: Why what happened?
HE: Yaar, last week my manager called me in his office and. . . 
Kabi: And what? He fired you?
HE (Excited): Mujhe bhi wahi laga! But. . . 
HE: He wants me to go to the Dublin office and work as a Project Manager.
Kabi: Damn! That's dope bro!
HE: Arey kya? I have no experience as a Project Manager.
Kabi: Arey, toh kya hua. Tera manager kehe raha hai matlab koi toh reason hoga! He identifies something in you.
HE: Hmm. . . 
Kabi: Jana kab hai?
HE: Pata nahi, I'm assuming end of the year.
Kabi: Toh tune bola kya manager ko?
HE: Kuch bola nahi abhi tak, told him I'll let you know.
Kabi: Contract kab tak ka hai? Contract hai ya they are permanently moving you there?
HE: It's a 2 year contract and if I perform well they'll extend it.
Kabi: Mast na!
Kabi: Sab toh sahi hai! soch kya raha hai tu?
HE: I don't know yaar, tere liye kehena aasan hai.
Kabi: Arey! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Don't think too much about it.
HE: Hmm. . . I have my own qualms yaar.
Kabi: I understand, take your time. Tu sahi decision lega mujhe pata hai.
HE: Hopefully!

-- IN THE STREETS -- 

/* Anudeep and Janet are walking on the sidewalk */
Anudeep: Uhmm, I didn't say it but. . . 
Anudeep: You look beautiful tonight
# Janet stops and stares at him
Janet: Are you hitting on me?
Anudeep: Maybe
Janet: You also look okay.
Anudeep: Thank you. I hope that was a compliment
Janet: Obviously!
# They keep walking 
Janet: Uhmm. . . I couldn't help but think about what went wrong with you in the past couple of years. If you don't mind me asking?
Anudeep: It's nothing. . . It's just. . . I got contracted by a skin disease, I was down for almost 4 months. Right before I graduated I was caught copying in my final exams and was reported to the HOD, my parents were called and I had to rewrite the exam, I almost got expelled. 

Janet: What!!? You never told me about that. 

Anudeep: Why would I tell you about something like that?

# Janet nods
Anudeep: A good friend of mine borrowed 15,000 bucks and disappeared. Oh wait, he also took my laptop and pawned it for some extra cash. Behen ki shaadi me jana tha, train miss ho gayi. Ghar wapas jana tha, bus miss ho gayi. 

Janet: Ughh, that's harsh. 

Anudeep: For months I was struggling to get a job aur ek din girlfriend ayi aur break up kar liya.

Janet: What? Just like that!?
Anudeep: Yeah.. I think she'd started seeing someone else.
Janet: But!?... That doesn't make sense!

Anudeep: Bahut pucha maine usse, "kya hua? kyun kar rahi hai aise? sahi toh hai sab". She wouldn't say anything, finally ek din usne kaha, "tu samajh nahi raha hai, mujhe darr hai mai tere pe cheat na kar dun".
# Silence

Anudeep: Kya keheta? Kis mu se rokta use. Jab baat idhar tak aa gayi hai.. toh, matlab, kuch bacha hi nahi hai bachane ko.

Janet: I can understand.. 
Anudeep: Ek din ghar wapis aya, toh laptop missing tha, iphone missing tha.
Janet: There was a burglary at your place?
# Anudeep nods
Anudeep: Police k pas gaya toh kehene lage ghar ache se lock rakha karo.
Anudeep: Arey!? Ghar toh lock hi tha. Ache se kya hota hai!?
Janet: And Modi says, "Ache din ayenge."
Anudeep: 😄
Anudeep: But that was all in the past.
Janet: I'm sure it was just a phase
# She looks at him
Janet: Listen to me, good times are right around the corner.
# Anudeep looks into her eyes
Anudeep: I'm sure they are.
# They walk a few more steps
Janet: Alright, my stop's here.
Janet: I had an amazing time! Thank you!
Anudeep: I had a great time as well, and all thanks to you!
Janet: Ha ha
Anudeep: You have a good night
Janet: Good night!

-- X --