We left home at 5pm, even though we were supposed to reach KP's new place by then. But as far as I can tell, this is standard procedure, no one ever shows up at my place on time. Besides, a 5pm dinner is rather early and when I have people over, I appreciate the extra time- there is always more tidying up to do.
I was armed with a box of pastries and a smartly striped pot containing a small plant that needs lots of sunlight. They are only renting, but a home is a home, and I felt a housewarming gift would be appropriate. It also feels better to show up with something in hand. Mike abhors being gifted random stuff that he has no use for and is of the opinion that one should only get perishables as gifts. I agree with this rule because I too hate clutter and wouldn't wish it on anyone. But, I knew that KP liked having plants around the house. I feel the same way, apartment life can be very sterile and is in direct contrast to the lush surroundings that we grew up in.
We arrive at 6. KP and her husband, Abhi, are waiting downstairs to guide us towards visitor parking and to navigate us through their apartment complex, which is a maze of narrow hallways that stretch on forever. I go hug KP, she is so small. Her husband has changed his hairstyle and is looking more westernized in his plaid flannel shirt. I wonder if its from Old Navy.
Many of the people (out of 5? 6?) we come across on our way to their apartment are Indians and Mike points this out. This is just a frank observation but a part of me feels that this is a comment on the "type" of place it is. I explain, needlessly, that it comes with living in a corporate hub.
The new apartment is nicer. It has a beautiful marble island in the kitchen/living space, the ceilings are taller and there is lots of light coming in. Fingers crossed, the plant won't perish before next winter, I think. I need to use the toilet and find that their bathroom is big and spacious. In one of the bedrooms, KP has set up her workstation, a desk with three monitors and a chair facing the window. She works almost exclusively from home, which from a company/policy perspective I find surprising, because she is on H1-B. From a human perspective, it makes the incredible discrepancy in wages that comes with one's location (rather than ability) all the more stingingly obvious. We are lucky to be able to "make more" of our abilities here, but the constraints on free movement of labor results in the most fundamentally unfair distribution of wealth.
We take our seats, Mike and I on the couch, facing the TV and a bookcase, KP and Abhi flanking us on either side on their respective chairs. Our conversations are very general. KP tells us all about her root canal complications and encounters with awful dentists. Abhi, with his eclectic interests, hops from Bryan Johnson's attempts at extending his life to the max to investing to his thoughts on religion, the last of which comes up almost every time we meet him, probably because it is a point of contention with his father or because the topic is more personally challenging for him than it is for most. I mean, don't most people pick a side and move on?
For dinner, we order two pizzas. I choose the shrimp alfredo on Abhi's phone and pass it to KP, who, pressed into a decision-making situation of which she is largely indifferent, says, lets do one red and one white, for balance. I used to find her lack of interest in food slightly offensive to my sensibilities. After all, you don't find too many people ordering plain pasta at a fine-dining French restaurant, and worse still, look thoroughly satisfied afterwards. But now I find it amusing when she tries to have an opinion.
That said, she dug into the Caramel pastries over dessert. I got four, with the idea of one for each--pistachio, apple, raspberry and key lime. She chatted and glowed contentedly all through the digging, telling Abhi that this is the kind of experience she has been talking about, order different treats and everyone samples everything, and someone (me) describes each item before the sampling. This pleases me awfully, and I am reminded of how little KP has experienced life, in spite of making a journey across the globe all on her own, and setting up a life here. For the moment, I am excited for her. Though at other times, I wonder if she isn't a bit too naive. But then she is intelligent, and has a solid moral compass that I hope will see her through the uncertainties of life.
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