The Italian Connection

"Are you trying to catch somebody's internet?"

That was the first thing that came out of her mouth after I said hi to the girl passing by me and looked right back into my Thinkpad. I could not make out if the question was meant to taunt rather than question my act. The clock had just raced ahead into a new Sunday while I was looking up facebook, orkut and other i-want-to-be-noticed networks that are a rage nowadays, trying hard to reply to some of the innumerable messages. Saturday night, one would wonder, being spent scratching hair and killing time.

"Yes. I dont have comcast yet!", I replied back in a defensive tone. My sitting on the steps and her leaning over me did not help matters either. Somehow, I let a I-am-a-crazy-law-abiding-american image intimidate me when I am doing something remotely smelling of unlawful activity. Yet, as I looked towards her, she did not seem to be one who would flip out her mobile and start dialling 911.

As it was time to look up and talk, her eyes were the first thing that hit me . She was somewhere around 5'6" tall, white, blond wearing a cut-to-size black flowing robe suggesting she was coming back from a saturday night completely different from mine. Whoever said that camels can smell water in a desert had got it perfectly right. My parched tongue, deprived of booze that weekend, salivated when my nostrils picked up her beer-loaded-breath.

"Hi. Ujjwal", I spoke extending my hand tentatively towards her.

"Haaiiiii!!! I'm Nicole".

As is the case when I shake hands with most beautiful girls I meet, I never seem to listen to their names. Its a moment when I look into the eyes and all other sensory functions are temporarily disabled. No sound, no smell, no feeling and only the eyes feasting upon a delicacy in slow motion.

A short 'gel-in' conversation followed. As I joked to her about how masters students in information security at CMU are able to hack into 'trivial' things like someone's wireless network, I had already assumed on her being totally non-tech and a party bitch. I had my reasons. She lived alone, was seemingly coming back from a saturday night blast, was young and beautiful and had just invited me over to her place to see her pet cat. Hmm. I know I love pets, but what was she thinking when she asked a complete stranger to walk into her living room at 1 am in the night?

"Would you like to come to church with me tomorrow morning?"

What? Church? This somewhere between 23-24 year old is asking me out to a Church? I probably was to blame for it. I had mentioned that I visit the Church every Sunday. But mornings? That too on a Sunday? Never!! Its funny how opinions change faster than we can track them.

"Sure.", I replied back, already thinking of packing up stuff for the night and bracing myself for a short sleep. But I was somehow looking forward to going with Nicole. I get excited on meeting new and wonderful human beings. But I certainly did not expect her to ask a stranger out to Church that fast. That implied she, like me, loved to meet new people. And suddenly, my first impression of her being the slut-next-door was melting away at the first touch.

Sunday morning was beautiful. It was more to do with me saying hi to the sun that early. The Church atmosphere was electric. I loved the huge gathering, the music, the talk and felt the same sensation I get while meditating. Nicole and a bunch of her Church friends went for lunch. I tagged along.

And there I met Ashley.

"Ashley!! She is the reason I dont feel the need for a boyfriend. She is my best friend". Nicole's face lights up everytime she talks about Ashley. Ash is an amazing lady. Half Italian, like Nicole, she is the closest soul to Nicole.

I sat between Nicole and Ashley, alongwith about 20 others on the table. Ashley and I had a good time talking about Indian food, culture, Kamasutra, life in America and a variety of topics. As Nicole sums it up aptly, "Ashley is the girl whom every guy wants to date".

Beautiful people. Amazing life stories. Young and enthusiastic. Many half-Italians, somehow. And away from the mushy world of encrypted communication over a secure channel between non trusted parties in a PKI based infrastructure. Talking to these people I somehow felt how underprividged undergraduate life at BIT Mesra was. How far far far away from reality people go on doing their business and yet survive.

I see Nicole almost everyday I go home (somehow the schedule is getting the better of me this semester more often than I would like to). She likes the Indian food I cook. She had biryani (chicken based rice), rajma (beans) and dahi (yogurt) the other night with me. As I have spoken more to her, my appreciation for her as a person has increased exponentially. She is a mature girl for her shoes who leads a totally independent and conviction based life on her own. Though she is young and hence a little irrational at times, its great to know someone who is 'typically American' yet a conservative reflecting your thoughts. I go to Church with Nicole on Sundays, time permitting. As for Ashley, I see her in Church. The handshakes have given way to hugs. Nicole's cat, Simon, has grown big enough to jump onto the dining table. In a metaphorical sense, Simon has until now resembled our growing friendship. Its good to have her in life as a friend.

ps 1: I love this pic of Nicole Beninati (the blond) and Ashley Provenzano (with the pan). I love the different thoughts on everyone's face. Its like four different movies being played on a single screen at the same time. Ashley is deep into her thoughts which is rare. Nicole, is simply Nicole!!

ps 2: Any Indian with the slightest knowledge of politics in India would have plenty to say about "The Italian Connection". Ironical enough that a country of more than one billion is unable to find a son/daughter of the soil to lead themselves. Politics make strange bedfellows.