Page 120 of 12 Years
‘Who landed?’
‘The joke. Sorry, that’s comic lingo. I used to be a stand-up comic, a long time back.’
‘Stand up?’ she said.
‘Stand-up comic? Like people who make jokes on stage?’
‘Oh, interesting,’ Neha said in a disinterested tone.
I remembered a time when the conversation would flow and the jokes would land effortlessly. My mind went flying back to one of those random nights in that tiny Pali Hill flat.
Payal and I were lying in bed, chatting.
‘Good show today?’ Payal said.
‘Yes, the audience loved it. They were hooting and whistling.’
‘That’s great. Listen, do you still do the push-up-bra bit?’
‘Yep. It always works. I always get the loudest laughs for the dhakka-maar bra.’
‘I actually have an objection to file on that,’ Payal said, sitting up and turning towards me.
‘What?’ I said, looking at her twinkly eyes.
‘You say that push-up bras are technically a fraud.’
‘Yeah …’
‘How is it a fraud? They advertise it as that.’
‘Well, the men don’t know.’
‘I use push-up bras sometimes. I’m not that big.’
‘I know. It’s okay.’
‘It’s okay? Excuse me?’
‘Yes, it’s okay, baby. I love you anyway, whatever your size.’
‘Ouch,’ she said.
‘What?’
‘Nothing. It’s okay, Saket. I love you too anyway, whatever your size.’
‘Huh?’ I sat up. ‘What do you mean?’
Payal smiled.
‘Is it small?’ I said.
‘Well …’ Payal trailed off, a grin on her face. She fluffed a pillow and leaned back against the headrest.
‘What?’
‘I’ve seen bigger,’ Payal said.
