Two Hundred People Watching

He followed me to the stairs. Navy suit. Big man. He said my mic was too loud in front of everyone. Two hundred people. I just stood there and smiled. Smile, smile, smile. That is what I do. The assistant took my cue. I did the third song. I do not know how.

In the auto my hands shook. Twenty minutes. I wanted to cry so bad, yaar. But the driver was there. So I did not. I held it. I held it the whole way home.

I got in at six. The chhadi is still on the counter where mum left it. My eyes are red from not crying. That is a real thing. You can hurt from not letting it out.

I keep thinking about Jaipur. My college friends have real jobs. Real rings. I throw parties and a man in a suit tells me my mic is wrong in front of a room. That is my life. Pata nahi why that thought came now. It did though.

Sab thik. Sab thik. I am fine.