so after taking a rather dismal Diagnostic LSAT test, I was about to get the hell out of the test room when I spotted another disgruntled face just like mine, (I am so familiar with that expression by now seeing that that is my most popular expression these days), I approached her with empathy, "yeah I didn't do as well either." she insisted we get out of the room even faster. I complied. so while we got out of the room, and out of the building, and back on the streets (in the non-prostitute sense of course), we planned to sit and talk about the LSAT, and Robin Singh, and the test we just took. And while we had not yet reached our destination, we exchanged more intimate details than what is strictly necessary. She asked me during what context I forget, "so who pays your rent?" And while I paid the rent (technically maintenance we call it) for only those 5 months when I had a job, but it would be very wrong to claim that as a general scheme of things, So introduce Raja: the husband. (But I am usually wary of talking about my personal life to a complete stranger; I can't even recall her name right now, I only remember that she was Indian). Also, until very recently I was not used to admitting that I am married, because we were not married on paper in the US, I usually used to go by "my fiance" or "my boyfriend", but in reply to the question of this rather curious stranger who found it necessary to inquire who pays my rent, of all the synonyms in the world, I chose to blurt out "my partner." And until then I did not even think there might be any misunderstanding with the term. Anyway, during our walk I was not my usual animated self, and much retired to my own thoughts-- the first thing I'd do when reaching home is change my test date, and then I have to cook the cauliflower, maybe I should take the GRE too as a backup, and then I must clean the bathroom (it's been 3 days already), and then I have to pick up a few other things from the grocery-- and thus my stream of consciousness was playing itself out-- when it was suddenly interrupted with what appeared to sound like this, "you are the first Indian lesbian I met." I was a little bewildered for the moment. And then she emphasized further, "so it's you and your partner living in the apartment?" I can't tell why but I felt lazy to talk and clarify the whole thing, when my mind was engaged with other pressing concerns, and I just thought to myself that I don't have the energy to explain all the intricate details as to why I reserve the more familiar and obvious term, "husband." So i let it be. I just replied "yes" to her question, and decided to remain remembered as the first Indian lesbian in someone's records in this world whom I don't have to meet ever again. I hope. But if I do then there would be twice as much as explaining required. Maybe I will invent a twin then! "O you must have had met my twin sister; yeah SHE'S lesbian."
