The Crooked Straight Story

As Suraj woke up from his Sunday evening nap, the first thing that his hand searched on his bet was his mobile. His hand scrambled all over the area it could reach but the mobile was not to be found.

He opened his eyes and looked around in search of his handset in vain. He got up from his bed and then came out in the hall. He found his handset lying on the center table and his dad sitting on the couch.

“I want to talk to you” his father said as he made his move to pick his handset. He made his gesture to sit down to the chair in front of him. As Suraj made himself comfortable, inside his mind his thoughts worried what it could lead to.

“What’s going around these days with your life?” his dad asked as his mother brought a cup of tea for him. “Good” he replied. “Is there something that you might want to talk to us?” he asked as he took a sip from the tea.

Confused not sure what it was leading to, he replied “Nothing Dad”. “Are you sure?, do you want talk about the girls in your life, or wanting to get settled down. Should we start searching for a girl for you?”

Suraj looked at his dad’s face and then his mom's which appeared grim realizing that something was amiss here “What happened das, why talks of marriage all of a sudden?”

“Can you tell me who is Vishal?” his father asked. “He is one of my friends” “Then why does his message says “I love a lot Suraj, missing you and you too replied you are missing him. What is that supposed to mean? Are you gay? His father countered him.

The barrage of questions hit him hard and took time to reply. “Dad, you went through my messages, why?” “I was not going to, your phone was ringing, as I was going to pick it up the call ended and read the message “that I need you Suraj in my life, cannot live without you”. I would have more than happy if it were from a girl but from a boy? He said and stopped.

“Please speak up, please tell that this is not true. I know you like girls. Please tell” his mother pleaded with him. “Dad, its not like that, you are getting it wrong” he said and got up and “I am not gay”. His mother seemed pleased with his answer.

“If that is so then why is Vishal expressing his love for you? Is he gay and hitting on you? Has he been taking advantage of you? Answer me” his father thundered.

“There is nothing like that. I am not gay and he is not gay” “Then what are these love messages about? You think we are fool who don’t’ understand anything? Call him right now and put the phone in speaker mode and ask him about the same. Do it”

“I can’t” he replied expressing his helplessness. His parents looked at him amused “Why not” his mother asked as she came closer to her. The tenth of a second silence made them more anxious.

“He is not a guy” Suraj said. “What” his mother shrieked, his father trying to come to terms to what he just heard. “Vishal is a girl and her real name is Vaishali. I put her name as Vishal so that no one knows about us seeing each other”

As he looked on to his parents both were dumb founded and they looked at each other and started laughing…..