Free Bird Part 5

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'What a spongy cake. Even if I spend all my life in the kitchen I can't bake a cake as delicious as this.' Rupa said as she shoved a piece of cake into her mouth. As promised Sneha had got cake for her in an oval shaped steel container..

Rupa took another piece and said, 'Looking at you no one can believe that you are such a wonderful cook.'

'Thank you so much. I take it as a compliment. But will you please explain as to why people wont consider me to be a good cook,' asked Sneha.

'I mean you are such a mod woman who wears shirt-pants all the time. You sport a bob cut, adorn a cherry red lipstick and speak your mind. Kitchen and cooking are simply not in sync with your image.'

'Appearances are deceptive Rupa, and why do we label people and throw them into separate compartments which exist only in our heads. Why do we jump to judge people when we know so little about them.'

'I agree,' said Rupa as she helped herself with another piece of cake. 'But I am glad that you made your father's day. He must be extremely proud of you.'

'I wish Sandip..'

Snapping Sneha Rupa said, 'Forget about him. A son is a son until he gets a wife but a daughter is a daughter all her life.'

'But he is not even married.'

'So what? It applies to all men, married or not.'

'How?'

'Now don't act like you are my teacher and grill me. I have got something to show you.' She pulled out two tickets from her purse.

'Tickets?' Sneha asked.

'Of a play.' Rupa said dangling the tickets in the air.

'Which one?'

'Ek raat, aapke sath.'

'OMG, is there a play by that name?' Quizzed Sneha.

'Yes, the name sounds quiet risque. It's a local group which is staging it. The writer, director, actors all are from Khandwa. One of my friends from college is doing the backstage and she begged me to buy the tickets. Please buy at least two tickets, her shriveled form said.' Rupa folded her hands and offered an exaggerated version of her friend's conduct. 'I couldn't disappoint that woman with the perpetual long face. After she left, I read the name of the play and I chickened out.'

'Why?' Asked Sneha.

'Women don't watch such plays, do they?'

'And men?'

'Well men can practically do anything.' Rupa said with a sigh.

'What a sick mentality. We have to fight against such thinking. Firstly, we don't know what the play is all about. Ours is just a guess work from the title. Secondly, even if it has sexual innuendos why should we shy away from it, only because we are women? We will go and watch this play.' Sneha said as she thumped her fist on the table. The steel container on the table tinkered and shuddered.

'My darling Sneha I always knew that you would say the same, and that is the precise reason why I didn't ask any other person to accompany me. Sometimes I feel I lack the courage which you have. So this Saturday night...'

Sneha completed her sentence, 'Ek raat, aapke sath.'

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