Glass Half Empty
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‘I believe in the idea of America, a promise land of opportunities. In fact, the charm of a complete restart is what drove me to the states, Doc’ said Ayan, lying down comfortably on a chaise lounge.
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‘Hmm, how’s your relationship with your parents? I mean, it must have been hard to send their only son abroad’ Probed Dr. Nirupama, a renowned psychologist.
‘No problems there, they were convinced after my seeing the admits I had. Plus, I’m not too attached to them.’
‘It’s been two years since you visited home. Any family in the states?’
‘Lots, but none close enough’
‘Geographically?’
‘Emotionally’ replied Ayan nonchalantly.
‘Friends circle?’
‘Not much, it’s just Wiz’
‘Wiz?’
‘Wiz Iyer, that friend who referred you in the first place’
‘Ah Viswamitra Iyer! Yeah, he is a family friend. Great guy. He was once like you, very risk averse and played it too safe. He’s now recovered’
‘Yeah, I could tell. I now see him taking up hobbies I would never associate with Wiz. Last week he told me he’s picked up Skydiving’
‘Ah Yes, I heard that too’
‘You did good, Doc. The new Wiz is much more happier now. I hear he’s got back with the ex too’
’Nothing I did. I just re-trained his pre-frontal cortex to take on measurable risk. Speaking about love lives. How’s your soulmate search going on?’
‘I don’t believe in that shit, Doc’
‘Language! What are you obsessed about these days? Most young men in their late 30s should only be obsessed about one thing’
‘Series-A funding for our venture - Mortula. That’s the goal but I don’t think we’ll get there any time soon’
‘Ah! You’re digressing again. Personal obsessions Ayan, not professional ones.’
’That’s the only obsession I have, Doc. We need the funding for advertising. That’s the next step to make Mortula the leading dating app in the US.’
‘Oh the Irony’ exclaimed the Doc.
‘Excuse me’
’How’s it that the you two, with the most cynical views on love decide to build a dating app?’ Asked the Doc.
‘Well, it’s all data and math, Doc. We match pattern behaviours from other app activity and use that to bring likeminded people together. Let me draw out the algo for you’
‘For an other day. Let’s jump back to your life. Let’s see those five goals that I asked you to list from last session’
Ayan hands over a folded tissue paper from his pocket.
‘Something tells me you wrote it on your way here. I wanted you to include Optimism in your goals. Where’s that?’
‘It’s the last one’ said Ayan pointing to the last line on the tissue. ’Less Pessimism’ read out Ayan.
‘Ayan! That in itself is a pessimistic statement. You’re increasingly showing signs of clinical depression. You need to make a conscious effort or there’s no going back.’
‘Positivity has never worked for me, doc. It’s the pessimistic realism that’s got me here.’
‘Exactly, and ‘here’ might not be a good place. A flourishing career, Suma Cuma Laude from a public Ivy and an impeccable record are not the only aspects of life you know?’
‘Maybe, I’m meant to go this way. We’ll see. Anyways, can I get that refill?’
‘Here’ said Dr. Nirupama throwing the medicine bottle. ‘Same time, next week’
‘We’ll see.’ Says Ayan as he leaves.