Be cautious while picking a favorite movie. It tells people who you are, what moves you, and what you giggle at. It exposes the little guy inside the hardcover of big beards and short haircuts. Shows your heartbeat through your ‘someone’s gonna get a hurt real bad’ teeshirt. This favorite movie follows you like a pet. It sometimes runs right ahead of you and you follow. You are still looking for the poet on the Goa beach who offered to write you a poem in exchange for money. You are waiting, with lines prepared and practiced, for the stranger on a bus to strike a conversation.

But beware, dating your crush ruins it, remember. You might not like how he holds a fork or how his beard smells up close. Let a crush be a crush. Let romance live. Your favorite character will try to be you but resist. Take my word. I have dated my crushes and I have tried to be Theodore. Recently I wrote a message from someone to someone he appreciates, but could not find the words to. It was hardly like Theodore in Her “Roberto, Will you always come home with me and tell me about your day? Tell me about the guy at work who talked too much, the stain you got on your shirt at lunch.” What I was to write was hardly romantic. Actually, it was not romantic at all.

Beating the tight schedule at work, dragged sleeps caused by pills, I wrote about an almost uninspiring topic, for an overbearing client who followed up a few times too often. I was doing it for the story. But something happened after I wrote what I wrote and gave it away. It gave him so much joy that it gave me more joy. Of his and mine. Joy asked what do you want, ask for it. More joy replied it was my pleasure, but I like Ruskin Bond books.

I lived my romance. So you know what, maybe date your crush, go to that side of the hill, what do you know about the grass there. Do it because I would do it again. And Again. Miss lunch and do it one more time. I will. Write from you. For Ruskin Bond books.

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