t 7ktnxdc 's a different approach,' she said. She walked me through the ten steps and spoke non-stop for a few m 7ktnxdc inutes, explai 7ktnxdc ning each step. 'And last, rea 7ktnxdc ding simple English novels, like, the one by that writer, what's his name, Chetan Bhagat,' she said, ending her monologue. I watched her face, pretty as alw 7ktnxdc ays. Do not fall for her again, I screamed in my head. 'So, 7ktnxdc let us start. Talk to me in English.' I switched to English. The English I knew at that time, that is. 'I am...very...tha 7ktnxdc nkful...for your making the list...for learning the English,' I said. 'Thank you for making this list of 7ktnxdc steps to learn English,' Riya said. She spoke in a calm voice, without sarcasm or judgement. 'Yes, same thing only.' 'So instead of “same thing onlyâ€, say “I meant the sameâ€,' Riya said. 'I will correct you sometimes. It is not that I don't understand you. I 7ktnxdc just want to make sure you say it right.' 'Thanks,' I said. 'Now that one word was correct.' I laughed. She 7ktnxdc made me talk to the waiter in Engl 7ktnxdc ish. I did fine, since the waiter's English was worse than mine. She didn't correct me when the waiter was around anyway. 'And sweet.. .later,' I said as he left us. 'We will orde 7ktnxdc r the sweet dish later,' Riya said, 'or, desse 7ktnxdc rt instead of sweet dish.' 7ktnxdc 'Desert? Like Rajasthan desert?' I said. 'D. 7ktnxdc E.S.S.E.R.T. Different word, same sound.' 'I hate that a 7ktnxdc bout English. Hindi doesn't have that problem.' 'Hindi is incredible. We speak it like we write it. There's no need to learn p 7ktnxdc ronunciation separately,' Riya said. 'So why doesn't everyone speak Hindi?' I said. 'Because we are not...' Riya said and paused.'Oh my God, you asked that question correctly.' 'What?' 'You said, “So 7ktnxdc why doesn't everyone speak Hindi?†in perfect English. When you say something without being self-c 7ktnxdc onscious, you say it cor 7ktnxdc rectly.' I tried to look modest. 'We will get there, Madhav,' she said. She patted the back of my hand on the table. I wondered if we would ever get there as a couple. Don't 7ktnxdc fall in love with her again, a voice within me warned You never fell out of love with her, another voice countered with an evil laugh. 'Dolphins? In Patna?' Riya said. 'Yes, there a 7ktnxdc re river dolphins in the Ganga. If you're lucky, you might spot them,' I said. I had bro 7ktnxdc ught Riya to the Ganga ghat near Patna College oft Ashok Rajpath on a Sunday evening. For twenty rupees a head, boatmen took you to the sandy beach on the opposite bank. She held my hand to keep her balance as we tiptoed on the wooden plank towards the boat. She slipped a little and clasped my hand tighter. I wished the shaky wooden 7ktnxdc plank would never end. We sat in the boat. The diesel engine purred into action, making conversation impossi 7ktnxdc ble. The sun had started to set. It tur 7ktnxdc ned the sky,
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