*Pawan, 36, is a freelance photographer in Delhi. He shared his story with our LM writer Sraboni.
The 2 a.m. friend
It was early morning when I returned home. I had been with my friend Anshul at the hospital all night. He had a bout of food poisoning and was too weak to be living alone. Since I just live next door, I checked on him and got him to the hospital for a saline drip. That’s why I am popular as the 2 a.m. friend in my circle. They can bank upon me for anything even at the middle of the night.
Thank God it’s Sunday today and I can sleep till afternoon. No one to bother me. You may ask why? Well, I am single and not ready to mingle. Because I love it this way.
License to flirt!
‘If I get married you won’t love me as much’, I told Akshara, my good friend, the other day when she was trying to get me hitched with one of her unmarried friends.
But it’s hard to convince people that I’m happy being single. I love my own company. I love the freedom it gives me to live my life my way, totally on my own terms. People ask me, ‘Doesn’t it feel lonely coming back to an empty house?’ I actually look forward to coming home and enjoy my me time after a hard day’s work. For those days when life does not feel very upbeat, I head straight over to a friend’s.
I know I am lucky for the kind of friends I have and I am forever grateful for them. I must say I’m also a very popular babysitter or playmate sometimes for some of their adorable kids. Being single also gives me the license to flirt!
As they say, the fun is in the chase! I have ended up making some very special friends that way. I’m also the object of envy for many of my married male friends, those who sometimes crave to be just themselves, without bindings and responsibilities to tie them down.
Responsibilities... and EMIs
I have realised that with time and age, one gets used to their independence. The thought of having to share my life and my space with another person, 24/7, is intimidating. ‘What if our interests don’t match‘ I fear. Also, with marriage comes responsibilities... and EMIs!
As a freelance photographer, I would probably have to give up the luxury of choosing how much work I want to take up.
The only times I regret being single is when I see places that do not allow stags! Ok, jokes apart there are times when I wish I had a family, especially during festivals. But more often than not, I turn to my friends who have come to mean more than family to me, during such times.
Horoscope to the rescue
The biggest challenge for a single guy is warding off people trying to get you hitched! Friends, colleagues, relatives – they come in every form! I have developed some great ammunition to deal with such attacks!
My most favourite one is the one I use with unsuspecting, overly concerned, read interfering, Aunties, who always seem to have ready proposals for me.
‘Aunty, my horoscope says that my wife will become a widow very soon if I get married!’ is my ultimate weapon! Oh, how I love to see their eyes almost pop out at this!
With my friends and colleagues, it’s simple. I just remind them that they surely do not want to lose their all-time favourite, always available bachelor pad!
*To protect the identity, names have been changed and the person/s in the picture is/are models.
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