Bombay and Karachi are marine twin cities separated at partition.
I feel this intensely when Bombay child Rupal hangs out with her bestie Asiya, originally from Karachi. Their 23 yr old friendship is like straight out of an American desi movie. Both moved to the US in pre teens. Assigned to same college dorm room in Cali. Such everlasting love!
In their chats and reminiscences, I realize how much they mean to each other. As recently unmoored young adults trying to find some permanence. And to find it with a friend who you're conditioned to think of as "the enemy"! Their very first year together was the Kargil War!
Hanging out with Asiya and her family is so much fun. They are like "us Pakistanis are the worst" and we are like "no no, us indians are the worst" and they are like "yaar leave kashmir be its own thing na, why this india pak nonsense" and we are like "exactly". So chill!
One day I'll have Rupal do a Spaces about her college stories from UC Davis as a born-abroad-raised-here desi American at the turn of the century. Some very interesting insights and learnings there for desi women college students and their parents.
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