Two nights ago, it was my friend's birthday party, at which I could not attend due to the horrendous weather. It's easy to make that excuse, but in all honesty, I did not want to go. It was a joint b-day gathering between a close friend of mine and a cricket buddy (CB). I feel hesitant to mention either of their names, since technology has gifted anyone with internet access the opportunity to attain salient information via a simple Google search. Well, my friend was hesitant to tell me over the net, and made no mention if it until I went over to his house last night to pick up a power supply for my soon-to-be computer set.

He began regaling the events of the night, but focussed mainly on one single aspect, which, without a doubt, surprised me to say the least. Apparently my CB escorted a female "friend" to the restaurant as well. This wouldn't have been a problem if said friend and he weren't kissing and hugging the whole time; And, more importantly, if he wasn't married. What compounds this situation is the fact that his wife has been planning a surprise birthday party for him for the past 3 weeks trying to get all of his friends over for, what she believes, is a truly important occasion in a man's life (his 30th birthday).

Now, I am not the gullible or naive type when it comes to infidelity. I've never been a part of it, but I've also never had many opportunities to practice said phenomenon; however, I know of many people who have taken part in it, and I would be lying if I said I couldn't have seen this coming. It wasn't the unexpectedness that caught me off guard, it was his sheer audacity to invite her amidst all of what had transpired. We all know his wife and have met his wife several times over the past few years. He's never once hinted that he was capable of infidelity, never the less, exposing it with pride, to all of his friends. His claim that, "yaar, agar aisa mauka milte hai, toh mana nahin karna hai (man, if you get a chance like this, why stop yourself)" definitely made me lose a lot of respect for him.

But this also tells me that this isn't his first, and will surely not cease to be his last. I am a little peeved that he would do this without any hesitation, but as I've said before, this was hardly unheralded. When I look at his life, aside from cricket, he doesn't have much. He has a crummy job, hates being at home; has a nagging wife, and in general, a life that offers little excitement. Surely, his disregard for common human decency is vindicated to an extent. I mean, in movies or stories that you hear, it's precisely this type of guy that ventures off into the arms--or more appropriately, in between the legs--- of another woman, simply to sustain whatever remaining sanity there is. It doesn't justify what he did, but serves as a rather eerie template of his reasoning. What compounds the matter is that this girl is a good 7 years his junior. I've never considered him to be much older than us, since we were all in the same crowd, but now it seems he's acting more his age. Perhaps transcending his twenties has vindicated this abhorrent act, being that he feels he's getting much older and needs to seize opportunities before it evades his grasp. I am reminded of Carpe Ominous (take it all) in this instance, in all its glory.

This took my friends by surprise and they've lost a lot, if not all, respect for him; however, I am far less affected by it. I guess, considering the fact, that both my parents have partaken in infidelity, its effect is somewhat mitigated. I've seen and heard many things in life, and perhaps this is how that wisdom is paying off. I wouldn't want to think of him negatively, and I am sure we can still remain good cricket buddies, but rest assured, it has left a bitter taste in my mouth.