Chapter 33: chapter 33

The idea of trying stand-up comedy had lingered in the back of my mind ever since Vedahi's suggestion. It seemed like a fun and exciting challenge, and I thought, "Why not give it a shot?" Vedahi was the one who encouraged me to pursue it, so I decided to take her advice to heart.I began by writing down funny incidents and observations from my life. Whenever something amusing happened, I jotted it down in a little notebook I had labelled "Prakhar's Comedy Lines." My goal was to build a journal of humorous material that I could use for a fun show.During one of our video calls, I shared my progress with Vedahi. "Vedahi, I'm putting together some comedy material. It's a mix of funny stories and observations. I hope I can make people laugh with this."She grinned, "I have no doubt you can, Prakhar. You've been making me laugh for weeks now. You've got the gift of humour."Vedahi's enthusiasm continued to motivate me, and I was getting more and more comfortable with the idea of performing in front of an audience.Then came the exciting news that Vedahi would be visiting India soon. She was planning to spend time with her family in Hyderabad, and I couldn't have been happier for her. However, I couldn't join her, as there were no holidays in France during that time. Nevertheless, hearing about her trip was refreshing, and it made me nostalgic about my homeland.As Vedahi's trip to India drew nearer, I had a plan in mind. I wanted to perform a comedy show for my roommate, Alex, to show him a different side of me. With my stand-up comedy routine taking shape, I was eager to put on a show.A few weeks later, Vedahi finally reached India. It was wonderful to see her reunited with her family, and I hoped her journey was safe and filled with joy.One evening, after I had performed a comedy show for Alex, which he thoroughly enjoyed, I received a message from Vedahi. She asked me to call her. It was a Saturday, so I picked up my phone and dialled her number to find out what she had in store for me."Prakhar, I have something exciting to share," Vedahi began. "My college friend, Riya, is coming to visit me tomorrow. She's a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army."I was intrigued. "That sounds impressive. What brings her to your place?"Vedahi explained, "Riya is currently on a short break from her Army duties, and she wanted to spend some time catching up. We go way back, and I'm excited to introduce you to her. I think you two will get along well."I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Virtually meeting a Lieutenant Colonel sounded intimidating."I don’t understand your point, she is your friend and coming to meet you, so why do you want to introduce me?”“We are good friends and I want all my good friends to know each other, that’s why! You don’t have to overthink just be there for the video call, that’s it!” Vedahi was pushy at times but her assurance put me at ease.“Sure, I'm looking forward to it, Vedahi. It'll be great to meet your good friend.""Riya is not only a strong and confident officer but also has a great sense of humour. You can test your jokes on her too!" Vedahi grinned.I felt intrigued and thought of putting on another comedy show for them.The next day, which happened to be a Sunday, I told Alex about the upcoming get-together. He was interested in another comedy show of mine, so after lunch, we set up a video call with Vedahi.Vedahi was super excited to see Alex, as he had been unwell when we started connecting. "How are you, Alex?""Hey Vedahi, I've heard a lot about you from Prakhar! Seems you've turned this serious man into a comedian," Alex told Vedahi, winking at me."Yes, I am a superwoman; I can do wonders. Meet my friend here, Prakhar. This is Riya. Riya, meet Prakhar and Alex."Riya didn't seem entirely at ease, as we were both new faces for her. With a somewhat serious tone, she said, "Hello, Prakhar and Alex. Vedahi has told me a little about you folks. How are you both doing?"I smiled and replied, "All is well here. It's a pleasure to meet an army officer. You are very inspiring, and I know a little bit about you from Vedahi."As the evening unfolded, we all settled into a comfortable conversation. Riya's sense of humour quickly became evident, and she had us all in stitches with her one-liner witty anecdotes and amusing stories from her life in the Army.After a few stories, Riya turned to me and said, "Prakhar, What do you do on weekends?"“He makes us Laugh!” Alex answered that question.“Well then I am waiting for a laugh, come on Prakhar, you can’t keep that skill hidden!” Riya teased me.I felt a bit put on the spot, but Vedahi nudged me playfully. "Come on, Prakhar, show Riya what you've been working on. We were going to have your comedy show, after all."I took a deep breath and decided to go for it. I shared a few of my jokes, and, to my surprise, Riya burst into laughter. She clapped for me and said, "Prakhar, you've got a talent for this! You should consider doing shows in public!"“Riya you are making me nervous now, this is just for friends, I cannot perform in front of a crowd!”I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the situation. Here I was, sharing my comedy material with an Army Lieutenant Colonel, and she was not only enjoying it but encouraging me to pursue it further.Riya turned to me with a gleam in her eye."Prakhar, you know, I have an idea. How about you test your stand-up comedy skills in front of a live audience?"Riya continued to boost me up by saying, "My unit always puts up with some poor jokes, maybe this way they will get some new variety. You have a good command, and you can do a show for our small group of soldiers too!"I blinked in surprise. "A live audience, that too soldiers? That sounds terrifying."Vedahi and Alex both chuckled.Vedahi went on to boost my confidence. "Come on, Prakhar, you've got the talent. We'll be there to support you, and I'm sure you'll do great."Riya said, "Prakhar, as an Army officer, I've learned to face challenges head-on. Sometimes, you have to embrace the fear to find your courage."I found myself agreeing with her, even though I knew it was a significant risk I was taking. But her conviction and the determination in her eyes were contagious, and somehow my heart agreed to every word of her, I decided to give it a shot. I was slowly opening the closed windows of my mind. They say a good friend can bring out the best effortlessly, I was now experiencing that, but was it my best or worst, time had to decide.~~~~~