Okkaye now!!! Back in Florida... And still carrying some memories of "that" trip. Since then, things have happened, that are bigger than a simple trip from the east coast to west coast. However, first things first.
I remember those days when my friend used to make these trips to the other side. Although there were single friends there, California remained predominantly a land of the married couples. Being from a student community where we thought we were the coolest crowd, we heard stories of cool couples, lotsa parties, games, good food and potlucks. Temples and antaksharis, card games and bagaara baingans, potluck parties, politics and celebrity gossips... could they be any cooler! However there was this misgiving about how a lone single would fit in, in a sea of spouses. Back then, there were just a few couples here in Florida, but hey, couples can fit-in with singles much easier than the other way round, don't they!!
What I found in California, after my initial shyness among new couples (and new people in general, I think I might be mildly xenophobic) was that married or not, single or not, people are ... well people. They thrive in communities, they love being together, they love to talk, sing and eat good food. They love to welcome new people. I think that could be a characteristic of married cliques - they are always looking for new people to join in. And would love it if you decide to bring someone along.
However, the only downside, is I guess the number. 4 become 8, 10 become 20. But the gender camaradarie takes care of itself, so rarely would you find anyone left out in a group of couples. Unless you are extremely shy and can't think of saying anything about a sport, or the government, or the Wii, or the money plant, or the new curtain that brightens the living room. Or your (or their pet). But once you connect, does not matter on what topic, you are in. Oh yeah, you can dance, sing, pray, worship, joke, tease and do all that stuff that makes you a cool single. And you are special among them, cos you are single. May be there is a distant relative of theirs, who is looking. You could get lucky.
But... anywho...I wonder. My trip was supposed to be fun. At a happy moment. And I was a guest. Would I have been meted out any different treatment! May be not. But still, its interesting to ponder if a group of couples is stronger than a group of singles. I believe that larger groups are unstable. Too many egos, too many subgroups, too many opinions, no real hierarchy or chain of command. Its impossible to satisfy everybody all the time. May be the same problems plague the couple groups too. But the effective size I guess is smaller there cos two people move as one in couple groups. And difficult situations defused more easily. Or are they? I would love to find out. May be to do that, I will have to form a coupling. With somebody by my side. So, I will drink to all the fun that I think singles have with couples. And the fun singles have when they get to become couples. Let me drink to all the friendships that couples all of them. And all of us.
