The City of Joy’s Unintentional Ambassador

“Ey,” Kay said to me on the bed at our Air BNB in Kolkata, “do you think you want to propose to me now?”

A ring, a hubcap, a life. Round, simple, pure. (Ankita’s photo)

“Ohn ohn,” I said, eyes crinkled, in her native Assamese. I know a few words and phrases, and she’s made matzah ball soup and soofganeeyot, but that isn’t what’s important. We know what’s important. And it ain’t houses, and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth and it ain’t even the stars.