Young fair-maids often ask; “How fancy is that to live with a scientist? Is it fascinating or rather challenging?” Well, if you also have similar ques in mind, following lines may address you –
Trust me Ladies! – One must be damn careful (if not desperate), before choosing a companion as the one I have at home. Men of his kind are unique in their own ways – and can’t be generalized.
Nonetheless, living with Pritam is never-ever boring as each passing day brings a new challenge. Although it’s hard to define him in one sentence, I might be able to add some suitable adjectives – disorganized, messy and lazy at home, loving, unusually talented/gifted and is passionately living in his own world (aka. Science) – still irresistibly lovable (!). Well, at times, I find myself kinda obligatorily adventurous. Let me pen a few exemplary past events:
Upon my arrival to Rostock from Cambridge (England), I wanted to learn native German. And, we accidentally (in his words – ‘an actual incident’) met at an evening language course – was his final day and my first. Believe it or not, he did literally annoy me by staring at continuously. He wasn’t even hiding and thereafter, came and sat beside me with a ‘go and get her’ attitude. Inside – I got a bit curious!
He didn’t quit the course and gradually, we became buddies – precisely, we were into each other. Aha! my curiosity turned into confusion – soon as he expressed his inner feelings – Pritam has an incorrigibly bizarre way of expressing his insight. At one of our first dates he said, “Margaret, when I saw you at the first time, I think my cardiac output increased at least by 20% and it still does. I can prove it, if you visit my lab someday”.
I mean; who does so?! Consequently, I realized that due such strange self-expressions (despite honest/correct/exact), this man has failed to maintain a personal life and I decided to give him a chance.
Other day, he took me to his breathomics laboratory at the University Hospital. But instead of showing his cardiac functions (as was claimed), he measured the volatile biomarkers in my breath. Moreover, he was making fun that he could write a new article to explain my results. Goodness! I was so nervous, confused and I couldn’t realize, – why the hell has he taken me to such a strange place – shouldn’t/couldn’t it be a candlelight dinner or similar?
Guess what! – according to him that’s ‘significantly romantic (i.e. supported by a P-value <0.05)’ and all those acts were to diligently impress me. Whereas, I perceived that if he finds  something wrong in my breath data, – he might kick me out and say – NEXT PLEASE!
Meanwhile, I did fortunately meet his colleagues from many scientific disciplines, from many countries and I recognized that such abnormal expressions aren’t totally outliers. There is a bunch of similar nerds/freaks/genius (aka. Scientists) with such common characters – living around/with us.
Well, beyond all those major demerits, Pritam is gifted with a few minor features, which ‘ring my bell’.
First on my list is his never-ending spirit and dedication to science for life. That’s what motivates him to do such complex and tedious research – in his words ‘Cheers to Science for Life’. In parallel, I am utterly fascinated by his simple philosophy of life, daily spiritual practice and meditation, non-adherence to earthly wealth and above all, by his patriotism. His random talents include – painting, singing, cooking (somewhat experimental!), unusual percussion, martial art and magic etc. IMHO, these versatilities are somehow derived from his origin from India – an incredible country of diversity, pristine knowledge, wisdom and enlightenment.
Although he has an unparalleled thought process, innovative ideas and a quick decision-making (/problem-solving) capability in science; that’s considerably missing in his personal life. Here, he mostly struggles and he needs time to realize the presence of a day-to-day problem. The problem of such problems is that these are not problematic (/complex) enough to trigger him. Thus, I often get impatient and eventually take over the situation. Nonetheless, at times, I let him struggle or give small push/clues towards the solution. But mostly he fails to listen, follow or react.

Finally, I am grateful to The Indian Rover for the opportunity to nail him publicly. Hope, I have utilized it well. So, did I choose the perfect partner to live with, remains as an open question – ‘ain’t matter’. All I know is that living with him is no less than a full-time job (keeping him in a normal/domestic order) and am simply addicted to him. No matter what lies in the future, I want to see him EVER by my side.
As in the infamous words of ‘Maria’ – on her beloved ‘Pirate’ :–

“My heart is pierced by Cupid – I disdain all glittering gold

There is nothing can console me – But my jolly sailor bold”