Do you consider yourself a grown up?

"Do you consider yourself a grown-up?", I ask her, and she gives me one of those trademark looks,

Then ignoring my question, as she often does, she goes back to surveying my collection of fantasy books.

They are showing the Manchester United Arsenal match on TV and as always, Arsenal's losing,

and the two of us are pretty high, its been another evening of smoking up and boozing. 

"You have a beautiful collection of books, and I will borrow Samit Basu next" she tells me, 

and picking up the 14th Wheel of Time book, she says, "I can't wait to learn who would Demandred be.

Please don't tell me - it'll spoil the surprise. But give me a hint - is it Taim? 

No that would be too obvious - I am sure even Brandon Sanderson is not so lame."

I tell her, "Read the book, its a beautiful climax - the tension just builds up.

But why don't you answer me - Do you consider yourself a grown-up?"

"I will have to think hard to answer this, for I don't really know,

I don't feel particularly grown up though, so I think the answer would be no".

"What is growing up though?" she wonders aloud, and I tell her "that's what I am trying to figure out,

When my parents were my age, they were grown up for sure, of that I have no doubt,

They knew exactly what to do given any situation, and they brought me up too,

and I just feel to grow up to that level, I still have a lot of catching up to do."

Meanwhile, Arsenal have scored through Ozil, and I celebrate, while she gives a pained shout, 

"Why did we ever choose Moyes - he has never won anything. My new FB status is Moyes Out".

The Arsenal fan in me enthuses "Arsenal is going to win the league this time around, you wait and see"

"We have seen this optimism before - soon it will be nine years." and she laughs at me. 

 Arsenal wins -yay!!- through a last minute goal,

and she is at her abusive best, calling David Moyes an asshole. 

"I don't think a grown up would have such emotional breakdown when their team loses,

Thank God Manchester City also lost - hatred does have some unique uses"

"I should grow up soon, or that is what my parents tell me as well,

and I think they are planning to get me married, I can hear the wedding bell,

But is it a switch which decides when you grow up, and suddenly you find yourself sure?

for looking at my parents,  I never think I can be that mature."

I tell her: "Maybe growing up is overrated, and its not such a big deal,

but its something you have to do, and that's just how I feel,

and I am taking the first step towards growing up, and I don't know about you,

but there is something I want to tell you - I love you."